Subpart 9-9.2 Technical Data and Copyrights

§9-9.200 Scope of subpart.

This subpart sets forth DOE's policy, procedures, and contract clauses with respect to the acquisition and use of technical data and copyrights in contracts or subcontracts entered into, with or for the benefit of the Government.

$9-9.201 Definitions.

For the purpose of this subpart, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

(a) "Technical data" means recorded information, regardless of form or characteristic, of a scientific or technical nature. It may, for example, document research, experimental, developmental, demonstration, or engineering work or be usable or used to define a design or process or to procure, produce, support, maintain, or operate material. The data may be graphic or pictorial delineations in media such as drawings or photographs, text in specifications or related performance or design type documents, or computer software (including computer programs, computer software data bases, and computer software documentation). Examples of technical data include research and engineering data, engineering drawings and associated lists, specifications, standards, process sheets, manuals, technical reports, catalog item identification, and related information. Technical data, as used in this subpart, do not include financial reports, cost analyses, and other information incidental to contract administration.

(b) "Proprietary data" means technical data which embody trade secrets developed at private expense, such as design procedures or techniques, chemical composition of materials, or manufacturing methods, processes, or treatments, including minor modifications thereof, provided that such data:

(1) Are not generally known or available from other sources without obligation concerning their confidentiality;

(2) Have not been made available by the owner to others without obligation concerning their confidentiality; and

(3) Are not already available to the Government without obligation concerning their confidentiality.

(c) "Contract data” means technical data first produced in the performance of the contract, technical data which are specified to be delivered under the contract, technical data that may be called for under the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause of the contract, if any, or technical data actually delivered in connection with the contract.

(d) "Unlimited rights" means rights to use, duplicate or disclose technical data, in whole or in part, in any manner and for any purpose whatsoever, and to permit others to do so.

§9-9.202 Acquisition and use of technical data.

§9-9.202-1 General.

(a) The provisions herein pertain to research, development, demonstration and supply contracts, and contracts for the operation, design, or construction of Government-owned facilities which are covered by §9-9.202-4. Under DOE's broad charter to perform research, development, and demonstration work, in both nuclear and nonnuclear fields, and to meet the objectives stated in §9-9.202-2 below, DOE has extensive needs for technical data. The satisfaction of these needs and the achievement of DOE's objectives through a sound data policy are found in the balancing of the needs and equities of the Government, its contractors, and the general public.

(b) It is important to keep a clear distinction between contract requirements for the delivery of technical data on the one hand, and rights in technical data on the other. The legal rights which the Government acquires in technical data in DOE contracts (other than "facilities" contracts) are set forth in the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause of §9-9.202-3(e)(2). However, this clause does not obtain for the Government the delivery of any data whatsoever. Rather, known requirements for the technical data to be delivered by the contractor shall be set forth as part of the contract (e.g. in the statement of work). An Additional Technical Data Requirements clause is included in this subpart to enable the Contracting Officer to require the contractor to furnish additional technical data, the requirement for which was not known at the time of contracting. There is, however, a built-in limitation on the kind of technical data which a contractor may be required to deliver under either the contract statement of work or the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause. This limitation is found in the withholding provision of paragraph (e) of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause of §9-9.2033(e)(2) which provides that the contractor need not furnish "proprietary data." It is specifically intended that the contractor may withhold "proprietary data" even though a requirement for technical data specified in the statement of work or called for pursuant to the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause would seemingly require the furnishing of proprietary data. This withholding of proprietary data is the primary means by which the contractor may protect its proprietary position.

