ARS-200-PA Confidentiality Agreement

OSQR Confidentiality Agreement

	For Review of ARS Research Project Plans by the National Program Panel:
	For Review of a Specific ARS Research Project Plan:

THIS AGREEMENT is by and between the US. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
(hereinafter ARS), and			(hereinafter Reviewer).
		(Name of Reviewer)
WHEREAS, in order for Reviewer to assess the scientific merit of ARS Research Project Plan(s), (hereinafter Project Plan(s)), ARS may have included detailed information in the Project Plan(s) about the underlying research and existing and anticipated research results that is considered by ARS to be proprietary or confidential information (hereinafter Confidential Information); and THEREFORE, Reviewer agrees to maintain in complete confidence and secrecy the Confidential Information contained in the Project Plan(s), will not disclose directly or indirectly the Confidential Information to others, and will not use or make use of the Confidential Information, except in connection with said reviews. For purposes of this Agreement, such Confidential Information shall not include: 1. Information already known to Reviewer; 2. Information which Reviewer receives from a third party who has not obtained such information directly or indirectly from ARS; 3. Information that has become public knowledge through no actions of Reviewer; or 4. Information received after the disclosure from a third party having the right to the information and who does not impose a confidentiality obligation on Reviewer. This Confidentiality Agreement shall remain in effect for five years from the Effective Date. Signatures: Peer Reviewer: __________________________________________________ Date _____________________ ARS Representative: _____________________________________________ Date _____________________

Please fax this form to OSQR at 301-504-1251 as soon as possible. Then mail the original to the address below.

Public Burden Statement: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0518-0028. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Office of Scientific Quality Review

5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

301-504-3282

ARS-200PA (xx/xx/xxx)