WWW.INL.GOV

 NL contractor-owned 

 inventions are available 

 for licensing for commercialization by U.S. and foreign 

companies and organizations. 

INL licenses its intellectual 

property on much of the same 

terms as universities, other 

research organizations and 

industrial firms. 

Grant of Rights

Various licensing terms may be 

negotiated, including both 

exclusive and non-exclusive 

license grants. Exclusive 

licenses may be in certain fields 

of use, geographic areas, or 

according to other terms. 

Co-exclusive and partially 

exclusive licenses, where 

exclusive rights to commercialize a technology may be shared 

by several organizations or 

restricted by area of use, 

territory or other terms, may 

also be granted. For example, 

one company may obtain 

exclusive rights to use and 

invention for applications in the 

energy industry while another 

exclusively licenses the same 

invention for applications in the 

food industry. 

Royalties and Payments

INL licensing royalties comparable to those charged by 

universities, other research 

organizations and the private 

sector. Licenses usually require 

an up-front, non-refundable 

payment, royalty payments 

based on sales, and a minimum 

annual royalty. The fees will 

vary depending on the number 

of patents licensed, the demand 

for the technology, and the 

exclusivity of the license. 

Licensees obtaining foreign 

rights may be asked to pay the 

cost of preparing, filing, and 

prosecuting foreign patent 

applications, and the maintenance of all resulting foreign 

patents.

U.S. Government Retained 

License 

As with all technology developed with federal funds, the 

U.S. Government retains a 

worldwide, non-exclusive, 

nontransferable, irrevocable, 

paid-up license to practice or 

have practiced any licensed 

intellectual property for or on 

behalf of the U.S. Government.

U.S. Preference

INL is required to prefer en-ti 

ally license inventions to 

U.S.-based firms, particularly 

those that will develop and 

manufacture licensed products 

in the U.S. However, in 

appropriate circumstances, 

non-U.S. firms may receive 

licenses, including broad 

exclusive licenses, for the 

countries in which they operate 

or even receive exclusive 

worldwide licenses. 

Technical Assistance

The licensee is solely responsible for the commercialization 

of the licensed inventions. 

Under specific circumstances, 

INL may agree to provide 

technical assistance to the 

licensee on a full cost recovery 

basis if the work is beneficial to 

INL’s mission objectives. 

Limited Warranty and 

Indemnification

Any license for INL technology 

will contain a disclaimer of 

warranties and require indemnification of BEA and the U.S. 

Government.

Non-Assignability

The license may extend to 

subsidiaries of the licensee or 

other parties, if provided for in 

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Licensing INL Technology

I

INL has many technologies available for licensing to meet a variety of 

industry needs. INL’s technology portfolios are organized by industrial area 

and are managed by account executives with experience in these 

industries.
A U.S. Department of Energy 

National Laboratory

Tom Harrison

208.526.1710

Thomas.Harrison@inl.gov

www.inl.gov/techtransfer

WWW.INL.GOV

For more information:

the license, but will be 

non-assignable unless approved 

by INL, except to the successor 

of that part of the licensee’s 

business to which the invention 

pertains. 

Sublicensing

An INL license may include the 

right to grant sublicenses under 

the license, subject to the 

approval of INL. Each sublicense shall make reference to 

the license, including the rights 

retained by the Government, 

and a copy of such sublicense 

must be furnished to INL. 

DOE March-In Rights

The DOE has certain march-in 

rights to intellectual property 

developed with federal funding. 

Although rarely exercised, this 

right is in accordance with the 

Code of Federal Regulations.

Export Control

The license will contain a 

provision recognizing that the 

export of goods and/or technical data from the U.S. may 

require an export license from 

the U.S. Government. Failure 

to obtain an export license may 

result in criminal liability under 

U.S. law.

Technologies Available 

INL has many technologies 

available for licensing to meet a 

variety of industrial needs. 

INL's technology portfolios are 

organized by industrial area and 

are managed by commercialization managers with experience 

in these industries. Technologies listed in each portfolio 

change as new technologies 

become available and as 

licensing occurs. 

If you are interested in licensing 

an INL technology, please 

contact the commercialization 

manager listed on our technology web page. The commercialization manager will assist you 

in creating the business 

partnership needed to successfully commercialize the 

technology. 

INL’s overall goal is to find 

parties interested in commercializing lab-developed 

technologies and invites 

interested parties to contact us 

regarding licensing opportunities.

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