Government Portal

Effective August 24, 2018, DoD amended the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to remove the requirement for major contractors to have a technical interchange with the Government prior to generating independent research and development (IR&D) costs.

This rule only removes an unneeded requirement in the DFARS for a technical interchange between the Government and certain contractors. Therefore, the rule does not impose any new requirements on contracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold and for commercial items, including commercially available off the shelf items.

IR&D projects costs must be reported, updated at least annually, and when the project is completed.  DoD uses the IR&D Secure Portal to find projects that address, mitigate, or improve a DoD technical challenge (potential transition to a program of record).

Timely and comprehensive information sharing about DoD needs for future technology and gaining awareness of contractor progress on IR&D programs enhances the ability to deliver advanced capability.

Access to the IR&D Secure Portal must be requested.
Only DoD civilian employees and military members may request access
Before we grant access, we need more information on the purpose of your research and what you propose to do with the results.

The IR&D database contains proprietary industry data that DTIC must protect. We (DoD) only receive this industry proprietary information if our industry partners trust win our ability to properly handle and protect it.

In addition to our responsibility to our industry partners, the Trade Secrets Act, 18 USC 1905 prohibits users from sharing proprietary information gleaned through IR&D Search other than by referral to IR&D Search.

• Access to IR&D information may only be authorized for approved DoD civilian employees and military service members with a CAC
• Direct sharing of IR&D information, including with contractors working in your organization, is expressly prohibited
• No DoD Contractors are allowed to see any IR&D information under any circumstances

DTIC is responsible for ensuring all who are granted to IR&D Search understand their individual responsibilities for ensure for properly controlling and using IR&D information.
DTIC must be extremely careful in vetting request to ensure the data will be handled and used in an authorized manner.

To request access to IR&D Search please provide detailed responses to each of the following questions. Failure to provide complete responses, especially to question 4 regarding how you will handle and use the information you acquire, will result in delay or denial of your access request.

1. Are you a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employee or military service member with a Common Access Card (CAC)
   1. Only DoD civilian employees and military service members may request access.
2. What is your Defense Technical Information (DTIC) UserID?
   1. You must provide your active DTIC UserID to request access to IR&D Search. If you do not have an active DTIC UserID you will need to visit the DTIC Registration Center to generate one before proceeding.
3. What is your title and the organization in which you work?
4. How will the IR&D Proprietary data help support your role at DoD?

CLICK HERE to send us your IR&D Search access request. By submitting this request you are acknowledging that you:

• Understand your responsibilities as to proprietary information; and
• Will not share the information you access from IR&D Search.

Once vetted for access you will receive an email with instructions from the Marketplace team.