[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 37, Volume 1]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 37CFR404.5]



[Page 714-716]

 

              TITLE 37--PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS

 

  CHAPTER IV--ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TECHNOLOGY POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF 

                                COMMERCE

 

PART 404_LICENSING OF GOVERNMENT OWNED INVENTIONS--Table of Contents

 

Sec.  404.5  Restrictions and conditions on all licenses granted under 

this part.



    (a)(1) A license may be granted only if the applicant has supplied 

the Federal agency with a satisfactory plan for



[[Page 715]]



development or marketing of the invention, or both, and with information 

about the applicant's capability to fulfill the plan. The plan for a 

non-exclusive research license may be limited to describing the research 

phase of development.

    (2) A license granting rights to use or sell under a Government 

owned invention in the United States shall normally be granted only to a 

licensee who agrees that any products embodying the invention or 

produced through the use of the invention will be manufactured 

substantially in the United States. However, this condition may be 

waived or modified if reasonable but unsuccessful efforts have been made 

to grant licenses to potential licensees that would be likely to 

manufacture substantially in the United States or if domestic 

manufacture is not commercially feasible.

    (b) Licenses shall contain such terms and conditions as the Federal 

agency determines are appropriate for the protection of the interests of 

the Federal Government and the public and are not in conflict with law 

or this part. The following terms and conditions apply to any license:

    (1) The duration of the license shall be for a period specified in 

the license agreement, unless sooner terminated in accordance with this 

part.

    (2) Any patent license may grant the licensee the right of 

enforcement of the licensed patent without joining the Federal agency as 

a party as determined appropriate in the public interest.

    (3) The license may extend to subsidiaries of the licensee or other 

parties if provided for in the license but shall be nonassignable 

without approval of the Federal agency, except to the successor of that 

part of the licensee's business to which the invention pertains.

    (4) The license may provide the licensee the right to grant 

sublicenses under the license, subject to the approval of the Federal 

agency. Each sublicense shall make reference to the license, including 

the rights retained by the Government, and a copy of such sublicense 

with any modifications thereto, shall be promptly furnished to the 

Federal agency.

    (5) The license shall require the licensee to carry out the plan for 

development or marketing of the invention, or both, to bring the 

invention to practical application within a reasonable time as specified 

in the license, and continue to make the benefits of the invention 

reasonably accessible to the public.

    (6) The license shall require the licensee to report periodically on 

the utilization or efforts at obtaining utilization that are being made 

by the licensee, with particular reference to the plan submitted but 

only to the extent necessary to enable the agency to determine 

compliance with the terms of the license.

    (7) Where an agreement is obtained pursuant to Sec.  404.5(a)(2) 

that any products embodying the invention or produced through the use of 

the invention will be manufactured substantially in the United States, 

the license shall recite such an agreement.

    (8) The license shall provide for the right of the Federal agency to 

terminate the license, in whole or in part, if the agency determines 

that:

    (i) The licensee is not executing its commitment to achieve 

practical application of the invention, including commitments contained 

in any plan submitted in support of its request for a license and the 

licensee cannot otherwise demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Federal 

agency that it has taken, or can be expected to take within a reasonable 

time, effective steps to achieve practical application of the invention;

    (ii) Termination is necessary to meet requirements for public use 

specified by Federal regulations issued after the date of the license 

and such requirements are not reasonably satisfied by the licensee;

    (iii) The licensee has willfully made a false statement of or 

willfully omitted a material fact in the license application or in any 

report required by the license agreement;

    (iv) The licensee commits a substantial breach of a covenant or 

provision contained in the license agreement, including the requirement 

in Sec.  404.5(a)(2); or

    (v) The licensee has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction 

to have



[[Page 716]]



violated the Federal antitrust laws in connection with its performance 

under the license agreement.

    (9) The license may be modified or terminated, consistent with this 

part, upon mutual agreement of the Federal agency and the licensee.

    (10) The license may be modified or terminated, consistent with this 

part, upon mutual agreement of the Federal agency and the licensee.

    (11) Nothing relating to the grant of a license, nor the grant 

itself, shall be construed to confer upon any person any immunity from 

or defenses under the antitrust laws or from a charge of patent misuse, 

and the acquisition and use of rights pursuant to this part shall not be 

immunized from the operation of state or Federal law by reason of the 

source of the grant.



[50 FR 9802, Mar. 12, 1985, as amended at 71 FR 11512, Mar. 8, 2006]