Research and development contracting at the National Institute of Dental Research.

Government contracting for biomedical research and development is a cooperative venture of high public visibility. It must be soundly conceived, openly instituted, and skillfully managed. Because of the cooperative nature of contract activities, it is important for the scientific community to understand the contract mechanism and the concepts upon which its use is based. Therefore, these concepts are described and how this mechanism serves as an aid in accomplishing the mission of the National Institute of Dental Research is discussed.