(5) authorize the withholding of information from, nor restrict its re-
ceipt by, Congress, a committee or subcommittee of Congress, the 
Comptroller General, a Federal agency, or an inspector general of a 
Federal agency; 
(6) authorize the withholding of information from, nor restrict its re-
ceipt by, the Comptroller General in the course of a protest against the 
award or proposed award of a Federal agency procurement contract; 
or 
(7) limit the applicability of a requirement, sanction, contract pen-
alty, or remedy established under another law or regulation. 
CHAPTER 23—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 
2301.
Use of electronic commerce in Federal procurement. 
2302.
Rights in technical data. 
2303.
Ethics safeguards related to contractor conflicts of interest. 
2304.
Conflict of interest standards for consultants. 
2305.
Authority of Director of Office of Management and Budget not affected. 
2306.
Openness of meetings. 
2307.
Comptroller General’s access to information. 
2308.
Modular contracting for information technology. 
2309.
Protection of constitutional rights of contractors. 
2310.
Performance-based contracts or task orders for services to be treated as contracts for 
the procurement of commercial items. 
2311.
Enhanced transparency on interagency contracting and other transactions. 
2312.
Contingency Contracting Corps. 
2313.
Database for Federal agency contract and grant officers and suspension and debar-
ment officials 
§ 2301. Use of electronic commerce in Federal procurement 
(a) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this section, the term ‘‘electronic 
commerce’’ means electronic techniques for accomplishing business trans-
actions, including electronic mail or messaging, World Wide Web technology, 
electronic bulletin boards, purchase cards, electronic funds transfers, and 
electronic data interchange. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT, MAINTENANCE, AND USE OF ELECTRONIC COM-
MERCE PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES.—The head of each executive agency, 
after consulting with the Administrator, shall establish, maintain, and use, 
to the maximum extent that is practicable and cost-effective, procedures and 
processes that employ electronic commerce in the conduct and administra-
tion of the procurement system of the agency. 
(c) APPLICABLE STANDARDS.—In conducting electronic commerce, the 
head of an executive agency shall apply nationally and internationally recog-
nized standards that broaden interoperability and ease the electronic inter-
change of information. 
(d) REQUIREMENTS OF SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGIES, PROCEDURES, AND 
PROCESSES.—The head of each executive agency shall ensure that systems, 
technologies, procedures, and processes established pursuant to this sec-
tion—
(1) are implemented with uniformity throughout the agency, to the 
extent practicable; 
(2) are implemented only after granting due consideration to the use 
or partial use, as appropriate, of existing electronic commerce and elec-
tronic data interchange systems and infrastructures such as the Fed-
eral acquisition computer network architecture known as FACNET; 
(3) facilitate access to Federal Government procurement opportuni-
ties, including opportunities for small business concerns, socially and 
economically disadvantaged small business concerns, and business con-
cerns owned predominantly by women; and 
(4) ensure that any notice of agency requirements or agency solicita-
tion for contract opportunities is provided in a form that allows conven-
ient and universal user access through a single, Government-wide point 
of entry. 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—In carrying out the requirements of this section, 
the Administrator shall— 
(1) issue policies to promote, to the maximum extent practicable, 
uniform implementation of this section by executive agencies, with due 
regard for differences in program requirements among agencies that 
may require departures from uniform procedures and processes in ap-
propriate cases, when warranted because of the agency mission; 
(2) ensure that the head of each executive agency complies with the 
requirements of subsection (d); and 
(3) consult with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies with ap-
plicable technical and functional expertise, including the Office of In-
formation and Regulatory Affairs, the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, the General Services Administration, and the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
§ 2302. Rights in technical data 
(a) WHERE DEFINED.—The legitimate proprietary interest of the Federal 
Government and of a contractor in technical or other data shall be defined 
in regulations prescribed as part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 
(b) GENERAL EXTENT OF REGULATIONS.— 
(1) OTHER RIGHTS NOT IMPAIRED.—Regulations prescribed under 
subsection (a) may not impair a right of the Federal Government or 
of a contractor with respect to a patent or copyright or another right 
in technical data otherwise established by law. 
(2) LIMITATION ON REQUIRING DATA BE PROVIDED TO THE GOV-
ERNMENT.—With respect to executive agencies subject to division C, 
regulations prescribed under subsection (a) shall provide that the Fed-
eral Government may not require a person that has developed a prod-