pqc - submission requirements

Intellectual Property Statements / Agreements / Disclosures

Each submitted algorithm, together with each submitted reference implementation and optimized implementation, must be made freely available for public review and evaluation purposes worldwide during the period of the post-quantum algorithm search and evaluation. The following signed statements will be required for a submission to be considered complete: 1) statement by the submitter, 2) statement by patent (and patent application) owner(s) (if applicable), and 3) statement by reference/optimized implementations' owner(s).

Note that for the last two statements, separate statements must be completed if multiple individuals are involved.

Given the nature and use of cryptographic algorithms, NIST’s PQC goals include identifying technically robust algorithms and facilitating their widespread adoption. NIST does not object in principle to algorithms or implementations which may require the use of a patent claim, where technical reasons justify this approach, but will consider any factors which could hinder adoption in the evaluation process.

NIST has observed that royalty-free availability of cryptosystems and implementations has facilitated adoption of cryptographic standards in the past.  For that reason, NIST believes it is critical that this process leads to cryptographic standards that can be freely implemented in security technologies and products. As part of its evaluation of a PQC cryptosystem for standardization, NIST will consider assurances made in the statements by the submitter(s) and any patent owner(s), with a strong preference for submissions as to which there are commitments to license, without compensation, under reasonable terms and conditions that are demonstrably free of unfair discrimination.

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