The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety science organization, have signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement Program (CRADA) agreement for medical devices cybersecurity standards and certification approaches.

The agreement was signed following UL’s announcement of its new Cybersecurity Assurance Program (CAP) in April. The CAP specifically addresses the U.S. White House Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP), designed to enhance cybersecurity capabilities within the U.S. government and across the country, says UL.

The CRADA project is expected to be completed in December this year.

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement(CRADA) is a written agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties under which the government, through its laboratories, provides personnel, facilities, equipment or other resources with or without reimbursement (but not funds to non-federal parties). The non-federal parties provide personnel, funds, services, facilities, equipment or other resources to conduct specific research or development efforts that are consistent with the mission of the laboratory. CRADAs are authorized by 15 U.S.C. 3710a. The governing regulation is AR 70-57, Military-Civilian Technology Transfer, dated 26 February 2004.

The VA and UL will seek to address an existing gap in the marketplace for cybersecurity standards and practical certification approaches for connected medical devices, said UL in a statement.