In many cases, it is necessary for ARS to share certain confidential information with a company to determine if there is sufficient mutual interest to proceed with some type of collaboration. A Confidentiality Agreement (CA) is used to ensure that a company will not disclose or use in any other purpose than determining if there is sufficient mutual interest in collaboration at some level.

In most cases, a Confidentiality Agreement with a company can be entered into by the ARS scientist and the respective company official. In other cases, it may be necessary for the ARS Technology Transfer Coordinator or other Office of Technology Transfer official to review the CA.