The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) uses surveys to obtain customer feedback regarding the products, services and related service standards of the USPTO and uses the results from these surveys to measure how well the agency is meeting established customer service standards, to identify any disjoints between customer expectations and USPTO performance, and to develop improvement strategies. The USPTO developed the Customer Panel Qualify Survey to rate customer satisfaction with examination quality. The USPTO obtains feedback from large domestic corporations, small and medium-size businesses, universities and other non-profit research organizations, and independent inventors.
EO: EO 12862 Name/Subject of EO: Setting Customer Service Standards
The Customer Panel Quality Survey was originally conducted on a quarterly basis. However, based on the USPTO's current use of the survey data, the agency's ability to implement changes based on survey responses, and to reduce costs to the Federal Government, the USPTO has decided to conduct the survey semi-annually. The USPTO estimates that conducting the survey semi-annually will reduce the burden for this collection by 782 responses and 133 burden hours.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.