A confidentiality agreement is a document designed to protect the confidentiality of ideas, inventions, notes, and any other technical or proprietary information that may be divulged in discussions with external parties; it requires the signers not to disclose any information specified as confidential. It should be signed by the researcher/inventor and anyone outside the University involved in a discussion regarding research that may generate specific intellectual property. If any individual or firm is reluctant to sign a confidentiality agreement, the researcher should not proceed. It is unusual for an organization to hesitate to sign such a document because it provides protection to all involved.

Contact the Office of Intellectual Property Management (744.5361; cindy.malayer@okstate.edu) BEFORE talking with outside firms or any other entity.