The document presents an overview of the NIH Transfer Agreement Dashboard (TAD), as delivered by Lisa Finkelstein at the June 2012 Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) meeting. The TAD is designed to streamline the Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) process, which frequently causes delays in research due to manual, paper-based workflows and lack of transparency. The presentation outlines the goals of TAD, notably reducing delays in receiving research materials, improving compliance with NIH policies, increasing visibility of MTA status, and enhancing metric tracking for technology transfer offices. The system was developed through significant stakeholder input, with contributions from NIH technology transfer staff, external universities, and medical research centers.
TAD offers features such as a standardized workflow, online forms with built-in validation, electronic signatures, and real-time tracking and reporting capabilities. It supports various MTA types and provides a centralized platform for both NIH and numerous external organizations. By automating tasks and offering 24/7 access to MTA statuses, TAD aims to decrease the administrative burden on researchers and technology transfer staff, expedite material requests, and enable more robust reporting. The document also highlights future development areas, such as inbound transfers from external organizations, a searchable material catalogue, improved system interfaces, and legacy data migration, all aimed at further enhancing efficiency and integration in research material management.
