BCAMA Policy for the Shared Use and Protection of
Intellectual Property

The primary goals of BCAMA's Intellectual Property Policy (“Policy”) are to:

A. Foster an environment that supports maintaining open knowledge sharing and development with BCAMA members, non-Governmental Organizations, the government and the public.

B. Optimize the availability of, and dissemination of, relevant information to BCAMA members,  non-Governmental Organizations, the government and the public.

C. Foster the continuing development of Information for the benefit of BCAMA members, non-Governmental Organizations, the government and the public.

D. For certainty and to avoid confusion, specify and protect intellectual property ownership interests.

E. Copyrights and other intellectual property rights of third parties are to be respected and not infringed by BCAMA or any of its members, non-Governmental Organizations, the government and the public.1

Consequently, BCAMA's Policy is that any protected intellectual property2 brought to BCAMA by any party3, for individual distribution, use with or incorporation into additional research or a compilation4 project, shall remain the property of the party holding the intellectual property rights. Despite intellectual property ownership residing with the submitting party, that owner must be willing to “freely” and openly share his/her submission with BCAMA, with proper attribution and recognition to the owner.

Any uniquely created intellectual property that is funded in any measure by BCAMA, created by or within BCAMA5, or resulting from the efforts of BCAMA(e.g., compilations of intellectual property or work submitted) shall be owned by BCAMA with proper credit being delivered to the participants. Despite intellectual property ownership residing with BCAMA, BCAMA shall “freely” and openly share the intellectual property with all creative, contributing participants.

Revenue derived by BCAMA from any activity hereunder shall be recommitted to the fulfillment of the Organization's non-profit purposes.

1. Although it is understood by all that BCAMA's obligation to “police” such activity is limited to those parties directly involved in BCAMA and with whom BCAMA has some contractual relationship.
2. Any unique or original expression or work capable of protection under the Copyright Act of 1976 (and subsequent amendments).
3. With the party seeking such ownership recognition having the affirmative obligation to claim such as early as possible in the involvement of the intellectual property in BCAMA's use.
4. A “compilation” is a work formed by the collection and assembling of pre-existing materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. The term “compilation” includes collective works.
5. Examples of such would be Committees, Task Forces, Communities or collaborative efforts between various parties brought together within and by BCAMA.