[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 5, Parts 1200 to end]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR1240.104]

[Page 196-197]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
                          SPACE ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 1240--INVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS--Table of Contents
 
      Subpart 1--Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions
 
Sec. 1240.104  Special procedures--NASA and NASA contractor employees.

    (a) A NASA Headquarters office, a NASA field installation, or a NASA 
contractor may submit to the Board an application for an award 
identifying the originator(s) of any scientific or technical 
contribution conceived or developed during the performance of a NASA 
program or contract, and which is considered to be of value in advancing 
the state of knowledge in space or aeronautical activities, whether or 
not the contribution is the subject of a NASA Tech Brief or of a U.S. 
patent application.
    (b) When the Board receives written notice (NASA Form 1548) that the 
Associate General Counsel for Intellectual Property at NASA Headquarters 
or the cognizant Patent Counsel at a NASA field installation has 
authorized the filing of a U.S. patent application for an invention made 
and reported by an employee of NASA or an employee of a NASA contractor, 
the Board will recommend to the Administrator or a designee that an 
initial award of at least $500 be granted to a sole inventor, and an 
award in the amount of at least $250 will normally be granted to each of 
joint inventors. The Board is authorized to recommend a supplemental 
monetary award in an amount that will be based on the evaluation of the 
technical and commercial merits of the invention.
    (c) When the Board receives written notice (NASA Form 1546) that the 
Technology Utilization Officer at a NASA field installation has approved 
for publication a selected NASA Tech Brief based on an innovation made 
and

[[Page 197]]

reported by an employee of NASA or a NASA contractor, the Board will 
recommend to the Administrator or designee that an initial award of at 
least $150 be granted, and an award in at least that amount will be 
granted to each originator of the innovation. The Board is authorized to 
recommend a supplemental monetary award in an amount that will be based 
on the evaluation of the technical and commercial merits of the 
innovation.
    (d) When a selected NASA Tech Brief has been approved for 
publication and the filing of a U.S. patent application has been 
authorized for the same contribution, the initial awards authorized in 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section will be cumulative.
    (e) Awards authorized in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this 
section will not be granted to a contributor who has previously received 
full compensation for, or on account of, the use of such a contribution 
by the United States.
    (f) If a contribution, as first reported and evaluated, is judged 
not to merit a supplemental award, as provided for in paragraphs (a), 
(b), or (c) of this section, and the contribution is later proved to be 
of significant value, it may be submitted for reevaluation. Responsible 
NASA and NASA contractor officials are encouraged to periodically review 
such reported contributions, and to resubmit them for reconsideration 
through the same channels as originally reported.