Updated version of the model Commercial Chief Investigator Agreement (mCCIA) published

An updated version of the model Commercial Chief Investigator Agreement (mCCIA) has been published for use.  

The agreement has been amended based on feedback received after the first template was published in April.  

The Health Research Authority (HRA) received comments from some sponsors that the fixed cost of Chief Investigator services based on 40 hours of work per year was inflexible and not representative of most studies.  

The template has been updated so sponsors can specify the amount of time Chief Investigators are contracted to provide their services for per year, allowing for more transparency and flexibility. 

Minor clarifications and modifications have also been made to the template, including fixing internal clause referencing and correcting the hourly medical staff rate to that in the interactive Costing Tool. 

Contract Research Organisation version now available

A Contract Research Organisation (CRO) version on the mCCIA is also now available for use where the CRO will be a party to the agreement.  

It takes into account the changes the HRA has made to the mCCIA. CRO-mCCIA

When and how should I use the updated agreement?

The mCCIA and CRO version have been published as consultation in use, but the HRA expects that they are used unmodified in line with UK-wide policy.  

The April 2025 version of the mCCIA can continue to be signed, where it has already been negotiated or is close to mutual agreement, up until 18 July 2025.  

After this date, the HRA expects all new mCCIAs entered into use the June 2025 version of the contract.