Failures to disclose U.S. government Bayh-Dole rights in patented inventions

KEI Briefing Note 2018:1. Bayh-Dole Obligations to Disclose Federal Funding

Government oversight of under-reporting U.S. federal rights in patents.

The Requirement for Disclosure Under the Bayh-Dole Act.

  • The Bayh-Dole Act, 35 U.S.C. § 202(c)(1).

    (c) Each funding agreement with a small business firm or nonprofit organization shall contain appropriate provisions to effectuate the following:

    (1) That the contractor disclose each subject invention to the Federal agency within a reasonable time after it becomes known to contractor personnel responsible for the administration of patent matters, and that the Federal Government may receive title to any subject invention not disclosed to it within such time.

    “Subject Invention” is a defined term under 35 U.S.C. §201(e):

    (e) The term “subject invention” means any invention of the contractor conceived or first actually reduced to practice in the performance of work under a funding agreement…

  • Federal Regulations. 37 CFR Part 401 – RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SMALL BUSINESS FIRMS UNDER GOVERNMENT GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

    37 C.F.R. § 401.14
    (a)The following is the standard patent rights clause to be used as specified
    in §401.3(a).
    Patent Rights (Small Business Firms and Nonprofit Organizations)
    …
    (c) Invention Disclosure, Election of Title and Filing of Patent Application by Contractor
    (1) The contractor will disclose each subject invention to the Federal Agency within two
    months after the inventor discloses it in writing to contractor personnel responsible
    for patent matters…
    (d) Conditions When the Government May Obtain Title
    The contractor will convey to the Federal agency, upon written request, title to any subject invention—
    (1) If the contractor fails to disclose or elect title to the subject invention within the times specified in (c), above, or elects not to retain title; provided that the agency may only request title within 60 days after learning of the failure of the contractor to disclose or elect within the specified times.

    HHS and NIH policies, guidelines, explainers:

  • Reminder: All Subject Inventions Must Be Reported on the HHS 568 – Final Invention Statement and Certification (For Grant or Award) and in iEdison, February 17, 2016, NIH Notice No. NOT-OD-16-066.

    This Notice is issued to remind ALL awardee institutions (including but not limited to Universities, Non-Profit entities, and For-Profit entities) that the HHS 568 must be filed by a grantee or contractor at the conclusion of a grant or contract, See, 37 C.F.R. 401.14(f)(5) https://grants.nih.gov/grants/bayh-dole.htm#401.14, the NIH Grants Policy Statement at 8.2.4 and 8.4.1.6 https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/index.htm, and the terms and conditions of your funding agreement. It requires the reporting of all subject inventions that were made under an applicable NIH funding agreement.

    Additionally, all subject inventions that were made under an applicable funding agreement and reported on the HHS 568 must be reported in iEdison. Failure to report (on the HHS 568 AND in iEdison) all inventions funded in whole or in part by NIH as required by your funding agreement’s terms and conditions, the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and the Bayh-Dole Act may result in your organization’s loss of rights in the invention or other actions as appropriate.

  • Department of Health and Human Services, “Procedure for Submission of Final Invention Statement and Certification (For Grant or Award)Form HHS 568”, OMB No. 0925-0002.
  • iEdison.gov & Intellectual Property FAQs and Resources.
  • NIH eRA Communications Office, “Invention Reporting Timeline: At a Glance”, April 28, 2014.
  • J.P. Kim, “Inventions, Data Sharing, and other Intellectual Property Considerations (Making the most from your research),” 2014 NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.

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