In implementing the provisions of section 20135(g) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act (51 U.S.C. Chapter 201), and in determining when the interests of the United States would be served by waiver of all or any part of the rights of the United States in an invention or class of inventions made in the performance of work under NASA contracts, the Administrator will be guided by the objectives set forth in the National Aeronautics and Space Act, by the basic policy of the Presidential Memorandum and Statement of Government Patent Policy to the Heads of the Executive Departments and agencies dated February 18, 1983, by the goals and objectives of its current Authorization Act, Strategic Plan, and other pertinent National policies or laws, such as the National Space Policy of the United States of America. Any such waiver may be made upon such terms and under such conditions as the Administrator shall determine to be required for the protection of the interests of the United States. Among the most important goals are to provide incentives to foster inventiveness and encourage the reporting of inventions made under NASA contracts, to provide for the widest practicable dissemination of new technology resulting from NASA programs, and to promote early utilization, expeditious development, and continued availability of this new technology for commercial purposes and the public benefit. In applying this regulation, both the need for incentives to draw forth private initiatives and the need to promote healthy competition in industry must be weighed.

Several different situations arise when waiver of all or any part of the rights of the United States with respect to an invention or class of invention may be requested and are prescribed in §§ 1245.104 through 1245.106. Under § 1245.104, advance waiver of any or all of the rights of the United States with respect to any invention or class of inventions which may be made under a contract may be requested prior to the execution of the contract, or within 30 days after execution of the contract. Waiver of rights to an identified invention made and reported under a contract are to be requested under § 1245.105, and may be requested under this provision even though a request under § 1245.104 was not made, or if made, was not granted. Waiver of foreign rights under § 1245.106 may be requested concurrently with domestic rights under § 1245.104 or § 1245.105, or may be made independently.

With respect to inventions which may be or are made or conceived in the course of or under contracts for research, development or demonstration work awarded by NASA on behalf of the Department of Energy (DOE) or in support of a DOE program, on a reimbursable basis pursuant to agreement between DOE and NASA, the waiver policy, regulations, and procedures of DOE will be applied. NASA will normally grant waiver of rights to inventions made under contracts awarded by NASA on behalf of, or in support of, programs funded by another Government agency, unless the funding agency recommends and justifies denial of the waiver. See §§ 1245.110(c) and 1245.111(b).