Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the benefits of federal agencies' engaging in cooperative research and development agreements (CRADA) with the private sector.

GAO found that: (1) although all CRADA do not achieve the same level of benefit, collaborative research and development agreements can be valuable assets in the government's portfolio of technology transfer programs; (2) many technologies generated in federal laboratories could have commercial value if further developed by private industry; (3) CRADA offer the opportunity for laboratories and private industry to share expertise and resources and advance research and development programs while meeting their missions; and (4) government-industry collaborations can have a positive impact on certain U.S. industries.