FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 227: Patents, Data, and Copyrights › Subpart 227.71
DFARS 227.7103-8 Deferred delivery and deferred ordering of technical data.
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 contracting officers when to use two DFARS clauses about delaying delivery or ordering of technical data. Deferred delivery lets the Government require data marked as deferred at any time up to two years after acceptance of all non-data items or termination, whichever is later. Deferred ordering applies when a firm data requirement was not set at award but a need may arise, allowing orders up to three years after acceptance or termination, whichever is later.
Applies to: Contracting officers and contractors under DoD contracts involving technical data or computer software
What it requires
- The contract must specify which technical data is subject to deferred delivery.
- The contracting officer shall notify the contractor sufficiently in advance of the desired delivery date to permit timely delivery.
- When data are ordered under deferred ordering, delivery dates shall be negotiated.
- The contractor is compensated only for converting the data into the prescribed form, reproduction costs, and delivery costs.
Key terms: deferred delivery · deferred ordering · technical data · computer software · contract termination
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Deferred delivery. Use the clause at 252.227-7026, Deferred Delivery of Technical Data or Computer Software, when it is in the Government's interests to defer the delivery of technical data. The clause permits the contracting officer to require the delivery of technical data identified as “deferred delivery” data at any time until two years after acceptance by the Government of all items (other than technical data or computer software) under the contract or contract termination, whichever is later. The obligation of subcontractors or suppliers to deliver such technical data expires two years after the date the prime contractor accepts the last item from the subcontractor or supplier for use in the performance of the contract. The contract must specify which technical data is subject to deferred delivery. The contracting officer shall notify the contractor sufficiently in advance of the desired delivery date for such data to permit timely delivery.
(b) Deferred ordering. Use the clause at 252.227-7027, Deferred Ordering of Technical Data or Computer Software, when a firm requirement for a particular data item(s) has not been established prior to contract award but there is a potential need for the data. Under this clause, the contracting officer may order any data that has been generated in the performance of the contract or any subcontract thereunder at any time until three years after acceptance of all items (other than technical data or computer software) under the contract or contract termination, whichever is later. The obligation of subcontractors to deliver such data expires three years after the date the contractor accepts the last item under the subcontract. When the data are ordered, the delivery dates shall be negotiated and the contractor compensated only for converting the data into the prescribed form, reproduction costs, and delivery costs.
Sections it refers to
- 252.227-7026 Deferred delivery of technical data or computer software.
- 252.227-7027 Deferred ordering of technical data or computer software.
Sections that refer to it
- 252.227-7026 Deferred delivery of technical data or computer software.
- 252.227-7027 Deferred ordering of technical data or computer software.
← 227.7103-7 Use and nondisclosure agreement. · 227.7103-9 Copyright. →
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.