Collaborations

Sample MOU Template

To help institutions meet the requirements of the Guide and to reduce the administrative burden associated with developing MOUs, the Federal Demonstration Partnership, in collaboration with OLAW, developed an MOU template. The template is intended to prevent problems and misunderstandings which could negatively impact research animals. The use of this template is not required and is provided for the convenience of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) at Assured institutions.

1. Introduction

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide) recommends that collaborating institutions involving animal use should have a formal written understanding (e.g., a contract, memorandum of understanding, or agreement) that addresses the responsibility for offsite animal care and use, animal ownership, and IACUC review and oversight (p.15).

To help institutions meet the requirements of the Guide and to reduce the administrative burden associated with developing MOUs, the Federal Demonstration Partnership, in collaboration with OLAW, developed an MOU template. The template is intended to prevent problems and misunderstandings which could negatively impact research animals.

2. MOU Documents

The FDP provides two documents relevant to the MOU template. The documents can be accessed on the FDP "Animal Subjects Subcommittee" webpage and scrolling down to "Committee Resources and Tools."

• FDP IACUC MOU Sample:
  • Designed for single projects but could be modified for frequent collaborators
  • Covers specific areas of concern for regulators
  • Program-wide acknowledgments
  • Transportation
  • Ownership & oversight
  • Investigation & reporting
  • Other (blank)

• FDP IACUC MOU User Guide
  • Intentionally non-prescriptive
  • Provides definitions to "translate" from each office
  • Provides considerations for offices in choosing what documentation mechanism to utilize (i.e., MOU, subaward, Interinstitutional Assurance)
  • Provides high-level considerations for institutions on how collaborative research is documented
  • FAQs highlight specific considerations

3. Quick Answers

Resources

• OLAW Knowledge Video: Understanding MOUs and Agreements - May 14, 2025
• MOUs for Collaborating Institutions: New Template from the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) - January 19, 2023 (OLAW Webinar)

NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIH GPS)

This document describes the terms and conditions of NIH grant awards. It also clarifies that these requirements "...apply not only to the recipients of NIH Grant Awards, but also flow down to any subawards as well as to subrecipients unless specified otherwise in the regulation." (NIH GPS "Introduction” Webversion)

Learn more about the NIHGPS Statement and view it in different formats.

Agencies Having an MOU with OLAW

OLAW and other agencies have established memoranda of understanding (MOUs) regarding the oversight and care of animals. This extends the requirements of the PHS policy to some activities funded by these agencies that would otherwise not be covered. Currently, these include NSF, NASA and VA. OLAW is available for questions regarding the applicability of the PHS policy to activities that may be affected by these MOUs. 

Learn more about Regulatory References and various MOUs

Laws, Policies, and Guidance 

Laws and Policies 

PHS Policy II: "This Policy is applicable to all PHS-conducted or supported activities involving animals, whether the activities are performed at a PHS agency, an awardee institution, or any other institution and conducted in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States. Institutions in foreign countries receiving PHS support for activities involving animals shall comply with this Policy, or provide evidence to the PHS that acceptable standards for the humane care and use of the animals in PHS-conducted or supported activities will be met."

PHS Policy IV.A: "No activity involving animals may be conducted or supported by the PHS until the institution conducting the activity has provided a written Assurance acceptable to the PHS, setting forth compliance with this Policy."

Guidance

Documentation

Institutional collaborations can take various forms depending on the legal and financial structure of the partnering institutions, the business sector(s) involved, and the funding that supports the collaborative activity. Collaborative arrangements may be simple or complex and may involve one or more additional parties. Because every collaborative situation is unique, it is important that institutions take special care to ensure that proper procedures are followed and complete documentation is obtained prior to beginning any activities involving animals.

The following list describes the three general types of documentation that OLAW may require. Institutions should also be aware of additional documentation required by the funding component.

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide) states that collaborating institutions involving animal use “should have a formal written understanding (e.g., a contract, memorandum of understanding, or agreement) that addresses the responsibility for offsite animal care and use, animal ownership, and IACUC review and oversight”. (p.15) This agreement is established directly between collaborating institutions and is not provided to OLAW. Collaborating institutions should always have a written agreement (such as an MOU) regardless of any additional documentation that may be required by OLAW. 
• Animal Welfare Assurance: The MOU does not take the place of an Assurance document. See Obtaining an Assurance for more information on how to ensure that all animal performance sites are covered under an assurance for activities subject to the PHS policy.

FAQs

• How can the IACUC determine if activities involving privately owned animals constitute veterinary clinical care or research activities?
• What are the institution’s responsibilities during collaborations involving animal activities?
• If an animal activity will be performed outside of the US (either by a foreign awardee or by a foreign institution as a subproject for a domestic awardee), is the awardee’s IACUC required to review and approve that activity?