DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20350-1000
SECNAVINST 5870.3D
CNR (BDCC)
11 JUL 2018
SECNAV INSTRUCTION 5870.3D
From: Secretary of the Navy
Subj: INVENTIONS MADE BY DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY EMPLOYEES
Ref: (a) Executive Order 10096
(b) Executive Order 10930
(c) Executive Order 10695
(d) 15 U.S.C. § 3710d
(e) 18 U.S.C. § 202
(f) 5 U.S.C. § 1304, §§ 3371-3376
(g) 29 U.S.C. § 2101(a)(8)
(h) 37 C.F.R. Part 501
(i) 10 U.S.C. § 5022
(j) SECNAVINST 5430.7R CH-1
(k) DoD Directive 5535.3 of 21 May 1999
1. Purpose. To implement references (a), (b), (c), and (d) to
provide for the administration of a uniform patent policy for
the Department of the Navy (DON) with respect to the rights in
inventions made by DON employees.
2. Cancellation. SECNAVINST 5870.3C.
3. Definitions. The term employee means any officer or
employee, civilian or military, of the DON, including any
special Government employee as defined in reference (e) or an
individual working for the DON pursuant to the Intergovernmental
Personnel Act, reference (f), or a part-time consultant or part-
time employee as defined in reference (g).
4. Applicability. This instruction is applicable to any
invention made by an employee and to any action taken with
respect thereto.
5. Policy and Objective
a. Reference (a), as amended by references (b) and (c),
established a uniform patent policy with respect to inventions
made by any Government employee. The Government may, under
