252.227-7018 / Basic

As prescribed in 227.7104,

     (a)  Use the clause at 252.227-7018, Rights in Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software–Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, when technical data or computer software will be generated during performance of contracts under the SBIR program.

      (b)  Under the clause at 252.227-7018, the Government obtains SBIR data rights in technical data and computer software generated under the contract and marked with the SBIR data rights legend. SBIR data rights provide the Government limited rights in such technical data and restricted rights in such computer software during the SBIR data protection period commencing with contract award and ending five years after completion of the project under which the data were generated. Upon expiration of the five-year restrictive license, the Government has unlimited rights in the SBIR technical data and computer software.

      (c)  During the SBIR data protection period, the Government may not release or disclose SBIR technical data or computer software to any person except as authorized for limited rights technical data or restricted rights computer software, respectively.

      (d)  Use the clause at 252.227-7018 with its Alternate I in research contracts when the contracting officer determines, in consultation with counsel, that public dissemination by the contractor would be—

              (1)  In the interest of the Government; and

              (2)  Facilitated by the Government relinquishing its right to publish the work for sale, or to have others publish the work for sale on behalf of the Government.
 

RIGHTS IN OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL TECHNICAL DATA AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE—SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM
(NOV 2023)

      (a)  Definitions.  As used in this clause—

              (1)  “Commercial computer software” means software developed or regularly used for nongovernmental purposes which—

                    (i)  Has been sold, leased, or licensed to the public;

                    (ii)  Has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the public;

                    (iii)  Has not been offered, sold, leased, or licensed to the public but will be available for commercial sale, lease, or license in time to satisfy the delivery requirements of this contract; or

                    (iv)  Satisfies a criterion expressed in paragraph (a)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this clause and would require only minor modification to meet the requirements of this contract.

              (2)  “Computer database” means a collection of recorded data in a form capable of being processed by a computer.  The term does not include computer software.

              (3)  “Computer program” means a set of instructions, rules, or routines, recorded in a form that is capable of causing a computer to perform a specific operation or series of operations.

              (4)  “Computer software” means computer programs, source code, source code listings, object code listings, design details, algorithms, processes, flow charts, formulae, and related material that would enable the software to be reproduced, recreated, or recompiled.  Computer software does not include computer databases or computer software documentation.

              (5)  “Computer software documentation” means owner's manuals, user's manuals, installation instructions, operating instructions, and other similar items, regardless of storage medium, that explain the capabilities of the computer software or provide instructions for using the software.

              (6)  “Covered Government support contractor” means a contractor (other than a litigation support contractor covered by 252.204-7014) under a contract, the primary purpose of which is to furnish independent and impartial advice or technical assistance directly to the Government in support of the Government’s management and oversight of a program or effort (rather than to directly furnish an end item or service to accomplish a program or effort), provided that the contractor—

                    (i)  Is not affiliated with the prime contractor or a first-tier subcontractor on the program or effort, or with any direct competitor of such prime contractor or any such first-tier subcontractor in furnishing end items or services of the type developed or produced on the program or effort; and

                    (ii)  Receives access to the technical data or computer software for performance of a Government contract that contains the clause at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends.

              (7)  “Detailed manufacturing or process data” means technical data that describe the steps, sequences, and conditions of manufacturing, processing or assembly used by the manufacturer to produce an item or component or to perform a process.

              (8)  “Developed” means—

                    (i)  (Applicable to technical data other than computer software documentation.)  An item, component, or process, exists and is workable.  Thus, the item or component must have been constructed or the process practiced.  Workability is generally established when the item, component, or process has been analyzed or tested sufficiently to demonstrate to reasonable people skilled in the applicable art that there is a high probability that it will operate as intended.  Whether, how much, and what type of analysis or testing is required to establish workability depends on the nature of the item, component, or process, and the state of the art.  To be considered “developed,” the item, component, or process need not be at the stage where it could be offered for sale or sold on the commercial market, nor must the item, component or process be actually reduced to practice within the meaning of Title 35 of the United States Code;

                    (ii)  A computer program has been successfully operated in a computer and tested to the extent sufficient to demonstrate to reasonable persons skilled in the art that the program can reasonably be expected to perform its intended purpose;

                    (iii)  Computer software, other than computer programs, has been tested or analyzed to the extent sufficient to demonstrate to reasonable persons skilled in the art that the software can reasonably be expected to perform its intended purpose; or

                    (iv)  Computer software documentation required to be delivered under a contract has been written, in any medium, in sufficient detail to comply with requirements under that contract.