(c) There are, however, two situations where the Government, or its representative, may need to have limited access to a contractor's proprietary data. First, paragraph (f) of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause gives the Contracting Officer's representatives the limited right to inspect at the contractor's facility the contractor's proprietary data which were withheld from delivery under paragraph (e) of the clause for the purpose of verifying that such data were properly withheld or to evaluate work performance. In carrying out the inspection, normally the Contracting Officer's representative is a DOE employee although he may be an employee of a DOE contractor acting under an agreement to treat in confidence the proprietary data to be inspected. However, where the contractor whose data are to be inspected demonstrates that there would be a possible conflict of interest if the inspection were made by such a contractor employee, the Contracting Officer's representative may be limited to a DOE employee. Paragraph (f) has a built-in exclusion from these inspection rights for "specific items of proprietary data" when they are so specified in the contract schedule. Such exclusions limit even DOE's minimum rights of evaluating contract work performance and verifying that technical data withheld by the contractor is proprietary in fact. Such exclusions should be sparingly used, and only in situations where program personnel stipulate to the fact that DOE has no need for access to the specified items to be excluded from paragraph (f), i.e., that the nondisclosure and nonaccessibility will not adversely affect the DOE program involved. It should also be noted that paragraph (f) permits exclusion of "specific items" of proprietary data and, accordingly, should not be used to exclude classes of technical data or all technical data pertaining to specific items or processes or classes of items or processes. The second situation, where the Government may have limited access to a contractor's proprietary data, is provided in optional paragraph (g) of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause. When used, optional paragraph (g) provides the Government the right to require the contractor to furnish with limited rights the proprietary data previously withheld under paragraph (e). In this situation, the limited rights in proprietary data and the Government's obligation for limited use and disclosure of such data as set forth in the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause provides the means by which the contractor protects its proprietary position. Paragraph (g) will be used only where it is determined by DOE that for programmatic reasons there is a need for the delivery of proprietary data to the Government. Where proprietary data is to be delivered under paragraph (g) and subparagraph (a) or (b) of the limited rights legend is to be applied to the data, the contractor may, if he can show the possibility of a conflict of interest regarding disclosure of such data to other contractors, limit or modify subparagraphs (a) or (b) as set forth in §9-9.2023(e)(3), to exclude or include certain contractors.

(d) The contractor licensing provisions of optional paragraph (h) of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause enable DOE to require limited licenses in proprietary contract data to be granted to the Government and responsible parties in certain circumstances. Such a license may parallel or supplement the license obtained in background patents under the provisions of paragraph (k) of the Patent Rights clause of Subpart 9-9.1. Paragraph (h) is normally to be included in contracts for research, development or demonstration where it is deemed by DOE that the limited license afforded therein is necessary to ensure widespread commercial use or practical utilization of a subject of the contract. As explained in §9-9.202-3(e)(4), paragraph (h) provides that upon request by DOE, the contractor will grant to the Government and responsible third parties a license in proprietary data only where such data in the form of results obtained by its use, i.e., essential equipment, articles, products, and the like which were the subject of the contract, are not otherwise available, or cannot be made available in a reasonable time as set forth in paragraph (h).

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(e) It is the responsibility of prime contractors and highertier subcontractors, in meeting their obligations with respect to contract data, to obtain from their subcontractors the rights in, access to, and delivery of such data on behalf of the Government. Accordingly, subject to the policy set forth in these regulations, and subject to the approval of the Contracting Officer where required, selection of appropriate technical data provisions for subcontracts is the responsibility of the prime contractor or higher-tier subcontractor. In many but not all instances, inclusion in a subcontract of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause of §9-9.202-3(e)(2) will suffice to obtain for the benefit of the Government the rights in and, if appropriate, access to technical data. Access by DOE to technical data, i.e., the inspection rights afforded in graph (f) of the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause, §9-9.202–3(e)(2), normally should be obtained only in first-tier subcontracts having as a purpose the conduct of research, development, or demonstration work or the furnishing of supplies for which there are substantial technical data requirements as reflected in the prime contract. If a subcontractor refuses to accept technical data provisions affording rights in and access to technical data on behalf of the Government, the contractor shall so inform the Contracting Officer in writing and not proceed with the subcontract without written authorization of the Contracting Officer. In prime contracts (or higher-tier subcontracts) which contain the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause, it is the further responsibility of the contractor (or higher-tier subcontractor) to determine whether inclusion of such clause in a subcontract is required to satisfy technical data requirements of the prime contract (or higher-tier subcontract). As is the case for DOE in its determination of technical data requirements, the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause should not be used at any subcontracting tier where the technical data requirements are fully known, and normally the clause will be used only in subcontracts having as a purpose the conduct of research, development, or demonstration. Prime contractors and higher-tier subcontractors shall not use their power to award subcontracts as economic leverage to inequitably acquire rights in the subcontractor's proprietary data for their private use, and they shall not acquire rights on behalf of the Government to proprietary data for standard commercial items unless required by the prime contract.

