Reporting SMTA distributions
When germplasm is distributed under the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA), the distribution can be reported to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) through Easy-SMTA. SMTA PDF documents are generated from the request details, and the final distribution information is sent to Easy-SMTA.
Before using these features, your administrator must configure the Easy-SMTA connection. See GLIS DOI and Easy-SMTA.
Preparing the recipient
The recipient of the germplasm must be recorded as a cooperator. The information in the cooperator record is used when the SMTA is generated, unless the recipient has an Easy-SMTA PID.
When a cooperator has an Easy-SMTA PID, that PID is sent to Easy-SMTA and the SMTA document uses the recipient information stored in Easy-SMTA for that PID. If the cooperator does not have an Easy-SMTA PID, Easy-SMTA uses the contact details from the cooperator record.
See Cooperators for instructions on creating and maintaining cooperator records.
Generating the SMTA PDF
When a distribution request is ready, you can generate the SMTA PDF from the request details page. The request information is sent to Easy-SMTA, which returns a PDF with the current official SMTA text and your genebank's provider information.
Review the generated PDF carefully. If no Easy-SMTA PID is provided, correct the cooperator record and generate the document again. If a PID is provided but the information in Easy-SMTA is outdated, the recipient must update their Easy-SMTA profile, or your genebank must remove the PID from the cooperator record and rely on the locally stored details.
If the Easy-SMTA API returns a valid but unexpected response structure, the system handles it and still produces the PDF when possible.
Recording acceptance
The recipient's acceptance of the SMTA is not recorded automatically. Your genebank must manage acceptance in a way that complies with your own procedures:
- For a printed and signed SMTA, keep the signed copy on file.
- For a click-wrap or electronic acceptance, your genebank must use a separate process that records who accepted the agreement and when.
If you want the recipient to accept the SMTA through the Easy-SMTA web portal, the recipient must already have an Easy-SMTA user account. That workflow happens entirely inside Easy-SMTA.
Reporting to Easy-SMTA
After the germplasm has been shipped and the SMTA has been accepted, report the distribution to Easy-SMTA. Use the Submit to Easy-SMTA action on the distribution request. This sends the distribution details, including the shipped accessions or inventory items, to Easy-SMTA.
You have up to two years to report a distribution, but it is best to report only after the material has actually been handed over to the recipient. This avoids the need to amend the report later if items are lost, non-viable, or returned.
Amending a reported SMTA
If the reported information changes after submission, you can amend the SMTA directly in the Easy-SMTA web interface. Previously reported SMTAs are not resubmitted under the same identifier.
You cannot cancel an original SMTA report. The original record remains in the Easy-SMTA archive, and the amendment documents what changed and why.
Common pitfalls
- Assuming the cooperator record controls the PDF details. When an Easy-SMTA PID is provided, the PDF uses the information stored in Easy-SMTA, not the cooperator record. Make sure the recipient's Easy-SMTA profile is up to date, or do not supply a PID.
- Generating click-wrap SMTAs without a recipient account. If the recipient is not registered in Easy-SMTA, the click-wrap acceptance cannot be completed through Easy-SMTA. Use an offline acceptance process instead.
- Reporting before shipping. Wait until the material has actually left the genebank, or better, until the recipient has confirmed receipt. This reduces the number of amendments needed.
- Out-of-sync records. If the same distribution is tracked in both GGCE and Easy-SMTA, the two records can diverge. Designate one system as the source of truth for each stage of the workflow and reconcile regularly.