              (9)  “Developed exclusively at private expense” means development was accomplished entirely with costs charged to indirect cost pools, costs not allocated to a government contract, or any combination thereof.

                    (i)  Private expense determinations should be made at the lowest practicable level.

                    (ii)  Under fixed-price contracts, when total costs are greater than the firm-fixed-price or ceiling price of the contract, the additional development costs necessary to complete development shall not be considered when determining whether development was at government, private, or mixed expense.

              (10)  “Developed exclusively with government funds” means development was not accomplished exclusively or partially at private expense.

              (11)  “Developed with mixed funding” means development was accomplished partially with costs charged to indirect cost pools and/or costs not allocated to a government contract, and partially with costs charged directly to a government contract.

              (12)  “Form, fit, and function data” means technical data that describe the required overall physical, functional, and performance characteristics (along with the qualification requirements, if applicable) of an item, component, or process to the extent necessary to permit identification of physically and functionally interchangeable items.

              (13)  “Generated” means technical data or computer software first created in the performance of this contract.

              (14)  “Government purpose” means any activity in which the United States Government is a party, including cooperative agreements with international or multi-national defense organizations or sales or transfers by the United States Government to foreign governments or international organizations.  Government purposes include competitive procurement, but do not include the rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software for commercial purposes or authorize others to do so.

              (15)  “Limited rights” means the rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data, in whole or in part, within the Government. The Government may not, without the written permission of the party asserting limited rights, release or disclose the technical data outside the Government, use the technical data for manufacture, or authorize the technical data to be used by another party, except that the Government may reproduce, release, or disclose such data or authorize the use or reproduction of the data by persons outside the Government if—

                    (i)  The production, release, disclosure, or use is—

                            (A)  Necessary for emergency repair and overhaul; or

                            (B)  A release or disclosure to—

                            (1)  A covered Government support contractor in performance of its covered Government support contracts for use, modification, reproduction, performance, display, or release or disclosure to a person authorized to receive limited rights technical data; or

                            (2)  A foreign government, of technical data other than detailed manufacturing or process data, when use of such data by the foreign government is in the interest of the Government and is required for evaluational or informational purposes;

                    (ii)  The recipient of the technical data is subject to a prohibition on the further reproduction, release, disclosure, or use of the technical data; and

                    (iii)  The Contractor or subcontractor asserting the restriction is notified of such reproduction, release, disclosure, or use.

              (16)  “Minor modification” means a modification that does not significantly alter the nongovernmental function or purpose of computer software or is of the type customarily provided in the commercial marketplace.

              (17)  “Other than commercial computer software” means software that does not qualify as commercial computer software under the definition of “commercial computer software” of this clause.

              (18)  “Restricted rights” apply only to other than commercial computer software and mean the Government's rights to—

                    (i)  Use a computer program with one computer at one time.  The program may not be accessed by more than one terminal or central processing unit or time shared unless otherwise permitted by this contract;

                    (ii)  Transfer a computer program to another Government agency without the further permission of the Contractor if the transferor destroys all copies of the program and related computer software documentation in its possession and notifies the licensor of the transfer.  Transferred programs remain subject to the provisions of this clause;

                    (iii)  Make a reasonable number of copies of the computer software required for the purposes of safekeeping (archive), backup, modification, or other activities authorized in paragraphs (a)(18)(i), (ii), and (iv) through (vii) of this clause;

                    (iv)  Modify computer software provided that the Government may—

                            (A)  Use the modified software only as provided in paragraphs (a)(18)(i) and (iii) of this clause; and

