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Defence Science Access Network (DSAN)

In the 2004-5 financial year, DSTO spent approximately 11% of its $325 million budget on contracting of research and development through external research organisations.  This took place through a range of collaborative and commercial arrangements, including:

• Technical Support Services contracts and Research Agreements whereby DSTO seek the support from universities and industry to assist in DSTO research programs.
• Centres of Expertise, which form a long-term relationship between DSTO and a university to jointly conduct research in a specific field which will lead to enhanced Defence capability.
• Capability Technology Demonstrator (CTD) program, which assists in the improvement or support of priority Defence capability by providing Australian industry with an opportunity to demonstrate their technology, thereby informing Defence of the potential performance and technical risk associated with its implementation. 
• Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) which are coordinated by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) through its CRC Programme.  CRCs facilitate interactions and collaboration between researchers and industry.  DSTO has been a party to a number of CRCs over the life of the CRC Programme.  DSTO participates in CRCs where the research and training programs align with DSTO’s strategic direction. 

In addition to its spending on contract research and development, DSTO is also involved in other collaborative ventures.  These ventures include:

• Collaboration agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, involving two or more parties working together to optimise a pool of resources and achieve an agreed joint outcome.
• Industry Alliances, which are non-exclusive arrangements and provide a forum in which DSTO and the industry partner can exchange information in the field/s covered by the alliance agreement with a view to  undertaking activities of mutual interest . 

DSTO also provides services to industry under commercial arrangements. These may be classified as:

• Commercial Services Agreements and Licences through which DSTO provides services to industry and the science and technology community under commercial agreements involving the transfer of knowledge, expertise and technology from DSTO to industry.  These include Consultancy services, Testing services and access to DSTO’s Facilities and Equipment where these are not otherwise commercially available.  This may also include the licensing of DSTO’s intellectual property through Technology Licence agreements.