Section 1: The BU IP Office.

The BU IP office that shall be responsible for the overall management, planning, implementation, monitoring of intellectual property, and evaluation of the IP-related activities of the university shall be under the umbrella Office of the Vice-President for Research, Development and Extension. The BU IP office shall be called Intellectual Property Management Division (IPMD). It shall be headed by a Director. The BU IP office shall have the three sections namely: (1) Audit, Dissemination, Information and Training Section, (2) Assignment, Copyright, and other IP’s Section, and (3) Patent and Utility Model and Industrial Design Section.

Section 2: Functions.

The BU IP office shall have the following functions:

1. To provide oversight supervision, guidance, and capacity-building, on the IP office of BU, including but not limited to, IP audit, preparation, filing, and prosecution of applications for legal protection; and in handling technology transfer agreements;
2. To lead in the preparation, filing, and prosecution of IP applications and registrations;
3. To lead BU in negotiating technology, transfer arrangements such as but not limited to licensing agreements;
4. To collect royalties resulting from technology transfer arrangements and to manage and disburse the same in accordance with these guidelines;
5. To lead the BU in contested proceedings affecting IPR of other agencies in coordination with their respective statutory counsels; and
6. To perform other functions to accomplish the purpose and objectives of these IP policy and these guidelines.

Section 3.  The Functional Sections

Audit, Dissemination, Information and Training Section

1. Conduct screening and tagging of the possible intellectual property to the research proposals submitted by faculty, students and other personnel.
2. Conduct of IP audit to the completed researches of faculty, students and other personnel.
3. Initiate capacity-building and information dissemination activities related to intellectual property to faculty, students, and other personnel.
4. Initiate the production of information dissemination documents related to IP protection such as flyer and etc. including a newsprint on the granted, on process and prosecuted IP’s.
5. Prepare activity proposal for seminar, workshop and training related to IP.
6. Facilitate the conduct of seminars, workshop and trainings related to IP.
7. Assist in the technology assessment and triage evaluation.

Assignment, Copyright, and other IP’s Section

1. Prepare the documents for the Technology and IP assignment which are generated by students and other personnel.
2. Work on assigning the Technology and IPs generated by students and other personnel to Bicol University.
3. Initiate the application and copyright protection of the works created by faculty, students and other personnel.
4. Conduct searching, validation, drafting, and filing, of Brands and marks created by faculty, students and other personnel.
5. Work on the protection of plant varieties and animal breeds in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations such as but not limited to RA 9168.
6. Monitor copyright, trademark and other IP violations by individual or companies on IP owned and assigned to Bicol University.
7. Prosecute copyright, trademark, plant variety and animal breed applications.
8. Conduct plagiarism search on the submitted proposal, terminal reports, and the submitted document for presentation in accordance with existing guidelines.
9. Assist in technology assessment and triage evaluation.

Patent, Utility Model and Industrial Design Section

1. Conduct the following patent searches to the submitted proposal and completed research:
   • Novelty Search
   • Infringement Search
   • Freedom to Operate Search
   • Validity Search
2. Perform the drafting of patents on the submitted disclosures of the faculty and to assigned technologies to the university.
3. Prepare, file, and prosecute Patent/Utility Model and Industrial Design registration applications before the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and IP office of other countries.
4. Monitor Patent/Utility Model and Industrial Design violations committed by individual or companies on IP owned and assigned to Bicol University.
5. Facilitate the prosecution of Patent, Utility Model and Industrial Design application and violations.
6. Assist in Technology assessment and triage evaluation.

Section 4: Funds for BU IPMD.

Bicol University shall allocate funds from its annual General Appropriations for the operation of the Unit. The Unit shall also operate through grants, endowments, royalties, and other internal and external funding sources received by it and kept on a separate account under an authorized government depository bank. The unit shall disburse its funds in accordance with these guidelines and the existing government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.