FAR 27.000—Scope of part.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 27.000 is the scope statement for FAR Part 27, and it tells readers what this part is about: the policies, procedures, solicitation provisions, and contract clauses that govern patents, data, and copyrights in federal contracting. In practice, this means Part 27 is the place to look when a contract involves intellectual property rights, ownership, use restrictions, licensing, or the government’s rights in technical data and copyrighted material. The section does not itself create detailed substantive rights; instead, it signals that the rules in the rest of Part 27 control how agencies should address these issues in solicitations and contracts. For contracting officers, it is a reminder to include the correct provisions and clauses when intellectual property issues are present. For contractors, it identifies the part of the FAR that may affect how they protect proprietary information, assert patent rights, and manage data and copyright obligations on federal work.
Key Rules
Part 27 covers IP topics
This part applies to patents, data, and copyrights. It is the FAR location for policies and contract language dealing with those intellectual property matters.
Includes policies and procedures
Part 27 is not limited to contract clauses; it also contains the policies and procedures agencies must follow when handling patent, data, and copyright issues.
Includes solicitation provisions
Agencies may need to place specific provisions in solicitations to alert offerors to intellectual property requirements or to obtain needed rights information before award.
Includes contract clauses
Part 27 provides contract clauses that become part of the contract and govern the parties’ rights and obligations regarding patents, data, and copyrights.
Applies in practice through contract drafting
The section’s practical effect is to direct contracting personnel to address intellectual property issues at the solicitation and contract stage, rather than after performance begins.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Identify when a procurement involves patents, data, or copyrights and use the applicable FAR Part 27 policies, provisions, and clauses in the solicitation and contract.
Agency
Follow the Part 27 framework when developing procurement policy and when deciding how intellectual property issues will be handled in agency acquisitions.
Contractor
Review solicitations and contracts for Part 27 provisions and clauses, and understand how they affect ownership, use rights, disclosures, and protection of intellectual property.
Offeror
Evaluate intellectual property requirements during proposal preparation and respond appropriately to any solicitation provisions that require disclosure, representation, or agreement to specific rights terms.
Practical Implications
Contracting officers should check Part 27 early whenever a requirement may involve technical data, software, inventions, copyrighted works, or proprietary materials.
Contractors should not assume standard commercial IP terms will apply; the government may require special rights or restrictions through FAR clauses.
A common pitfall is waiting until after award to sort out patent or data-rights issues, which can lead to disputes, delays, or improper clause selection.
Offerors should read solicitation provisions carefully because they may affect pricing, risk allocation, and the ability to protect proprietary information.
Because this section is only the scope statement, users must look to the rest of Part 27 for the actual rules, definitions, and clause prescriptions that govern a specific acquisition.
Official Regulatory Text
This part prescribes the policies, procedures, solicitation provisions, and contract clauses pertaining to patents, data, and copyrights.