Technical Service Agreement (TSA)

Under Technical Service Agreements (TSAs), DOD laboratories may make available to any person or entity (including universities), on a reimbursable basis, laboratory services for the testing of materials, equipment, models or computer software and other items. They are authorized by 10 U.S.C. 2539b (a) (3). The law authorizes the directors or commanders of government laboratories, centers or other facilities to make available to any person or entity, at a prescribed fee, the services of the government facility for the testing of materials, equipment, models, computer software and other items.

10 USC 2539b

On a reimbursable basis, paid to DOD laboratories by any person or entity (including universities) utilizing laboratory services.

A TSA should be used if the service is to beprovided by the laboratory with notechnical collaboration by the partner, and provides an avenue for industry toaccess the unique equipment and facilities in federal labs. A TSA is notappropriate for research studies orinvestigations. Neither does itauthorize the sale of products – just services. The entity requesting thelaboratory’sservices must establish in writing that provision of theservices will not constitute undue competition with theprivate sector andthat the service requested does not involve expansion of laboratorycapabilities or facilities,even if the requesting entity offers tofinance the expansion.

The legislation defines “person or entity” to be an individual, partnership, corporation, association, state, local or tribunal government, or an agency or instrumentality of the United States. Thus, the only limitation on participants is that they may not be agencies of foreign governments.
- Private Industry (US or foreign)
- Nonprofit (US)
- State, local, and tribal governments (US)
- Academic institutions (US or foreign)