                            (B)  Not release or disclose the modified software except as provided in paragraphs (a)(18)(ii), (v), (vi), and (vii) of this clause;

                    (v)  Use and permit contractors or subcontractors performing service contracts (see 37.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation) in support of this or a related contract to use, computer software to diagnose and correct deficiencies in a computer program, to modify computer software to enable a computer program to be combined with, adapted to, or merged with other computer programs or when necessary to respond to urgent tactical situations, provided that—

                            (A)  The Government notifies the party which has granted restricted rights that any such release or disclosure to particular contractors or subcontractors was made;

                            (B)  Such contractors or subcontractors are subject to the nondisclosure agreement at 227.7103-7 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement or are Government contractors receiving access to the software for performance of a Government contract that contains the clause at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends;

                            (C)  The Government shall not permit the recipient to decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the software, or use software decompiled, disassembled, or reverse engineered by the Government pursuant to paragraph (a)(18)(iv) of this clause, for any other purpose; and

                            (D)  Such use is subject to the limitations in paragraphs (a)(18)(i) through (iii) of this clause;

                    (vi)  Use, and permit contractors or subcontractors performing emergency repairs or overhaul of items or components of items procured under this or a related contract to use, the computer software when necessary to perform the emergency repairs or overhaul, or to modify the computer software to reflect the repairs or overhaul made, provided that—

                            (A)  The intended recipient is subject to the nondisclosure agreement at 227.7103-7 or is a Government contractor receiving access to the software for performance of a Government contract that contains the clause at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends;

                            (B)  The Government shall not permit the recipient to decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the software, or use software decompiled, disassembled, or reverse engineered by the Government pursuant to paragraph (a)(18)(iv) of this clause, for any other purpose.

                            (C)  Such use is subject to the limitations in paragraphs (a)(18)(i) through (iii) of this clause; and

                    (vii)  Use, modify, reproduce, perform, display, or release or disclose computer software to a person authorized to receive restricted rights computer software for management and oversight of a program or effort, and permit covered Government support contractors in the performance of covered Government support contracts that contain the clause at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends, to use, modify, reproduce, perform, display, or release or disclose the computer software to a person authorized to receive restricted rights computer software, provided that—

                            (A)  The Government shall not permit the covered Government support contractor to decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the software, or use software decompiled, disassembled, or reverse engineered by the Government pursuant to the paragraph (a)(18)(iv) of this clause, for any other purpose; and

                            (B)  Such use is subject to the limitations in paragraphs (a)(18)(i) through (iv) of this clause.

              (19)  “SBIR data rights” means the Government’s rights during the SBIR data protection period (specified in paragraph (b)(4) of this clause) to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software generated under a SBIR award as follows:

                    (i)  Limited rights in such SBIR technical data; and

                    (ii)  Restricted rights in such SBIR computer software.

              (20)  “Technical data” means recorded information, regardless of the form or method of the recording, of a scientific or technical nature (including computer software documentation). The term does not include computer software or financial, administrative, cost or pricing, or management information, or information incidental to contract administration.

              (21)  “Unlimited rights” means rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose, technical data or computer software in whole or in part, in any manner and for any purpose whatsoever, and to have or authorize others to do so.

      (b)  Rights in technical data and computer software.  The Contractor grants or shall obtain for the Government the following royalty-free, worldwide, nonexclusive, irrevocable license rights in technical data or other than commercial computer software. All rights not granted to the Government are retained by the Contractor.

              (1)  Unlimited rights.  The Government shall have unlimited rights in technical data, including computer software documentation, or computer software generated under this contract that are—

                    (i)  Form, fit, and function data;

                    (ii)  Necessary for installation, operation, maintenance, or training purposes (other than detailed manufacturing or process data);

                    (iii)  Corrections or changes to Government-furnished technical data or computer software;

                    (iv)  Otherwise publicly available or have been released or disclosed by the Contractor or a subcontractor without restrictions on further use, release or disclosure other than a release or disclosure resulting from the sale, transfer, or other assignment of interest in the technical data or computer software to another party or the sale or transfer of some or all of a business entity or its assets to another party;

                    (v)  Data or software in which the Government has acquired previously unlimited rights under another Government contract or through a specific license; and

                    (vi)  SBIR data upon expiration of the SBIR data rights period.

