Investortools/Merritt Research Data Request Form

Investortools/Merritt Research Data Request

If you are interested in the Investortools/Merritt Research data, please complete this form.

Project Lead Name

Project lead must be a university-based tenure-track faculty or research professor. Project lead will serve as the principal contact for all correspondence on project approval, data access and billing.

Project Lead Title

Project Lead Institution/Affiliation

Project Lead E-mail

Project Lead Mailing/Billing Address

Identify other parties to invoice if necessary.

Project Lead Phone Number

Project Lead Date of Birth (for data security validation)

Project Lead Personal Website/URL

Project Affiliates

0 of 1000 max characters

Please identify the name, title and email address for any other researchers at the Project Lead's institution/affiliation who will access the data if the project is approved. For Ph.D. students, please identify the student's primary academic advisor.

Identify which sector(s) you would like (click all that apply):

Research Project Title

Research Project Description

0 of 1000 max words

Please share a 500-1,000 word description of the research you intend to perform with these data. If possible, identify target publication outlets.

Approximate Project Completion Date

Terms and Conditions - Please Review and Click "I Have Been Notified" Below

Terms and Conditions
1.	Provider (the Center for Municipal Finance, or "CMF") originally received a license from Investortools, Inc. (“Investortools”) to use the Data, under separate agreement executed as of May 18, 2023, and Provider was granted permission to share Data with Recipient (project applicant) under the following terms and conditions.
2.	Provider shall provide access to the data set described above to Recipient for the research purpose set forth in the project description noted above. Recipient does not obtain any rights in the Data other than as set forth herein. Investortools owns all rights, title and interest (including intellectual property rights) in the Data (as defined below), even as integrated within any work product.  For the purpose of this Agreement, Data includes (i) aggregated data, reports and analyses; and (ii) disaggregated data, data dictionaries, reference tools, data methodologies, data attributes/characteristics, flat files and the individual components of information, in each case as provided by Investortools to Provider under separate agreement. The Data are copyrighted in the name of Investortools and may only be reproduced as stated in this Agreement.
Data access is designed to facilitate research projects initiated by individual academic researchers and academic institutions and this requirement must be met for the Agreement Term. Use of Data to perform projects sponsored or initiated by organizations such as industry groups, government agencies, or non-profit organizations is prohibited. Recipient represents it is an academic researcher or institution as required by this Agreement and shall provide Provider with its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt letter, exemption certificate, or other proof of exemption as reasonably requested by Provider. Provider reserves the right to terminate this Agreement, in compliance with Section 10, should Recipient no longer meet the requirements under this Section 2. 
3.	Recipient shall pay an annual fee of three thousand dollars ($3,000) USD per data set requested to Provider. Recipient shall submit to Provider an annual status update and shall disclose any changes to project scope, new funding sources, coauthors, and other updates as requested.
4.	"Confidential Information” means any information disclosed by one party to the other party, either orally or in writing, the terms and conditions of this Agreement, as well as a customer lists, marketing and product plans, technology, systems, business processes, research proposals, and any other financial, sales, marketing, research or business information.  Confidential Information must be disclosed in writing and shall be clearly marked as “Confidential” when disclosed.  When Confidential Information is disclosed in a manner other than in writing, it shall be summarized and reduced to written form, marked “Confidential” and transmitted to the receiving Party within thirty (30) days of the initial disclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information disclosed hereunder shall be considered “Confidential Information” if the nature of the information would lead a reasonable person in the relevant industry to believe that such information should be treated as confidential. Information shall not be Confidential Information if it can be established it is: (1) disclosed in public materials or is otherwise in the public domain, (2) obtained from a third party with an apparent, bona fide right to disclose it, (3) lawfully known to the receiving party prior to disclosure by the other party; or (4) independently developed by the receiving party without use or reference to the Confidential Information. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, each party will treat all Confidential Information of the other party with the same degree of care as it accords to its own Confidential Information, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care, and, if requested by the other party in writing, will destroy or return to the other party all Confidential Information upon termination or expiration of this Agreement. While having access to Investortools’ Data through Provider’s internal systems, the Recipient may acquire information, data, procedures, and techniques that are confidential, proprietary information of Provider. If Recipient should acquire information outside the Data as intended to be shared under this Agreement, Recipient shall immediately notify Provider.  The Recipient agree not to disclose such information to others and not to use such information in the manufacture of products or performance of services unless the Recipient obtains prior, written permission from Provider for Recipient to use such information.
5.	Recipient shall not use the Data except as authorized under this Agreement. The Data will be used solely to conduct the Project and solely by Recipient Scientist and Recipient’s faculty, employees, fellows, students, and agents (“Recipient Personnel”) that have a need to use, or provide a service in respect of, the Data in connection with the Project and whose obligations of use are consistent with the terms of this Agreement (collectively, “Authorized Persons”).
6.	Except as authorized under this Agreement or otherwise required by law, Recipient agrees to retain control over the Data and shall not disclose, release, sell, rent, lease, loan, or otherwise grant access to the Data to any third party, except Authorized Persons, without the prior written consent of Provider. Recipient agrees to establish appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of or access to the Data and comply with any other special requirements relating to safeguarding of the Data as may be set forth in Attachment 2.
