The document provides an overview of the principles and policies for partnerships between the Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) and industrial/commercial organizations. ICT is a public agency and dependent special school district formed through a joint powers agreement among three Silicon Valley school districts. ICT aims to advance science and technology through STEM programs and projects conducted in partnership with industry, maintaining a balance between educational goals and industry applications. The document outlines policies regarding project administration, intellectual property, publication, liability, and termination of sponsored programs agreements.

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ICT: Transforming Education Through Technology TM
A GUIDE FOR INDUSTRY
Program Agreements with the
Institute of Computer Technology (ICT)
PARTNERING WITH ICT
This guide is a summary of the broad principles applicable to Sponsored Programs
agreements between the Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) and industrial and
commercial organizations. The principles set forth in this guide reflect the Special
District’s position as a publicly supported educational institution. This brief
presentation of information about ICT has been prepared by the Office of the
Superintendent and the Office of Strategic Development & Communications and is
intended to facilitate our sponsored programs relationship with your organization.
Introduction
The Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) has a history of cooperation with
industry in the support of STEM Programs that is consonant with the Special
District's missions of teaching, STEM Programs, and public service. Cooperative
efforts are encouraged because they produce mutual benefits as well as benefits to
society. Industry support contributes to the education of scientists, engineers, and
others and also to the development of technologies that can be put to practical use
by society. Facilitating the transfer of technology is an important goal of the
cooperative industry-Special District relationship.
One of the primary purposes of ICT is to carry out STEM Programs to advance the
frontiers of science and technology and to further educational STEM Programs.
Instruction and STEM Programs are interdependent; both suffer when dealt with
separately. California’s STEM Programs projects should be of intellectual interest
to the staff and be conducted under the direction of the staff.
Industrial sponsored STEM Programs projects should maintain a balance between the
Special District’s pursuit of best-of-breed, standards and research-based STEM
Programs as an integral part of the educational process and industry’s search for
useful knowledge to be applied toward the development of products, processes and
services. A valuable benefit of industry-Special District cooperation is to provide
additional STEM Programs and workforce development opportunities for students,
SCCOE faculty, staff and community.

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Special District Identity: ICT is a Joint-Powers Authority
ICT is a public agency and dependent, special school district located on the campus
of Fremont Unified High School District formed through a Joint-Powers Agreement
(JPA) among three Silicon Valley School Districts. It is a constituent institution of
the Santa Clara County Office of Education and an agency of the State of
California. The Institute of Computer Technology for business and legal purposes
should be identified as the “Institute of Computer Technology (ICT).”
JPA’s Legal Organization
In 1982, the California State Legislature declared, “Education and training in the
area of computer technology is of major importance to the State of California.” As a
means to reach that end, the Legislature, pursuant to the California Education Code
(Section 52480-52483), authorized the creation of a new government agency named
the Institute of Computer Technology (ICT), to be headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA.
ICT was established as a Joint Powers Agency (JPA) by three Silicon Valley area
school districts (Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, Sunnyvale
Elementary School District, and Fremont Union High School District). The School
Boards of these three school districts appoint ICT’s Board Members.
ICT is regarded as a “government unit” as defined in Sections 170(b)(1)(A)(v) and
170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) of 1986, as amended (“IRC”), and is not
a private foundation by virtue of IRC Section 509(a)(1). Charitable contributions or
gifts to ICT are tax deductible under the provisions of Section 170(c)(1) of the
Internal Revenue Code. In 1999, ICT established the ICT Foundation that now
operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in support of ICT’s technology education activities
and STEM Programs. In 2001, California’s Secretary of State reaffirmed the
Institute of Computer Technology’s (ICT) purpose as one that “has the powers of a
school district to…develop and implement curriculum, course offerings and
instructional STEM Programs.”
Authority to Conduct Business
While initial discussions between industry sponsors and ICT staff or senior STEM
Programs staff occur in a variety of ways, no STEM Programs or project may be
established or undertaken unless a carefully defined STEM Programs proposal,
including a budget, has been submitted through the Special District’s internal review
procedures, and an acceptable funding agreement has been negotiated and signed by
the authorized representatives of both parties.
Authority to negotiate, execute and modify agreements for conducting STEM
Programs on behalf of ICT is delegated to the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP).
The authorizing official for ICT is the Superintendent, while the cognizant Director