              (2)  Limited rights.  The Government shall have limited rights in technical data, that were not generated under this contract, pertain to items, components or processes developed exclusively at private expense, and are marked, in accordance with the marking instructions in paragraph (f)(1) of this clause, with the legend prescribed in paragraph (f)(2) of this clause.

              (3)  Restricted rights in computer software.  The Government shall have restricted rights in other than commercial computer software required to be delivered or otherwise furnished to the Government under this contract that were developed exclusively at private expense and were not generated under this contract.

              (4)  SBIR data rights. Except for technical data, including computer software documentation, or computer software in which the Government has unlimited rights under paragraph (b)(1) of this clause, the Government shall have SBIR data rights in all technical data or computer software generated under this contract during the period commencing with contract award and ending upon the date five years after completion of the project from which such data were generated.

              (5)  Specifically negotiated license rights.  The standard license rights granted to the Government under paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(4) of this clause may be modified by mutual agreement to provide such rights as the parties consider appropriate but shall not provide the Government lesser rights in technical data, including computer software documentation, than are enumerated in paragraph (a)(15) of this clause or lesser rights in computer software than are enumerated in paragraph (a)(18) of this clause. Any rights so negotiated shall be identified in a license agreement made part of this contract.

              (6)  Prior government rights.  Technical data, including computer software documentation, or computer software that will be delivered, furnished, or otherwise provided to the Government under this contract, in which the Government has previously obtained rights shall be delivered, furnished, or provided with the pre-existing rights, unless—

                    (i)  The parties have agreed otherwise; or

                    (ii)  Any restrictions on the Government's rights to use, modify, release, perform, display, or disclose the technical data or computer software have expired or no longer apply.

              (7)  Release from liability.  The Contractor agrees to release the Government from liability for any release or disclosure of technical data, computer software, or computer software documentation made in accordance with paragraph (a)(14), (a)(17), or (b)(4) of this clause, or in accordance with the terms of a license negotiated under paragraph (b)(5) of this clause, or by others to whom the recipient has released or disclosed the data, software, or documentation and to seek relief solely from the party who has improperly used, modified, reproduced, released, performed, displayed, or disclosed Contractor data or software marked with restrictive legends.

              (8)  Covered Government support contractors..  The Contractor acknowledges that—

                    (i)  Limited rights technical data and restricted rights computer software are authorized to be released or disclosed to covered Government support contractors;

                    (ii)  The Contractor will be notified of such release or disclosure;

                    (iii)  The Contractor may require each such covered Government support contractor to enter into a non-disclosure agreement directly with the Contractor (or the party asserting restrictions as identified in a restrictive legend) regarding the covered Government support contractor’s use of such data or software, or alternatively that the Contractor (or party asserting restrictions) may waive in writing the requirement for an non-disclosure agreement; and

                    (iv)  Any such non-disclosure agreement shall address the restrictions on the covered Government support contractor's use of the data or software as set forth in the clause at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends. The non-disclosure agreement shall not include any additional terms and conditions unless mutually agreed to by the parties to the non-disclosure agreement.

      (c)  Rights in derivative computer software or computer software documentation.   The Government shall retain its rights in the unchanged portions of any computer software or computer software documentation delivered under this contract that the Contractor uses to prepare, or includes in, derivative software or documentation.

      (d)  Third party copyrighted technical data and computer software.  The Contractor shall not, without the written approval of the Contracting Officer, incorporate any copyrighted technical data, including computer software documentation, or computer software in the data or software to be delivered under this contract unless the Contractor is the copyright owner or has obtained for the Government the license rights necessary to perfect a license or licenses in the deliverable data or software of the appropriate scope set forth in paragraph (b) of this clause and, prior to delivery of such—

              (1)  Technical data, has affixed to the transmittal document a statement of the license rights obtained; or

              (2)  Computer software, has provided a statement of the license rights obtained in a form acceptable to the Contracting Officer.