7.	Recipient agrees to use the Data in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, as well as all professional standards applicable to such research.
8.	Provider grants to Recipient a limited, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use the Data, excluding any media measurement data, for the sole purpose of academic research in the United States by Recipient faculty and approved students. 
9.	Recipient is encouraged to make publicly available the results of the Project. Before Recipient submits a paper or abstract for publication or otherwise intends to publicly disclose information about the results of the Project, the Provider and Investortools will have thirty (30) days from receipt to review proposed manuscripts Provider or Investortools may request in writing that the proposed publication or other disclosure be delayed for up to thirty (30) additional days as necessary to protect proprietary information. Investortools also requires Provider provide to Investortools with a copy of any reports or other conclusions from research conducted by the parties. All working papers and eventual publications produced using the Harris/Merritt database must be submitted to the Center for Municipal Finance by way of email to Dr. Justin Marlowe at jmarlowe@uchicago.edu.  Note: This does not preclude submission to other working paper series. Limited excerpts of Investortools Information may be published in a bona fide publication of academic research (a “limited excerpt” shall mean such portion of the Information as would not ordinarily substitute for a purchase of access to information from Investortools). In all cases, disclosed Information, including those in any publication must show Investortools’ copyright, and be accurately labeled.
10.	Unless terminated earlier in accordance with this section or extended via a modification in accordance with Section 17, this Agreement shall expire as of the End Date set forth above. Either party may terminate this Agreement with thirty (30) days written notice to the other party’s Authorized Official as set forth below. Upon expiration or early termination of this Agreement, Recipient shall follow the disposition instructions provided in Attachment 2, provided, however, that Recipient may retain one (1) copy of the Data to the extent necessary to comply with the records retention requirements under any law, and for the purposes of research integrity and verification. Provider may terminate this Agreement immediately upon 1) lack of payment described in Article 2 above; 2) any material breach of this Agreement by Recipient; 3) termination of Provider’s license to Data from Investortools; or 4) if Recipient is no longer classified as an academic researcher or institution as required in Section 2
11.	Except as provided below or prohibited by law, any Data delivered pursuant to this Agreement is understood to be provided “AS IS.” PROVIDER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AND EXTENDS NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THERE ARE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THAT THE USE OF THE DATA WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. Notwithstanding, Provider warrants that it has the right and authority to provide the Data to Recipient for use in the Project.
12.	Except to the extent prohibited by law, the Recipient assumes all liability for damages which may arise from its use, storage, disclosure, or disposal of the Data.  
13.	Recipient agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Provider and Investortools, their respective staff, agent, employees, officers and directors against all third party claims, damages, loss or expenses ("Claims”) to the extent arising from Recipient’s breach of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Recipient shall be entitled to have sole control over the defense of such Claim. Investortools agrees to promptly notify Provider, who will promptly notify Recipient, of any Claims for which Investortools and/or Provider seeks indemnification hereunder, and to reasonably cooperate with Investortools and/or Provider in the defense and/or settlement of the Claim. The Provider will not be liable to the Recipient for any loss, claim, or demand made by the Recipient, or made against the Recipient by any other party, due to or arising from the use of the Data by the Recipient, except to the extent permitted by law when caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Provider.
14.	Neither party shall use the other party’s name, trademarks, or other logos in any publicity, advertising, or news release without the prior written approval of an authorized representative of that party. The parties agree that each party may disclose factual information regarding the existence and purpose of the relationship that is the subject of this Agreement for other purposes without written permission from the other party provided that any such statement shall accurately and appropriately describe the relationship of the parties and shall not in any manner imply endorsement by the other party whose name is being used.
15.	All working papers or publication of any kind must acknowledge use of the data by citation of Merritt Research Services, an Investortools Company working paper.  The appropriate citation is: “Documentation for the Harris/ Merritt Research Services, an Investortools Company Database, Harris Public Policy, University of Chicago.”
16.	Unless otherwise specified, this Agreement and the below listed Attachments embody the entire understanding between Provider and Recipient regarding the transfer of the Data to Recipient for the Project:
•	Attachment 1: Description of Data
•	Attachment 2: Investortools Data-specific Terms and Conditions
•	Attachment 3: Recipient’s Approved Data Access Application 
17.	No modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be valid unless in writing and executed by duly- authorized representatives of both parties.
18.	This Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding between the Parties with respect to its subject matter.  It supersedes all prior or contemporaneous discussions, representations, or agreements (other than agreements expressly contemplated hereunder), whether written or oral, of the Parties regarding its subject matter.
19.	The undersigned Authorized Officials of Provider and Recipient expressly represent and affirm that the contents of any statements made herein are truthful and accurate and that they are duly authorized to sign this Agreement on behalf of their institution.

I have been notified of these Terms and Conditions. If project is approved, CMF staff will send a Data Sharing Agreement to finalize these terms.

I Have Been Notified

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