Contract data requirements list

In United States government contracts, the contract data requirements list (CDRL, pronounced 'SEE-drill') is a list of authorized data requirements for a specific procurement that forms a part of the contract. In essence, CDRLs identify what products are to be formally delivered to the government by a contractor, as well as when they are to be delivered. It consists of either a single DD form 1423-1 or a series of individual CDRL forms containing data requirements and delivery information. The CDRL is the standard format for identifying potential data requirements in a solicitation, and deliverable data requirements in a contract. The purpose of the CDRL is to provide a standardized method of clearly and unambiguously delineating the government's minimum essential data needs. The CDRL groups all of the data requirements in a single place rather than having them scattered throughout the solicitation or contrac].

CDRLs should be linked directly to statement of work (SOW) tasks and managed by the program office data manager. Data requirements can also be identified in the contract via special contract clauses (e.g., DFARS), which define special data provisions such as rights in data, warranty, etc. SOW guidance of MIL-HDBK-245D describes the desired relationship: "Work requirements should be specified in the SOW, and all data requirements for delivery, format, and content should be in the contract data requirements list in conjunction with the appropriate Data Item Description (DID) respectively, with none of the requirements restated in other parts of the contract."

Subpart 215.470 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) document requires the use of the CDRL in solicitations when the contract will require delivery of data. Guidance on how to fill in and handle DD Form 1423-1 is provided in publication 5010.12-M. Other US government agencies may include CDRLs in contracts, but these will not use the military's form 1423.

Commonly, most items produced or used as part of production of the work described in the SOW are identified using the name of pre-defined data item descriptions (DID). The CDRL process allows for tailoring, which is defined as identifying which part of a DID are not applicable to the specific acquisition, and may explain how the DID will be applied without otherwise altering the DID. (Altering or adding to DID language would obviously make it no longer a standard DID available by simple citation, pre-approved, and readily handled by existing Department of Defense processes.)  The CDRL form provides a block for simple citation of which DID it is, as well as where it is mentioned in the SOW and what part(s) of the overall work breakdown structure it is involved with.

Contracts issued by governments (including their militaries) outside the US also use CDRLs as part of their statements of Work. These CDRLs do not use the military's form 1423, but may utilize some of the same elements to define their need for documentation.