# Presentation: 833338

## National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Turning Goals Into Reality 2001 Conference
Technology Commercialization
Do Law & Science Make Strange Bedfellows?

**Turning Goals Into Reality 2001 Conference**
**Technology Commercialization**
**Do Law & Science Make Strange Bedfellows?**

**James C. Fontana**
**VP Corporate Development & Law**

- May 16, 2001

## Statutes

- Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 --Requires agencies to transfer technology to state and local governments.
- Space Act of 1958/Bayh-Dole Act of 1980/Reagan Memo of 1983 -- Promotes vesting of rights of government funded technology with the private sector to encourage private investment in commercialization; waivers of patent rights.
- Patents In Space Act of 1990 – Applies US patent law to space to protect space-based intellectual property development.
- Freedom of Information Act – Facilitates public access to certain government-generated or possessed information, with exemptions.
- Others – Trademark Clarification Act; Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act; NIST Authorization Act; Space Science Acquisition Law.

## Implementing Regulations

- Patent Waiver Regulations – Process, procedures and requirements for NASA waiver of patent rights.
- FAR Data Rights Clause/NASA FAR Supplement – Same for granting permission to copyright computer software produced under contract.
- Space Act Regulations – establishes uniform administrative requirements for NASA cooperative agreements.

## Agreements

- Space Act Agreement Clause Governing IP and Data Rights – agreement that includes transfer, use and public availability of technology and IP.
- Cooperative R&D Agreement (CRADA)– Similar purpose but limited to federal labs.
- Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) & MOUs – IP provisions establish among International Space Station partners IP ownership rights and exchange/protection of data; R&D in any module deemed to occur in country that owns the module

## Particular Legal Problems

- Perception that NASA waiver provisions onerous; more active in applying “march-in” rights.
- NASA rules cover discoveries made after contract end; item need not be patentable.
- IP waivers/copyrights restricted with regard to internal use items; firms must commercialize in reasonable time.
- Gov’t retention of rights may inhibit investment.
- Primes may require subs to relinquish IP rights despite mandatory flow-down clause.
- IGA acknowledges that IP developed in foreign partner’s module will fall under that partner’s laws;SAA only applies to U.S. module; IGA enforcement issues, esp. with Russia.

## Items to Consider

- Relax NASA restrictions and harmonize with non-NASA commercialization process.
- Consider indirect commercialization through internal use of IP.
- NASA is better educating the public; business should better educate NASA.
- More international agreements/treaties to better protect IP rights in space.

## Additional Information/Citations

- Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 – 15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.
- Space Act of 1958/Bayh-Dole Act of 1980/Reagan Memo of 1983 – 42 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.; 35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.
- Patents In Space Act of 1990 – 35 U.S.C. 105.
- Freedom of Information Act -- 5 U.S.C. 552
- Data Rights Regs -- FAR Subpart 27.3; 52.227/NASA FAR Supp. 1852.227-14.
- IP Waiver Regs – 14 C.F.R. Part 1245
- Cooperative Agreement Regs – 14 C.F.R. Part 1274

## Useful Web Sites

- NASA Office of General Counsel-- _[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/ogc/main.html](http://www.hq.nasa.gov/ogc/main.html)_
- NASA Space Act Manual -- http://www.hq.nasa.gov/ogc/samanual.html
- Procurement Regulations -- http://procurement.nasa.gov/FAR/
- ISS/IP Legal Issues -- _[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/ogc/iss/index.html](http://www.hq.nasa.gov/ogc/iss/index.html)_
- DOD Paper on Commercial IP Rights -- http://www.contracts.ogc.doc.gov/cld/papers/DoDIP2Draft.pdf