      (e)  Identification and delivery of technical data or computer software to be furnished with restrictions on use, release, or disclosure.

              (1)  This paragraph does not apply to technical data or computer software that were or will be generated under this contract or to restrictions based solely on copyright.

              (2)  Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3) of this clause, technical data or computer software that the Contractor asserts should be furnished to the Government with restrictions on use, release, or disclosure is identified in an attachment to this contract (the Attachment).  The Contractor shall not deliver any technical data or computer software with restrictive markings unless the technical data or computer software are listed on the Attachment.

              (3)  In addition to the assertions made in the Attachment, other assertions may be identified after award when based on new information or inadvertent omissions unless the inadvertent omissions would have materially affected the source selection decision.  Such identification and assertion shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer as soon as practicable prior to the scheduled date for delivery of the technical data or computer software, in the following format, and signed by an official authorized to contractually obligate the Contractor:

                    Identification and Assertion of Restrictions on the Government's Use, Release, or Disclosure of Technical Data or Computer Software.

                    The Contractor asserts for itself, or the persons identified below, that the Government's rights to use, release, or disclose the following technical data or computer software should be restricted:

                    *If the assertion is applicable to items, components, or processes developed at private expense, identify both the technical data and each such item, component, or process.

                    **Generally, development at private expense, either exclusively or partially, is the only basis for asserting restrictions on the Government's rights to use, release, or disclose technical data or computer software.  Indicate whether development was exclusively or partially at private expense.  If development was not at private expense, enter the specific reason for asserting that the Government's rights should be restricted.

                    ***Enter asserted rights category (e.g., limited rights, restricted rights, government purpose rights, or government purpose license rights from a prior contract, SBIR data rights under another contract, or specifically negotiated licenses).

                    ****Corporation, individual, or other person, as appropriate.

(End of identification and assertion)

              (4)  When requested by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall provide sufficient information to enable the Contracting Officer to evaluate the Contractor's assertions.  The Contracting Officer reserves the right to add the Contractor's assertions to the Attachment and validate any listed assertions, at a later date, in accordance with the procedures of the Validation of Asserted Restrictions--Computer Software and/or Validation of Restrictive Markings on Technical Data clauses of this contract.

      (f)  Marking requirements.  The Contractor, and its subcontractors or suppliers, may only assert restrictions on the Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software to be delivered under this contract by marking the deliverable data or software subject to restriction.  Except as provided in paragraph (f)(6) of this clause, only the following markings are authorized under this contract: the limited rights legend at paragraph (f)(2) of this clause; the restricted rights legend at paragraph (f)(3) of this clause, the SBIR data rights legend at paragraph (f)(4) of this clause, or the special license rights legend at paragraph (f)(5) of this clause; and/or a notice of copyright as prescribed under 17 U.S.C. 401 or 402.

              (1)  General marking instructions.  The Contractor, or its subcontractors or suppliers, shall conspicuously and legibly mark the appropriate legend to all technical data and computer software that qualify for such markings.  The authorized legends shall be placed on the transmittal document or storage container and, for printed material, each page of the printed material containing technical data or computer software for which restrictions are asserted.  When only portions of a page of printed material are subject to the asserted restrictions, such portions shall be identified by circling, underscoring, with a note, or other appropriate identifier.  Technical data or computer software transmitted directly from one computer or computer terminal to another shall contain a notice of asserted restrictions.  However, instructions that interfere with or delay the operation of computer software in order to display a restrictive rights legend or other license statement at any time prior to or during use of the computer software, or otherwise cause such interference or delay, shall not be inserted in software that will or might be used in combat or situations that simulate combat conditions, unless the Contracting Officer's written permission to deliver such software has been obtained prior to delivery.  Reproductions of technical data, computer software, or any portions thereof subject to asserted restrictions shall also reproduce the asserted restrictions.

