FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 227: Patents, Data, and Copyrights › Subpart 227.71

DFARS 227.7106 Contracts for special works.

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 DFARS section tells contracting officers when to use the Rights in Special Works clause (252.227-7020) instead of or alongside the standard technical data rights clause. It matters to contractors because it governs when the Government can take copyright ownership of works you create under a contract, while you may still keep some rights to use and disclose those works unless a special license restricts you.

Applies to: Solicitations and contracts where the Government needs to control distribution of or obtain copyright in works first produced, created, or generated and required to be delivered.

What it requires

  • If you want to incorporate third-party copyrighted works into a special work, get the contracting officer's permission and obtain for the Government a non-exclusive, paid-up, worldwide license to make and distribute copies, prepare derivative works, publicly perform or display portions, and let othe

Key terms: special works · Rights in Special Works clause · assignment of copyright · unlimited rights · special license

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(a) Use the clause at 252.227-7020, Rights in Special Works, in solicitations and contracts where the Government has a specific need to control the distribution of works first produced, created, or generated in the performance of a contract and required to be delivered under that contract, including controlling distribution by obtaining an assignment of copyright, or a specific need to obtain indemnity for liabilities that may arise out of the creation, delivery, use, modification, reproduction, release, performance, display, or disclosure of such works. Use the clause—

(1) In lieu of the clause at 252.227-7013, Rights in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services, when the Government must own or control copyright in all works first produced, created, or generated and required to be delivered under a contract; or

(2) In addition to the clause at 252.227-7013 when the Government must own or control copyright in a portion of a work first produced, created, or generated and required to be delivered under a contract. The specific portion in which the Government must own or control copyright must be identified in a special contract requirement.

(b) Although the Government obtains an assignment of copyright and unlimited rights in a special work under the clause at 252.227-7020, the contractor retains use and disclosure rights in that work. If the Government needs to restrict a contractor's rights to use or disclose a special work, it must also negotiate a special license which specifically restricts the contractor's use or disclosure rights.

(c) The clause at 252.227-7020 does not permit a contractor to incorporate into a special work any works copyrighted by others unless the contractor obtains the contracting officer's permission to do so and obtains for the Government a non-exclusive, paid up, world-wide license to make and distribute copies of that work, to prepare derivative works, to perform or display publicly any portion of the work, and to permit others to do so for government purposes. Grant permission only when the Government's requirements cannot be satisfied unless the third party work is included in the deliverable work.

(d) Examples of works which may be procured under the Rights in Special Works clause include, but are not limited, to audiovisual works, computer data bases, computer software documentation, scripts, soundtracks, musical compositions, and adaptations; histories of departments, agencies, services or units thereof; surveys of Government establishments; instructional works or guidance to Government officers and employees on the discharge of their official duties; reports, books, studies, surveys or similar documents; collections of data containing information pertaining to individuals that, if disclosed, would violate the right of privacy or publicity of the individuals to whom the information relates; or investigative reports.

Sections it refers to

  • 252.227-7020 Rights in special works.
  • 252.227-7013 Rights in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

Sections that refer to it

← 227.7105-3 Acquisition of modified existing works. · 227.7107 Contracts for architect-engineer services. →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 227

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

DFARS 227.7106 Contracts for special works · SpendQuery