Registered Research Agencies
Any organisation may apply for registration as a Registered Research Agency (RRA) for the purpose of performing "contracted" research and development (R&D) for eligible companies claiming the 125% R&D tax concession under Section 73B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936.
Under the concession, a company will be entitled to claim eligible contract R&D performed by an RRA, provided the work is in one or more of the classes of R&D activities for which the RRA is registered.
Organisations which will be considered for registration as RRAs include government research organisations, universities and colleges of advanced education, and private enterprise companies which perform contract R&D.
If the applicant satisfies the necessary criteria, Innovation Australia (the Board) will register the applicant as an RRA in the classes of research and development activity which the Board considers the applicant is qualified to perform.
Details of the criteria to be met, along with other information on Registered Research Agencies, are contained in the Board's Guideline for Registered Research Agencies.
Reasons for becoming an RRA
The advantages of being a Registered Research Agency are:
1. Expenditure for Australian R&D contracted to an RRA within approved classes of activity, is eligible for the full concession in the year of income, irrespective of the company's annual R&D expenditure, i.e. the normal annual threshold amount of $20,000 is waived.
2. A company is able to claim, in advance, payments made to the RRA for contract R&D projects to be performed in the following twelve months.
The Application
The application is divided into two parts. Part A covers company information, and R&D personnel and facilities, and will be treated as commercial-in-confidence. Part B seeks details of the particular classes of R&D for which the applicant is to be registered as selected from the Appendix. Applicants should note that information contained in Part B is required to be made available to the public by the Board.
Please send the completed application to:
R&D Tax Concession
AusIndustry
GPO Box 9839
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Fax: 02 6213 7303
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