The ACHRI has never contracted with the Soybean Board, but we would never
agree to the terms you described, especially the clauses related to rights
to publications and patents.  The budget issues would also be of great
concern.  Unless some great compromise was reached, ACHRI would refuse to
enter a contract such as this.  I will be interested to hear what other
institutions say...

Darri
---------------------------------------------------------------
Darri L. Snodgrass
Administrative Director of PreAward Services
Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute
1120 Marshall Street
Little Rock, AR  72202-3591
Phone:  (501) 320-3581  Fax:  (501) 320-3547
e-mail:   xxxxxx@exchange.uams.edu

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> On Wed, 18 Mar 1998, Martha M. Taylor wrote:
>
> > I am interested talking to in anyone who has sucessfully negotiated an
> > agreement with the United Soybean Board.  Our one and only experience to
> > date took several months.  The United Soybean Board used an intermediate
> > firm - Smith, Bucklin and Associates, LLC to contract with us based upon
> > some agreement that they have with the Soybean Board.
> >
> > The agreement contained the standard things that universities generally
> > don't like:
> >
> > 1) prior approval of all publications including presentations at
> > conferences/national meetings
> > 2) very detailed documentation of all expenditures
> > 3) no overhead, no PI salary, and no equipment
> > 4) no budget reallocations or deviations without prior written approval
> > 5) liability for all claims etc arising in whole or in part by acts or
> > omissions of the university
> > 6) Smith Bucklin will only pay us if the Soybean Board pays them first
> and
> > if the Soybean Board doesn't pay then we are out on our own
> > 7) Agreement governed and construed in accordance with the laws of a
> state
> > other than the one in which we are incorporated
> > 8) non-exclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or use or
> > sublicense the discoveries ..... They get all rights to revenues or
> > benefits arising from licenses that we enter into with third parties
> with
> > 50% of the income coming back to them
> >
> > It goes on from there.
> >
> > The basis for my question to this group is a phone call I received from
> a
> > department head who stated that we are being unreasonable and that other
> > universities would surely agree to work with the Soybean Board in a more
> > reasonable and timely fashion.  He suggested that I poll other
> institutions
> > to get a better understanding of how to do my job.  So that is what I am
> > doing.  I would like to know of successes with the Soybean Board and of
> > institutions who would agree to the language provided above.  Thanks for
> > any enlightenment you might provide.
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > Martha M. Taylor,   Director               (334) 844-4438
> > Contracts and Grants Administration         FAX (334) 844-5953
> > 310 Samford Hall
> > Auburn University,  AL  36849-5131
> > xxxxxx@mail.auburn.edu
> >
> >