(f) Related to the acquisition and use of technical data are the contractor's rights in contract data as well as technical data furnished to the contractor by DOE or its contractors. These rights are set forth in paragraph (b)(2) of each Rights in Technical Data clause of this subpart and provide that the contractor may, subject to patent, security and other provisions of the contract, use for its private purposes contract data it first produces in the performance of the contract, provided that the contractor has met its data requirements (e.g., delivery of data in the form of progress or status reports specified to be delivered) as of the date of the private use of such data. It is not necessary that a final report be submitted in order to privately use data if all required progress and interim reports and other technical data then due have been delivered. Paragraph (b)(2) further provides that technical or other data received by the contractor in the performance of the contract must be held in confidence by the contractor in accor

dance with restrictions accompanying the data.

(g) An additional clause in this subpart includes that of paragraph §9-9.202–3(f)(2) entitled Rights in Data - Special Works, which is to be used in place of or in addition to the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause in contracts where a purpose of the contract is the production of copyrightable material, a substantial portion of which is to be first produced in the performance of the contract, such as motion pictures, television recordings, books, histories, etc. Where, during contract negotiations, it may be determined to purchase, i.e., "specifically acquire," unlimited rights in technical data, or to lease or obtain a license therein, or to obtain rights in existing data, an appropriate clause therefor should be obtained from Patent Counsel. In situations where technical data including computer software are to be leased or licensed, the terms of any agreement restricting the Government's rights will be included in the contract as either a special provision or an agreement annexed thereto. Another clause, the Rights in Technical Data (short form) clause of §9-9.202-3(g)(2), is provided for use in research contracts with educational institutions and consultants. Such contracts may, for example, include those for conducting symposia, training, or education, or other contracts not involving possible use of proprietary data.

(h) In contracts involving access to certain categories of DOE-owned restricted data, as set forth in 10 CFR Part 725, DOE has reserved the right to receive reasonable compensation for the use of its inventions and discoveries, including its related data and technology. Accordingly, in contracts where access to such restricted data is to be provided to contractors, the following parenthetical phrase shall be inserted after “contract data” in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of - the clause in §9-9.202-3(e)(2), after “technical data” in paragraph (b)(2) of the clause in §99.202-3(g)(2), or after "technical data” in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of the clause in §9-9.202-4(c)(2) as appropriate: (except Restricted Data in category C-24, 10 CFR 725, in which DOE has reserved the right to receive reasonable compensation for the use of its inventions and discoveries, including related data and technology). In addition, there are other types of contract situations (e.g., no cost contracts for studies or evaluation) wherein the contractor is given access to restricted data. In such contract situations, limitations on the use of such data may be appropriate.

89-9.202-2 Policy.

The technical data policy is directed toward achieving the following objectives:

(a) Making the benefits of the energy research, development and demonstration programs of DOE widely available to the public in the shortest practicable time;

(b) Promoting the commercial utilization of the technology developed under DOE programs;

(c) Encouraging participation by private persons in DOE energy research, development, and demonstration programs; and

(d) Fostering competition and preventing undue market concentration or the creation or maintenance of other situations inconsistent with the antitrust laws.

