This letter constitutes a Research Support Agreement (“Agreement”) between [name of member company], and the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, Inc. (“ARMA”). [Name of member company] is a(n) [Regular / Associate] Member of ARMA. This Agreement is made effective upon receipt of a signed copy in the ARMA office, and is intended to govern the rights and responsibilities of the respective parties in conjunction with the [name of the study] (“Study”).

The Study was approved by ARMA’s Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the ARMA Research Committee on [date study approved]. Its objective is to [objective of the study]. Member companies participating in the Study (“Participating Members”) anticipate that costly and wasteful duplication of research efforts will be avoided through this joint effort.

As previously determined by the Participating Members, pursuant to ARMA procedures, your company’s maximum obligation under this Agreement is $ [member company’s contribution] [, which is the equivalent of ___ percent of the total cost of the Study]. Participating Members must make initial payments equivalent to [percent required for initial contribution] percent of their respective maximum obligations. ARMA requests that your company remit its initial payment of [amount of initial contribution] by [due date for initial deposits]. Following receipt of the initial contributions from all Participating Members, ARMA will contract with [name of research contractor] to conduct the Study.

In the event a Participating Member resigns its membership in ARMA, or otherwise ceases to be a member in good standing, payments made by it in support of the Study will not be refunded, except as provided below. Any Participating Member that resigns, or otherwise ceases to be a member in good standing, after having fulfilled its funding obligations will be entitled to receive the results of the Study. Participating Members that fail to meet their funding obligations will not be entitled to the Study results or underlying data.

Should the Study be terminated prior to achieving its final objective, any remaining funds paid in its direct support will be distributed to the Participating Members. ARMA will make these distributions on a pro rata basis according to the actual contributions received from each Participating Member up until the time the Study is terminated. Participating Members that resign from ARMA, or otherwise cease to be members in good standing after having contributed to the Study will also be entitled to distributions of any undisbursed and uncommitted funds on a pro rata basis according to their actual contributions.

All research results and underlying data of the Study shall remain confidential until publication of the final report, subject to any legal requirements that mandate disclosure. This provision may be waived by unanimous consent of the Participating Members.

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, U.S.A. It represents the entire Agreement between the parties with respect to the Study and can be modified only in writing. It may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

Please sign the Agreement as indicated below and return one copy to ARMA.

 Sincerely,
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
By:_____________________________
Title:____________________________
 
[Name of member company] By:_____________________________
Title:____________________________
Date:____________________________