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Procedure for the Protection of UWF Intellectual Property

To periodically archive certain Intellectual Properties (IP), including UWF software, both in development and under licensing, within the university’s colleges, departments, institutes, centers, labs, and offices.

Objectives

  1. Identify all IP initially subject to it
  2. Establish a schedule for updates
  3. Stipulate the material to be included
  4. Indicate who will deliver the materials for each project
  5. Appoint who will receive the materials for the University
  6. Specify the method of transfer
  7. Designate the place and manner of storage (where, how, etc.)
  8. Determine the procedure for retrieval
  9. Verify the materials provided are current, accurate, and complete
  10. Cover new software projects at a particular phase in their development

Discussion

Several important computer software projects at UWF are copyrighted, patented, or in various stages of commercialization. These software ventures need a common, central, off-campus repository for their protection in the event of a catastrophic disaster. UWF must protect its financial interests in the event of software theft or abuse.

Procedure

A. Copyrighted or patented IP initially subject to this UWF procedure includes:
  • iBinder (CoPS)
  • QuickScience (EPI)
  • eLON (ATC)
  • OZ (IHMC)
  • CMapTools (IHMC)
B. All copyrighted or patented IP subject to this procedure, including those listed above and those projects under development, whose managers expect will be copyrighted or patented, will provide all software in their current state of development at bi-monthly intervals beginning in January of each year. Developers only need provide the latest version of material at the time of custody transfer for addition to the archive.
C. Annually, during July after the start of each new fiscal year, the project director and creators will certify by letter to the Associate Vice President (AVP) for Research that all materials provided at that time have been tested for completeness and operability.
D. The RSP Grants Specialist Supervisor is the RSP representative responsible for receipt and storage of materials. The RSP Associate Director will serve in this role in his/her absence.
E. One person from each project will be assigned by letter to the AVP for Research to transfer materials. Typically, this will be the project managers or their designees.
F.

The RSP representative will receive the materials and see to its proper storage. Storage of the received materials will be maintained for the life of the copyright or patent or until the project has been abandoned.

  1. An off-campus facility will be selected for securely warehousing the intellectual property. Fees for this will be absorbed by RSP. This facility must be a controlled space and afford basic security for any materials deposited. A bank safe deposit box should suffice.
  2. Each department will use the RSP Transfer Agreement and Validity Certification for Intellectual Property (Word) form to list the resources being submitted for archiving. This form will include dates and signatures of the deliverer. The RSP representative will sign for the receipt of the materials and date the document. Each department will receive a copy of the final signed documents. The original shall stay with the material deposited.
  3. The materials accepted by the RSP representative will be delivered to the final storage facility within 24 hours of receipt on a weekday, weekends and holidays excepted. Signature and date of deposit will be entered at the bottom of the form. Extenuating circumstances that preclude meeting this requirement must be explained, in writing, to the AVP for Research.
G. At a time for its destruction or at a time when its withdrawal is sanctioned by proper authority, in writing, the RSP representative will remove the materials from the archive and see that the transfer of custody or destruction is documented including all signatures on the RSP Withdrawal/Disposal of Archived Intellectual Property (Word) form.
H. The RSP Grants Specialist Supervisor will ensure the application of this procedure to all new software products developed at UWF as they enter the commercialization process.
I. All materials will be delivered and received in person. Campus mail and other impersonal methods of transfer are not authorized. Transfer may occur at any location agreed to by the responsible parties.
J. Source code and listings, user and developer guides, operation manuals, and other important documentation will be provided in an electronic form for currently licensed versions of the tools.

Table of Initial & Subsequent Transfers

Required Transfer to ArchiveInitial Transfer1Subsequent Transfers
Copyrighted or patented IP subject to this UWF procedure and those software that are under development whose managers expect will be copyrighted or patented. July 2005 January, March, May, July, September, November
Project director and software creators annual certification of completeness and operability for all material. July 2005 July

1If there are no updates to the software, an e-mail stating so will be sufficient, except for the annual transfers in July. Those will always require newly certified materials be deposited to the IP archive.

The project director and creators will include a certification letter to the AVP for Research with this initial transfer then annually in July stating that all materials provided have been tested for completeness and operability.