FAR 35.010—Scientific and technical reports.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 35.010 addresses scientific and technical reporting requirements for research and development (R&D) contracts. It requires contractors to provide scientific and technical reports that serve as a permanent record of the work performed, and it ties those reports to the objectives of the specific R&D effort. The section also directs agencies to make R&D results available to other Government activities and the private sector, while recognizing that disclosure must be managed in accordance with agency rules on national security, data protection, and technology dissemination. In practice, this means contracting officers must build appropriate reporting requirements into R&D contracts, ensure reports are routed as required, and apply any agency-specific controls on release or distribution. The section also identifies the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) as a destination for reports and notes that, when required, completed reports should include Standard Form 298, Report Documentation Page. Overall, this provision is about preserving the technical record of federally funded research while promoting appropriate dissemination and safeguarding sensitive information.
Key Rules
R&D reports are required
R&D contracts must require contractors to furnish scientific and technical reports. The reporting requirement must be consistent with the objectives of the effort and is intended to create a permanent record of the work accomplished under the contract.
Reports must match the effort
The type and scope of reporting should fit the nature of the R&D work. Contracting officers should not impose reporting requirements that are unrelated to the project’s objectives, but they must ensure the reports adequately document the technical results.
Results should be shared appropriately
Agencies should make R&D contract results available to other Government activities and the private sector. This reflects a policy preference for dissemination of research results, subject to applicable restrictions.
Agency controls still apply
Contracting officers must follow agency regulations on national security, protection of data, and new-technology dissemination policy. These controls can limit, delay, or condition release of reports and results.
NTIS submission is contemplated
Reports should be sent to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at the address stated in the rule. This supports broader public access and centralized technical information distribution, when applicable under agency procedures.
SF 298 may be required
If the agency requires a report documentation page for completed reports, the contractor should submit Standard Form 298, Report Documentation Page, with the report. This helps standardize indexing and retrieval of technical reports.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Include appropriate scientific and technical reporting requirements in R&D contracts, ensure the requirements are consistent with the project’s objectives, and follow agency regulations governing national security, data protection, and technology dissemination. The contracting officer must also ensure reports are routed or submitted as required, including to NTIS when applicable, and require SF 298 when agency policy calls for it.
Contractor
Prepare and furnish the required scientific and technical reports as a permanent record of the work accomplished under the contract. The contractor must also provide SF 298 when required by the agency and comply with any reporting, marking, or submission instructions in the contract.
Agency
Establish regulations and policies governing dissemination of R&D results, including controls for national security, protection of data, and new-technology dissemination. The agency should also determine when reports must be sent to NTIS and when SF 298 is required.
Other Government Activities and Private Sector
Use the available R&D results as permitted by law, agency policy, and any applicable restrictions on access, security, or proprietary information.
Practical Implications
R&D reporting is not optional; it should be built into the contract from the start so the Government gets a usable technical record of the work.
The biggest compliance risk is mishandling sensitive information—contractors and contracting officers must pay close attention to classification, controlled unclassified information, proprietary data, and agency dissemination rules.
If the agency requires SF 298, forgetting it can delay indexing, archiving, or public availability of the report.
Contracting officers should coordinate early with technical, security, and information management personnel to make sure the reporting and release process matches agency policy.
Contractors should treat the final report as both a deliverable and a recordkeeping product: it should be complete, technically accurate, and formatted for any required submission channels, including NTIS if directed.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) R&D contracts shall require contractors to furnish scientific and technical reports, consistent with the objectives of the effort involved, as a permanent record of the work accomplished under the contract. (b) Agencies should make R&D contract results available to other Government activities and the private sector. Contracting officers shall follow agency regulations regarding such matters as national security, protection of data, and new-technology dissemination policy. Reports should be sent to the- National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161. When agencies require that completed reports be covered by a report documentation page, Standard Form (SF) 298 , Report Documentation Page, the contractor should submit a copy with the report.