              (2)  Limited rights markings.  Technical data not generated under this contract that pertain to items, components, or processes developed exclusively at private expense and delivered or otherwise furnished with limited rights shall be marked with the following legend:

                    The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose these technical data are restricted by paragraph (b)(2) of the Rights in Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software—Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program clause contained in the above identified contract. Any reproduction of technical data or portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings. Any person, other than the Government, who has been provided access to such data must promptly notify the above named Contractor.

(End of legend)

              (3)  Restricted rights markings.  Computer software delivered or otherwise furnished to the Government with restricted rights shall be marked with the following legend:

                    The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose this software are restricted by paragraph (b)(3) of the Rights in Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software—Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program clause contained in the above identified contract. Any reproduction of computer software or portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings. Any person, other than the Government, who has been provided access to such software must promptly notify the above named Contractor.

(End of legend)

              (4)  SBIR data rights markings.  Except for technical data or computer software in which the Government has acquired unlimited rights under paragraph (b)(1) of this clause, or negotiated special license rights as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this clause, technical data or computer software generated under this contract shall be marked with the following legend.  The Contractor shall enter the expiration date for the SBIR data rights period on the legend:

SBIR DATA RIGHTS

                    The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software marked with this legend are restricted during the period shown as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of the Rights in Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software–Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program clause contained in the above identified contract.  No restrictions apply after the expiration date shown above.  Any reproduction of technical data, computer software, or portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings.

(End of legend)

              (5)  Special license rights markings.

                    (i)  Technical data or computer software in which the Government's rights stem from a specifically negotiated license shall be marked with the following legend:

(End of legend)

                    (ii)  For purposes of this clause, special licenses do not include government purpose license rights acquired under a prior contract (see paragraph (b)(6) of this clause).

              (6)  Pre-existing data markings.  If the terms of a prior contract or license permitted the Contractor to restrict the Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software, and those restrictions are still applicable, the Contractor may mark such data or software with the appropriate restrictive legend for which the data or software qualified under the prior contract or license.  The marking procedures in paragraph (f)(1) of this clause shall be followed.

      (g)  Contractor procedures and records.  Throughout performance of this contract, the Contractor, and its subcontractors or suppliers that will deliver technical data or computer software with other than unlimited rights, shall—

              (1)  Have, maintain, and follow written procedures sufficient to assure that restrictive markings are used only when authorized by the terms of this clause; and

              (2)  Maintain records sufficient to justify the validity of any restrictive markings on technical data or computer software delivered under this contract.

      (h)  Removal of unjustified and nonconforming markings.

              (1)  Unjustified markings.  The rights and obligations of the parties regarding the validation of restrictive markings on technical data or computer software furnished or to be furnished under this contract are contained in the Validation of Restrictive Markings on Technical Data and the Validation of Asserted Restrictions--Computer Software clauses of this contract, respectively.  Notwithstanding any provision of this contract concerning inspection and acceptance, the Government may ignore or, at the Contractor's expense, correct or strike a marking if, in accordance with the applicable procedures of those clauses, a restrictive marking is determined to be unjustified.

              (2)  Nonconforming markings.  A nonconforming marking is a marking placed on technical data or computer software delivered or otherwise furnished to the Government under this contract that is not in the format authorized by this contract.  Correction of nonconforming markings is not subject to the Validation of Restrictive Markings on Technical Data or the Validation of Asserted Restrictions—Computer Software clause of this contract.  If the Contracting Officer notifies the Contractor of a nonconforming marking or markings and the Contractor fails to remove or correct such markings within sixty days, the Government may ignore or, at the Contractor's expense, remove or correct any nonconforming markings.

      (i)  Relation to patents.  Nothing contained in this clause shall imply a license to the Government under any patent or be construed as affecting the scope of any license or other right otherwise granted to the Government under any patent.

      (j)  Limitation on charges for rights in technical data or computer software.

              (1)  The Contractor shall not charge to this contract any cost, including but not limited to, license fees, royalties, or similar charges, for rights in technical data or computer software to be delivered under this contract when—

                    (i)  The Government has acquired, by any means, the same or greater rights in the data or software; or

                    (ii)  The data are available to the public without restrictions.

