Registered Research Agencies (RRAs) - Current listing

An important part of the Government's commitment to Research and Development (R&D) is facilitating access by small and medium sized companies to expert R&D services, particularly those residing in public sector research organisations.

The Industry Research and Development Act 1986 provides for the establishment of registered research agencies (RRAs). An RRA is an organisation approved by Innovation Australia (the Board) which is capable of performing contracted R&D, in one or more classes of research activity, on behalf of eligible companies, or through a group of companies who have entered into an collaborative arrangement.

Organisations which will be considered for RRA status at present include:

• private sector profit and non-profit R&D organisations;
• educational institutions such as universities and other higher education institutions;
• autonomous public sector science and technology research institutes, and
• R&D units from Commonwealth and State Government institutions.

There are a number of advantages that RRA's offer to their clients;

• expenditure for Australian R&D work contracted to an RRA, within approved classes of activity, is eligible for the full concession in the year of income, irrespective of the annual R&D expenditure of the claimant, that is the normal annual expenditure threshold of $20,000 is waived.
• prepayments for contracted Australian R&D may be claimed by companies up to twelve months in advance of the work being carried out.
• small and medium-sized firms are able to undertake R&D programs without having to invest in costly R&D equipment and expertise.

The Board has formulated the following criteria to be met by applicants wishing to seek registration as an RRA:

• Employment. The organisation must employ a minimum of one-full time researcher and four other full-time, or full-time equivalent, research staff.
• Facilities. Organisations must have R&D facilities in Australia which shall be sufficient for the research staff to undertake their work and shall be appropriate to the field or fields of research in which the RRA seeks to be registered.
• Pricing Structure. The fee and charges structure must be on normal commercial terms.
• Multiple Client. An organisation must hold itself available to undertake work on behalf on non-related organisations as determined for the purposes of The Corporation Law.

To facilitate access to RRAs, a public register is maintained by the Board, and is published each year identifying each RRA, the class of R&D performed and a company contact.

See the list of Registered Research Agencies as at July 2010 (attached below).

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