In early 2007 the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) launched a pilot project named Depository Access to Reports Scientific and Technical (DARTS). The pilot's purpose was to provide depository library access to approximately 240,000 scientific and technical publications from 1964-2000. Previously, GPO had not been able to make many of these resources available through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). NTIS is exempt from FDLP obligations by the provisions of Title 44, United States Code, §1903 as its products and services "must necessarily be sold in order to be self-sustaining". However, both NTIS and GPO had a joint interest in exploring how NTIS could participate in the FDLP to provide access to its electronic content.
GPO extended depository library access to the pilot material beyond one planned year. GPO and NTIS hoped to offset operating and maintenance costs from the purchase of these reports and other product revenue. However, NTIS can no longer accommodate free FDLP access to its reports while continuing to be self-sustaining and in compliance with its authorizing legislation. The DARTS Pilot Project between NTIS and the FDLP ended September 30, 2011. For more details read the DARTS Pilot Project Final Summary.
Though this pilot has ended, both GPO and NTIS are still interested in exploring other partnership possibilities to increase access to the Government’s scientific and technical report literature. Both parties wish to eliminate any duplicative efforts.