              (2)  The limitation in paragraph (j)(1) of this clause—

                    (i)  Includes costs charged by a subcontractor or supplier, at any tier, or costs incurred by the Contractor to acquire rights in subcontractor or supplier technical data or computer software, if the subcontractor or supplier has been paid for such rights under any other Government contract or under a license conveying the rights to the Government; and

                    (ii)  Does not include the reasonable costs of reproducing, handling, or mailing the documents or other media in which the technical data or computer software will be delivered.

      (k)  Applicability to subcontractors or suppliers.

              (1)  The Contractor shall assure that the rights afforded its subcontractors and suppliers under 10 U.S.C. 3771-3775, 10 U.S.C. 3781-3786, and the identification, assertion, and delivery processes required by paragraph (e) of this clause are recognized and protected.

              (2)  Whenever any other than commercial technical data or computer software is to be obtained from a subcontractor or supplier for delivery to the Government under this contract, the Contractor shall use this same clause in the subcontract or other contractual instrument, and require its subcontractors or suppliers to do so, without alteration, except to identify the parties. The Contractor shall use the Technical Data— Commercial Products and Commercial Services clause of this contract to obtain technical data pertaining to commercial products, commercial components, commercial services, or commercial processes. No other clause shall be used to enlarge or diminish the Government's, the Contractor's, or a higher tier subcontractor's or supplier's rights in a subcontractor's or supplier's technical data or computer software.

              (3)  Technical data required to be delivered by a subcontractor or supplier shall normally be delivered to the next higher tier contractor, subcontractor, or supplier.  However, when there is a requirement in the prime contract for technical data which may be submitted with other than unlimited rights by a subcontractor or supplier, then said subcontractor or supplier may fulfill its requirement by submitting such technical data directly to the Government, rather than through a higher tier contractor, subcontractor, or supplier.

              (4)  The Contractor and higher tier subcontractors or suppliers shall not use their power to award contracts as economic leverage to obtain rights in technical data or computer software from their subcontractors or suppliers.

              (5)  In no event shall the Contractor use its obligation to recognize and protect subcontractor or supplier rights in technical data or computer software as an excuse for failing to satisfy its contractual obligation to the Government.

(End of clause)
 

  (k)  Applicability to subcontractors or suppliers.

              (1)  The Contractor shall assure that the rights afforded its subcontractors and suppliers under 10 U.S.C. 3771-3775, 10 U.S.C. 3781-3786, and the identification, assertion, and delivery processes required by paragraph (e) of this clause are recognized and protected.

              (2)  Whenever any other than commercial technical data or computer software is to be obtained from a subcontractor or supplier for delivery to the Government under this contract, the Contractor shall use this same clause in the subcontract or other contractual instrument, and require its subcontractors or suppliers to do so, without alteration, except to identify the parties. The Contractor shall use the Technical Data— Commercial Products and Commercial Services clause of this contract to obtain technical data pertaining to commercial products, commercial components, commercial services, or commercial processes. No other clause shall be used to enlarge or diminish the Government's, the Contractor's, or a higher tier subcontractor's or supplier's rights in a subcontractor's or supplier's technical data or computer software.

              (3)  Technical data required to be delivered by a subcontractor or supplier shall normally be delivered to the next higher tier contractor, subcontractor, or supplier.  However, when there is a requirement in the prime contract for technical data which may be submitted with other than unlimited rights by a subcontractor or supplier, then said subcontractor or supplier may fulfill its requirement by submitting such technical data directly to the Government, rather than through a higher tier contractor, subcontractor, or supplier.

              (4)  The Contractor and higher tier subcontractors or suppliers shall not use their power to award contracts as economic leverage to obtain rights in technical data or computer software from their subcontractors or suppliers.

              (5)  In no event shall the Contractor use its obligation to recognize and protect subcontractor or supplier rights in technical data or computer software as an excuse for failing to satisfy its contractual obligation to the Government.