§9-9.202-3 Procedures (supply, research, development, or demonstration contracts).

(a) Known requirements for technical data. Technical data requirements are determined in relation to the intended use of the data which in turn depends upon the intended use of the contract end item. In many contracts for research, the end item may often be a technical report or series of such reports, while in contracts beyond research, the subject of the contract may be a feasibility model, an engineering or advance development model, or a prototype. The extent to which required technical data may be needed often depends on the level of maturity of design and perfection of the end item, and, for a demonstration plant or prototype, may include data pertaining to performance, operational and environmental testing, repair, maintenance, operation, quality assurance, detailed design, logistics, training, etc. Known technical data requirements shall be programmatically ascertained prior to contracting and shall be in

cluded in requests for proposals or disclosed during contract negotiations for incorporation as data requirements in the contract statement of work.

(b) Additional requirements for technical data. In contracts for research, development, or demonstration, it is not normally possible or appropriate for the Government to ascertain all actual needs for technical data in advance of contracting. Accordingly, the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause in (c) below, shall normally be used in such contracts (and, if appropriate, in subcontracts) to enable the ordering of technical data as the actual need and requirement therefor became known during the course of the contract. If all technical data requirements are known in advance of contracting and are set forth in the contract statement of work, this clause need not be used. The Additional Technical Data Requirements clause should not normally be used in supply contracts because the required technical data therefor are ordinarily known in advance and thus are specified in the contract statement of work or specification.

(c) Additional Technical Data Requirements clause.

ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DATA REQUIREMENTS

(a) In addition to the technical data specified elsewhere in this contract to be delivered, the Contracting Officer may at any time during the contract performance or within one year after final payment call for the contractor to deliver any technical data first produced or specifically used in the performance of this contract, except technical data pertaining to items of standard commercial design.

(b) The provisions of the Rights in Technical Data clause included in this contract are applicable to all technical data called for under this Additional Technical Data Requirements clause. Accordingly, nothing contained in this clause shall require the contractor to actually deliver any technical data, the delivery of which is excused by paragraph (e) of the Rights in Technical Data clause.

(c) When technical data are to be delivered under this clause, the contractor will be compensated for appropriate costs for converting such data into the prescribed form for reproduction, and for delivery.

(d) Proposals.

The policy and procedures for treatment of proposal information in solicited and unsolicit ed proposals are contained in §9-3.150 of these regulations in which it is provided that proposals may be marked with the notice set forth in §9-3.150–2(a). It is DOE policy, in consideration of the contract award, to obtain unlimited rights in the technical data contained in the proposal unless the prospective contractor marks those portions of the technical information which he asserts as being proprietary data. If a contract is to be awarded based on a proposal even though it is marked with the notice in §9-3.150-2(a), the prospective contractor is obliged under §9– 3.150-2 (b) to identify the portions thereof which contain proprietary data, and the contract in such instance shall contain the Rights to Proposal Data clause set forth in §9-3.150-2(c) identifying data asserted to be proprietary data by page number. Under §9-3.150–2(b) and §93.151-1 which set forth procedures for identifying proprietary data, it is provided that, subject to the concurrence of the Contracting Officer, the proposer may delete proposal information unrelated to the contract, identify the proprietary data in his proposal, or state that there is no proprietary data in the proposal. Data identified as proprietary does not constitute a stipulation by the Government that it is in fact proprietary data.

(e) Rights in technical data.

(1) The Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause set forth in paragraph (2) below will be used in all contracts having as a purpose the conduct of research, development, or demonstration, or in contracts for supplies, or in any other contract where technical data are expected to be first produced under the contract, where technical data are specified to be delivered in the contract, or where the contract contains the Additional Technical Data Requirements clause. Accordingly, all such contracts will contain the Rights in Technical Data (long form) clause of paragraph (2) below, except as noted in §9-9.202-4 and §9-9.202-3(f) and (g) and