This paper examines the institutional history of the United States government's efforts from 1946 to 1950 to gather, rationalize, and communicate to private industry, in the creation of the Office of Technical Services (OTS), the wealth of information that had been generated by scientists during the Second World War. Noting that U.S. information policy during the post-war era reflected a duality of purpose: (1) to gain international superiority in the science and technology sectors; and (2) to promote the flow of such information to small businesses in America, the role of various government agencies leading to the enactment of Public Law 81-776 which mandated OTS is discussed. (Seventy-five endnotes are included.) (NH)