FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2
FAR 52.227-21 Technical Data Declaration, Revision, and Withholding of Payment—Major Systems.
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 clause applies to contracts for major systems and requires the contractor to deliver a signed declaration with all technical data covered by the clause, stating the data is complete, accurate, and compliant with the contract. It also lets the Government require corrections or revisions to that data, and allows the Contracting Officer to withhold a payment reserve if the contractor fails to deliver data, provide the declaration, make corrections, or make requested revisions.
Applies to: Contractors delivering technical data relating to a major system under this contract
What it requires
- Provide the technical data declaration with delivered technical data
- Correct deficiencies in technical data that are not in compliance with contract requirements, at the contractor's expense
- Revise technical data at the Contracting Officer's request to reflect engineering design changes affecting form, fit, and function
Key terms: technical data · major system · technical data declaration · withholding of payment · equitable adjustment
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 27.409(j), insert the following clause:
Technical Data Declaration, Revision, and Withholding of Payment—Major Systems (MAY 2014)
(a) Scope of declaration. The Contractor shall provide, in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 2302(e)(7), the following declaration with respect to all technical data that relate to a major system and that are delivered or required to be delivered under this contract or that are delivered within 3 years after acceptance of all items (other than technical data) delivered under this contract unless a different period is set forth in the contract. The Contracting Officer may release the Contractor from all or part of the requirements of this clause for specifically identified technical data items at any time during the period covered by this clause.
(b) Technical data declaration. (1) All technical data that are subject to this clause shall be accompanied by the following declaration upon delivery:
Technical Data Declaration (JAN 1997)
The Contractor, ________, hereby declares that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, the technical data delivered herewith under Government contract No. ________ (and subcontract ________, if appropriate) are complete, accurate, and comply with the requirements of the contract concerning such technical data.
(End of declaration)
(2) The Government may, at any time during the period covered by this clause, direct correction of any deficiencies that are not in compliance with contract requirements. The corrections shall be made at the expense of the Contractor. Unauthorized markings on data shall not be considered a deficiency for the purpose of this clause, but will be treated in accordance with paragraph (e) of the Rights in Data—General clause included in this contract.
(c) Technical data revision. The Contractor also shall, at the request of the Contracting Officer, revise technical data that are subject to this clause to reflect engineering design changes made during the performance of this contract and affecting the form, fit, and function of any item (other than technical data) delivered under this contract. The Contractor may submit a request for an equitable adjustment to the terms and conditions of this contract for any revisions to technical data made pursuant to this paragraph.
(d) Withholding of payment. (1) At any time before final payment under this contract the Contracting Officer may withhold payment as a reserve up to an amount not exceeding $100,000 or 5 percent of the amount of this contract, whichever is less, if the Contractor fails to—
(i) Make timely delivery of the technical data;
(ii) Provide the declaration required by paragraph (b)(1) of this clause;
(iii) Make the corrections required by paragraph (b)(2) of this clause; or
(iv) Make revisions requested under paragraph (c) of this clause.
(2) The Contracting Officer may withhold the reserve until the Contractor has complied with the direction or requests of the Contracting Officer or determines that the deficiencies relating to delivered data, arose out of causes beyond the control of the Contractor and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor.
(3) The withholding of any reserve under this clause, or the subsequent payment of the reserve, shall not be construed as a waiver of any Government rights.
(End of clause)
Sections it refers to
- 27.409 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses
← 52.227-20 Rights in Data—SBIR Program. · 52.227-22 Major System—Minimum Rights. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 52
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 16, 17, and 35 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 9, 27, and 47 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 14, 28, 36, and 52 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 3 and 49 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 5, 24, and 29 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 6, 7, 10, 18, 26, 37, and 41 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 39, 40, and 53 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.