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ICT: Transforming Education Through Technology TM
of Sponsored Programs has operational and budgetary command and control of
project deliverables and deadlines pursuant to JPA policy and the CA Education Code.
Publication Policy
It is the policy of ICT that instruction, STEM Programs, and services will be
accomplished openly and will lead to the publication and dissemination of the results
of academic and STEM Programs activities. The Special District will enter into no
agreement that bars an ICT STEM Research Fellow(s) from publishing or otherwise
disclosing the findings publicly.
ICT recognizes the legitimate proprietary concerns of industrial sponsors and will
endeavor to protect their confidential data as required. Where a sponsor's
proprietary information has been accepted as necessary background data for a STEM
Programs project, the sponsor may review proposed publications in order to identify
any inadvertent disclosure of that data. Manuscripts will be submitted to the
sponsor thirty- (30) days prior to journal submission with the possibility of an
additional delay of up to sixty (60) days to allow for the filing of patent
applications.
Patent Policy
A basic aim of ICT’s intellectual property policies is to promote the progress of
science and technology, to assure that discoveries and inventions are used to benefit
the public, promote economic development, and to provide appropriate royalty
revenues to the Special District and inventor.
ICT has an interest in all inventions of our personnel which are conceived of or first
actually reduced to practice as part of or as a result of a JPA-administered
Sponsored Programs; activities within the scope of the inventor's employment by the
Special District; or activities involving the use of Special District time, facilities, or
materials. This includes all funded STEM Programs projects whether from public or
private sources.
ICT has a right to own any invention in which it has an interest. In cases where joint
inventorship results from collaborative agreements with industrial sponsors, joint
ownership terms are negotiated as appropriate. The Special District will normally
grant to the sponsor the first opportunity to negotiate an exclusive or nonexclusive
license to any inventions made as a direct result of the funded STEM Programs.
Further information about ICT patent, copyright and licensing policies can be
obtained by contacting:
Division of Sponsored Programs
Institute of Computer Technology (ICT)
589 W. Fremont Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94087-2556
Phone: 408-736-4291

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Costs
Contracts with sponsors are generally performed on a cost reimbursement "no-profit
/ no-loss" basis. Therefore, STEM Programs projects are to incorporate both direct
and indirect costs in the STEM Programs budget. In particular cost for performance
and compliance of statutory requirements for public contracting, public records and
the use and administration of public funds.
Liability, Risk and Best Efforts
Since the educational enterprise by its nature is unpredictable and without
guarantee of successful results, Sponsored Programs are conducted on a "best
efforts" basis. However, STEM Programs projects are organized in a manner that is
sensitive to the differing time constraints of sponsors.
As an educational institution and a state agency, the Special District receives no fee
or profit on its STEM Programs. For this reason, and also because it is inconsistent
with the best efforts principle, contract provisions cannot be accepted that
guarantee results, impose penalties for failure to make progress by firm deadlines, or
provide for withholding of payment if the sponsor is not satisfied with the results.
As an agency of the State of California, the Special District cannot accept contract
provisions requiring that we indemnify and hold harmless the sponsor or carry
liability insurance in addition to the types and levels established by the California
State Law.
Project Administration
The collegial environment and effective divisional management within ICT assures the
highest standards of performance in all Sponsored Programs projects. The Special
District’s policies pertaining to health and safety (such as those governing protection
of human subjects, bio-safety, occupational and environmental protection, and animal
welfare) are applicable to all ICT Sponsored Programs. Projects are also conducted
in conformance with equal opportunity and affirmative action principles.
Conflicting Interests or Obligations
The California Public Ethics Law and the Special District’s Conflict of Interest
Procedures, and all other relevant rules and regulations of the State of California
govern requirements for ICT STEM Research Fellow, staff, and principals’ financial
disclosures.
ICT does not accept contracts with blanket provisions that preclude the ICT STEM
Research Fellow from performing STEM Programs for others in related areas.

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Termination
In the event the sponsor for any reason terminates a funding agreement, the sponsor
will be expected to reimburse the Special District for all costs incurred to the date
of termination and for all uncancellable obligations incurred prior to termination.
APPLICABLE LAW
Being an agency of the State of California within the County of Santa Clara, ICT and
its STEM Programs agreements must be governed and construed by California State
Law. No foreign state jurisdiction in the event of a dispute will be accepted.
Information
For further information, contact:
Carlos F. Camargo, PhD
Executive Director & Superintendent
Institute of Computer Technology (ICT)
589 W. Fremont Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94087-2556
Email: ccamargo@ict.org
Phone: 408-736-4291
Cell: 510-798-5016
URL: http://www.ICT.org