(a) Contracts having a patent rights clause should be so administered that—

(1) Inventions are identified, disclosed, and reported as required by the contract, and elections are made;

(2) The rights of the Government in subject inventions are established;

(3) When patent protection is appropriate, patent applications are timely filed and prosecuted by contractors or by the Government;

(4) The rights of the Government in filed patent applications are documented by formal instruments such as licenses or assignments; and

(5) Expeditious commercial utilization of subject inventions is achieved.

(b) If a subject invention is made under a contract funded by more than one agency, at the request of the contractor or on their own initiative, the agencies shall designate one agency as responsible for administration of the rights of the Government in the invention.