FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 227: Patents, Data, and Copyrights › Subpart 227.6
DFARS 227.675-2 Review of agreements.
The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.
In plain English
This section tells the Department of Defense how to review foreign license and technical assistance agreements between primary and second sources. It ensures that the Government's rights in patents and data are recognized, and that any charges to the Government or Military Assistance Program are reduced accordingly. Contractors involved in such agreements must include certain provisions and provide information to the Government.
Applies to: Department of Defense reviewing foreign license and technical assistance agreements between primary and second sources
What it requires
- Every agreement shall provide that any license rights transferred under the agreement are subject to existing rights of the Government.
- A request shall be made to the primary source to identify the patents, data, and other technical assistance to be provided to the second source.
- A request shall be made to the primary source to identify any such patents and data in which the Government may have rights.
- A request shall be made to the primary source to segregate the charges made to the second source for each such category or item.
Key terms: foreign license and technical assistance agreements · primary source · second source · Military Assistance Program · Government's rights in patents and data
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) In reviewing foreign license and technical assistance agreements between primary and second sources, the Department concerned shall, insofar as its interests are involved, indicate whether the agreement meets the requirements of §§ 124.07-124.10 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or in what respects it is deficient. Paragraphs (b) through (g) of this subsection provide general guidance.
(b) When it is reasonably anticipated that the Government will purchase from the second source the supplies or services involved in the agreement, or that Military Assistance Program funds will be provided for the procurement of the supplies or services, the following guidance applies.
(1) If the agreement specifies a reduction in charges thereunder, with respect to purchases by or for the Government or by others with funds derived through the Military Assistance Program or otherwise through the Government, in recognition of the Government's rights in patents and data, the Department concerned shall evaluate the amount of the reduction to determine whether it is fair and reasonable in the circumstances, before indicating its approval.
(2) If the agreement does not specify any reduction in charges or otherwise fails to give recognition to the Government's rights in the patents or data involved, approval shall be conditioned upon amendment of the agreement to reflect a reduction, evaluated by the Department concerned as acceptable to the Government, in any charge thereunder with respect to purchases made by or for the Government or by others with funds derived through the Military Assistance Program or otherwise through the Government, in accordance with § 124.10 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
(3) If the agreement provides that no charge is to be made to the second source for data or patent rights to the extent of the Government's rights, the Department concerned shall evaluate the acceptability of the provision before indicating its approval.
(4) If time or circumstances do not permit the evaluation called for in (b) (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection, the guidance in (c) of this subsection shall be followed.
(c) When it is not reasonably anticipated that the Government will purchase from the second source the supplies or services involved in the agreement nor that Military Assistance Program funds will be provided for the purchase of the supplies or services, then the following guidance applies.
(1) If the agreement provides for charges to the second source for data or patent rights, it may suffice to fulfill the requirements of § 124.10 insofar as the Department of Defense is concerned if:
(i) The agreement requires the second source to advise the primary source when he has knowledge of any purchase made or to be made from him by or for the Government or by others with funds derived through the Military Assistance Program or otherwise through the Government;
(ii) The primary source separately agrees with the Government that upon such advice to him from the second source or from the Government or otherwise as to any such a purchase or prospective purchase, he will negotiate with the Department concerned an appropriate reduction in his charges to the second source in recognition of any Government rights in patents or data; and
(iii) The agreement between the primary and second sources further provides that in the event of any such purchase and resulting reduction in charges, the second source shall pass on this reduction to the Government by giving the Government a corresponding reduction in the purchase price of the article or service.
(2) If the agreement provides that no charge is to be made to the second source for data or patent rights to the extent to which the Government has rights, the Department concerned shall:
(i) Evaluate the acceptability of the provision before indicating its approval; or
(ii) Explicitly condition its approval on the right to evaluate the acceptability of the provision at a later time.
(d) When there is a technical assistance agreement between the primary source and the Government related to the agreement between the primary and second sources that is under review, the latter agreement shall reflect the arrangements contemplated with respect thereto by the Government's technical assistance agreement with the primary source.
(e) Every agreement shall provide that any license rights transferred under the agreement are subject to existing rights of the Government.
(f) In connection with every agreement referred to in (b) of this section, a request shall be made to the primary source—
(1) To identify the patents, data, and other technical assistance to be provided to the second source by the primary source or any of his subcontractors,
(2) To identify any such patents and data in which, to the knowledge of the primary source, the Government may have rights, and
(3) To segregate the charges made to the second source for each such category or item of patents, data, and other technical assistance.
Reviewing personnel shall verify this information or, where the primary source does not furnish it, obtain such information from Governmental sources so far as practicable.
(g) The Department concerned shall make it clear that its approval of any agreement does not necessarily recognize the propriety of the charges or the amounts thereof, or constitute approval of any of the business arrangements in the agreement, unless the Department expressly intends by its approval to commit itself to the fairness and reasonableness of a particular charge or charges. In any event, a disclaimer should be made to charges or business terms not affecting any purchase made by or for the Government or by others with funds derived through the Military Assistance Program or otherwise through the Government.
← 227.675-1 International Traffic in Arms Regulations. · 227.676 Foreign patent interchange agreements. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 227
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Small Business Innovation Research Program Data Rights (DFARS Case 2019-D043) ↗ · final rule 2024-12-18 · effective 2025-01-17
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Use of DoD Program Nomenclature (DFARS Case 2021-D002) ↗ · proposed 2024-02-15 · comments due 2024-04-15
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.