The Contracts Office supports researchers by preparing and managing the agreements that underpin research at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Having appropriate contracts in place is a key part of the research governance process and helps ensure projects meet legal, risk and compliance requirements.
A formal agreement is usually required where a project involves collaboration with another organisation, the sharing of data or materials, or the use of research outcomes. The Contracts Office supports a wide range of agreements, including research collaborations, clinical trials, student research projects, data or material sharing, and variations to existing contracts.
We work closely with researchers to understand the details of each project, including roles and responsibilities, data handling arrangements, intellectual property, and publication requirements. We also collaborate with the Governance and Finance teams within the Office for Research, as well as RMH Legal Services, to ensure contracts meet organisational requirements, including risk, compliance and financial considerations.
This coordinated approach helps ensure contracts accurately reflect the agreed research arrangements.
If a contract is required outside the typical governance process, the Contracts Office can provide direct support or, where appropriate, refer the matter to RMH Legal Services.
For RMH Staff
RMH researchers and staff can access the internal Contracts Office page on the RMH staff intranet for detailed guidance and instructions.
RMH-specific information for Agreements
| Legal Entity for the RMH and all its entities: | Melbourne Health |
| ABN: | 73 802 706 972 |
| Address: | The Royal Melbourne Hospital 300 Grattan Street, Parkville VIC 3050 |
| Authorised Representative: | Director, Office for Research Office for Research The Royal Melbourne Hospital Melbourne Health 300 Grattan Street Parkville, Victoria, 3050 |
| Option 1: Invoicing clause (use where RMH will raise invoices) |
All requests to raise an invoice from [contracting Party] to Melbourne Health under this Agreement are to be sent to the attention of the Research Accountant at the following address: The Royal Melbourne Hospital |
| Option 2: Invoicing clause (use only where invoices will be generated as Recipient Created Tax Invoices) |
Invoices are to be generated as Recipient Created Tax Invoices (RCTI) by [contracting Party] under this Agreement. The RCTIs are to be sent to the attention of the Research Accountant at ofrfinance@mh.org.au. |
| RMH payment clause |
All payments by EFT/direct credit under this Agreement will be made to the following account: Account Name: MHS-OPERATING Notification of all payments by EFT/direct credit made under this Agreement will be communicated to the Research Accountant by email at: ofrfinance@mh.org.au. Payment notices made under this Agreement will be accompanied with documentation of the calculation of each payment. The documentation from [contracting Party] will specify the following details:
Copies of all payment notices will be sent to the attention of the RMH Research Accountant by email at: ofrfinance@mh.org.au |
Signing agreements
The Contracts Office will arrange the signing of all finalised agreements in line with the RMH Delegations of Authority Policy.
The Director, Office for Research, is authorised to sign many research agreements. Where an alternative delegate is required, the Contracts Office will advise accordingly and arrange for execution.
Please contact the Contracts Office at ofrcontracts@mh.org.au for signing instructions before sending agreements for electronic signature using platforms such as Docusign or Adobe Sign.
What to expect when working with the Contracts Office
We take a structured and collaborative approach to supporting research contracts at RMH. When you work with us, we will:
- review project information to confirm whether an agreement is required
- identify the most appropriate agreement pathway
- prepare or review draft agreements
- support discussions with external organisations where required
- coordinate agreement execution following completion of governance requirements
We work closely with the Governance Office, Research Finance and RMH Legal Services to ensure agreements meet organisational requirements.
Contact
You can contact the Contracts Office at OfRContracts@mh.org.au.
To assist with processing your enquiry, please include the relevant RMH project number in the subject line.
About clinical trials
We need clinical trials to prove that new treatments are safe and effective for people to use. They are essential to the discovery of new medications and devices, neither of which can be approved for use in Australia without clinical trials.