FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 227: Patents, Data, and Copyrights › Subpart 227.72
DFARS 227.7203-6 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
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 which DFARS solicitation provisions and contract clauses to use when a contract involves delivering noncommercial computer software or software documentation. It matters to contractors because these clauses govern the Government's rights in the software and documentation they deliver, and how restrictions on those rights are validated.
Applies to: DoD contracting officers and contractors delivering noncommercial computer software or software documentation
Key terms: computer software · computer software documentation · technical data · commercial computer software · restrictive legends
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a)(1) Use the clause at 252.227-7014, Rights in Other Than Commercial Computer Software and Other Than Commercial Computer Software Documentation, in solicitations and contracts when the successful offeror(s) will be required to deliver computer software or computer software documentation. Do not use the clause when the only deliverable items are technical data (other than computer software documentation), commercial computer software or commercial computer software documentation, commercial products, commercial services (see 227.7102-3), special works (see 227.7205), or contracts under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (see 227.7104). Except as provided in 227.7107-2, do not use the clause in architect-engineer and construction contracts.
(2) Use the clause at 252.227-7014 with its Alternate I in research contracts when the contracting officer determines, in consultation with counsel, that public dissemination by the contractor would be—
(i) In the interest of the Government; and
(ii) 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.
(b) Use the clause at 252.227-7016, Rights in Bid or Proposal Information, in solicitations and contracts that include the clause at 252.227-7014.
(c) Use the clause at 252.227-7019, Validation of Asserted Restrictions—Computer Software, in solicitations and contracts that include the clause at 252.227-7014. The clause provides procedures for the validation of asserted restrictions on the Government's rights to use, release, or disclose computer software.
(d) Use the provision at 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends, in solicitations and contracts when it is anticipated that the Government will provide the contractor (other than a litigation support contractor covered by 252.204-7014), for performance of its contract, computer software or computer software documentation marked with another contractor's restrictive legend(s).
(e) Use the provision at 252.227-7028, Technical Data or Computer Software Previously Delivered to the Government, in solicitations when the resulting contract will require the contractor to deliver computer software or computer software documentation. The provision requires offerors to identify any software or documentation specified in the solicitation as deliverable items that are the same or substantially the same as software or documentation which the offeror has delivered or is obligated to deliver, either as a contractor or subcontractor, under any other federal agency contract.
(f) Use the clause at 252.227-7037, Validation of Asserted Restrictions on Technical Data, in solicitations and contracts that include the clause at 252.227-7014 when the contractor will be required to deliver other than commercial computer software documentation (technical data). The clause implements statutory requirements under 10 U.S.C. 3781-3786. Paragraph (e) of the clause contains information that must be included in a formal challenge.
Sections it refers to
- 252.227-7014 Rights in Other Than Commercial Computer Software and Other Than Commercial Computer Software Documentation.
- 227.7102-3 Government right to review, verify, challenge, and validate asserted restrictions.
- 227.7205 Contracts for special works.
- 227.7104 Contracts under the Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
- 227.7107-2 Contracts for construction supplies and research and development work.
- 252.227-7016 Rights in Bid or Proposal Information.
- 252.227-7019 Validation of Asserted Restrictions—Computer Software.
- 252.227-7025 Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends.
- 252.204-7014 Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Information by Litigation Support Contractors.
- 252.227-7028 Technical data or computer software previously delivered to the government.
- 252.227-7037 Validation of Asserted Restrictions on Technical Data.
Sections that refer to it
- 209.505-4 Obtaining access to proprietary information.
- 227.7104-2 Rights in SBIR or STTR data.
- 227.7107-2 Contracts for construction supplies and research and development work.
- 227.7203-3 Early identification of computer software or computer software documentation to be furnished to the Government with restrictions on use, reproduction, or disclosure.
- 252.227-7014 Rights in Other Than Commercial Computer Software and Other Than Commercial Computer Software Documentation.
- 252.227-7016 Rights in Bid or Proposal Information.
- 252.227-7019 Validation of Asserted Restrictions—Computer Software.
- 252.227-7025 Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restrictive Legends.
- 252.227-7028 Technical data or computer software previously delivered to the government.
- 252.227-7037 Validation of Asserted Restrictions on Technical Data.
← 227.7203-5 Government rights. · 227.7203-8 Deferred delivery and deferred ordering of computer software and computer software documentation. →
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.