Maintain a choice of strong intellectual property protections

Policymakers should not make rigid intellectual property licensing choices a precondition for eligibility for procurement, nor should they discriminate between developers that choose to license their intellectual property on commercial terms, and developers that choose not to charge licensing fees. Commercial and community-based software developers both typically rely on intellectual property rights, though some seek compensation for their exercise of intellectual property rights while others refrain from charging fees. Allowing rights holders to offer a range of intellectual property licenses promotes choice and furthers innovation.

• Procure software on its merits, not through categorical preferences
• Promote broad availability of government funded research
• Promote interoperability through platform-neutral standards
• Maintain a choice of strong intellectual property protections