This is already very common in the private sector. Most businesses that require custom software will insist (via contract terms) that they “own” the software.

This is already very common in the private sector. Most businesses that require custom software will insist (via contract terms) that they “own” the software. There’s also licensed deals and subscription services etc. sure, but there’s a ton of custom proprietary software that consultants build (which often contain proprietary business logic). Custom always costs more of course, but this isn’t a new model by any stretch of the imagination.