Join SMART IRB

Review the agreement with institution officials and counsel, as appropriate.

• SMART IRB Reliance Agreement V3.0 
• Related Resources for SMART IRB Reliance Agreement V3.0

Do not sign the sample Joinder Agreement. You will use the SMART IRB Reliance System to generate and obtain signature for your institution-specific Joinder Agreement.

Each user must log in or create an account to start the joinder process.

• This should be completed by an IRB/HRPP administrator, research compliance personnel.
• If you previously used the Joinder and/or Online Reliance System, your account has been carried over.
• You will receive an email requesting verification of the email address you provide.
• Upon email verification, you will be able to access the Reliance System and proceed with the process.

Add DoNotReply@smartirb.org to your email contacts to ensure that the verification email does not end up in spam.

Provide institutional information to generate your institution’s joinder agreement.

• Complete/review/update the Institution Details form.
• Complete/review/update your institution contacts.
• If you made significant changes to your institution details (e.g. change in legal name, or in whether your institution maintains an IRB), this information will need to be verified by the SMART IRB Team. If no such changes were made, please proceed to step 4.

Review the Joinder Agreement you generated in step 3 and send for electronic signature via the Reliance System.

• Review and confirm all contact information is correct.
• Obtain the signature of your Institution Official by clicking the “Request Signature” button. 
• The Institutional Official will receive an email requesting their signature; they will review, sign, and submit the institution’s joinder agreement electronically. Please note if the agreement is not signed and submitted in 7 days, a new joinder agreement would need to be generated in the Reliance System.

A SMART IRB representative will review your Joinder Agreement and contact you with any questions.

You must wait until you receive an email confirming activation of your institution’s joinder agreement before initiating any new reliance arrangements under the SMART IRB Agreement. Please note it may take 1-3 business days to process your institution’s Joinder Agreement.

• You can also log in to the Reliance System to check your status.
• Once you have received notice of activation, you may use the SMART IRB Agreement to collaborate with other Participating Institutions.

Note: Joining SMART IRB does not obligate an institution to participate in any research or agree to a reliance arrangement. Institutions are free to use the Agreement as frequently or infrequently as they so choose.