0038 Just 2010 Final Part A

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Customer Input – Patent and Trademark Customer Surveys
OMB Control Number 0651-0038
(April 2010)

A.

JUSTIFICATION

1.

Necessity of Information Collection

This is a generic clearance for an undefined number of voluntary telephone and
customer surveys and questionnaires that the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) may conduct over the next three years. These telephone and customer
surveys and questionnaires are designed to obtain customer feedback regarding the
products, services, and related service standards of the USPTO. The USPTO obtains
feedback from corporations/businesses, law firms, educational institutions, and
independent inventors.
There are no statutes or regulations requiring the USPTO to conduct these customer
surveys. These voluntary surveys also support various business goals developed by
the USPTO to fulfill customer service and performance goals, to assist the USPTO in
strategic planning for future initiatives, to verify existing service standards, and to
establish new ones. The USPTO uses these surveys to implement Executive Order
12862 of September 11, 1993, Setting Customer Service Standards, published in the
Federal Register on September 14, 1993 (Volume 58, Number 176).
The USPTO cannot predict with certainty whether all of the survey methods discussed
in this generic clearance will be used to gather customer feedback or how many of them
will be conducted during the next three years. However, based on previous experience,
the USPTO feels that the telephone and customer surveys and the questionnaires are
the most likely types of surveys that will be conducted. Although the USPTO is
uncertain of the number of surveys that will be conducted; the agency believes that the
vast majority of surveys conducted over the next three years will be simple customer
service types of surveys with similar methodologies. Because of this uncertainty and
the fact that the majority of the surveys will be similar, the USPTO is requesting a
generic clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to cover the
various types of surveys that may be conducted.
A brief description of the expected methodology for the telephone and customer surveys
and the questionnaires will be provided under Section B. Collection of Information
Employing Statistical Methods. Please note that these descriptions are proposed
examples of these surveys, based on the USPTO’s experience in conducting various
surveys. When the USPTO decides to conduct a survey and determines which survey
vehicle will be used, the full methodology and the actual survey vehicle will be submitted
to OMB for review and approval following the guidelines for generic clearances.

2.

Needs and Uses

The information obtained from these telephone and customer surveys and the
questionnaires will be used by the USPTO for strategic planning, allocation of
resources, the establishment of performance goals, and the verification and
establishment of service standards. Additionally, the USPTO will use the data from
these surveys to assess customer satisfaction with the agency’s products and surveys,
to assess customer priorities in service characteristics, and to identify areas where
service levels differ from customer expectations.
The Information Quality Guidelines from Section 515 of Public Law 106-554, Treasury
and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001, apply to this
information collection and comply with all applicable information quality guidelines, i.e.,
OMB and specific operating unit guidelines.
This proposed collection of information will result in information that will be collected,
maintained, and used in a way consistent with all applicable OMB and USPTO
Information Quality Guidelines. (See Ref. A, the USPTO Information Quality
Guidelines.)
Table 1 outlines how these collections of information are used by the public and the
USPTO.
Table 1: Needs and Uses of Information Collected from the Customer Input – Patent and
Trademark Customer Surveys
Form and Function
Telephone Surveys

Form #
No Form
Associated

Needs and Uses
•
•
•

Questionnaires and Customer
Surveys (Paper and Electronic)

No Form
Associated

•
•
•
•

3.

Permits the customer to provide comments directly to the
interviewer.
Permits the USPTO to interview the customer or attorney who
handled a particular case or experienced the service in order to
obtain direct impressions or comments.
Use of the telephone interview may increase response rates from
the customer.
Provides a forum for customers to express opinions anonymously
and quickly.
Allows the USPTO to survey seminar and exhibition attendees, and
users of the search facilities, patent and trademark assistance
centers, and other services.
Provides the USPTO with a greater opportunity for collecting
responses from the customer before they leave the site.
Provides the USPTO with a smaller subset of survey questions
directed towards specific items and operations within the USPTO.

Use of Information Technology

The USPTO does use automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques to conduct the surveys covered in this generic clearance. The
telephone surveys are conducted verbally over the telephone with the use of scripts
which ensure that every respondent is asked the same question in the same manner.
For the questionnaires and the customer surveys, the USPTO provides respondents

2

with the option of either completing the survey in paper and mailing or handing in the
survey to the USPTO or providing their survey responses electronically using a webbased survey instrument.
For the questionnaires and customer surveys that are mailed to the respondents, the
USPTO mails the survey package containing the survey, a cover letter, and a selfaddressed and stamped envelope to the respondents in the sample. The cover letter
contains all of the instructions needed for the survey.
In some cases, the
questionnaires and customer surveys are handed out to the individuals. In these cases,
the surveys are either handed back to USPTO personnel or deposited in drop-boxes.
For many of the customer surveys, the USPTO is also providing respondents with the
option to respond electronically using a web-based survey instrument. The online
surveys will mirror those in the paper format and will be available through the Internet.
In order to keep the respondent’s answers to the survey secure, the USPTO will assign
each respondent a unique password and a unique user ID. In those cases where the
confidentiality and security of the responses is critical, the electronic survey instrument
will be hosted on a secure server. The unique password and user ID, the URL for the
survey, and instructions for accessing and completing the web-based survey will be
included in all of the correspondence that accompanies the paper-based surveys.
Respondents who choose to complete the survey electronically are requested to discard
the paper version of the survey so that it is not inadvertently submitted to the USPTO.
Although the USPTO does not believe that it is likely that online surveys will be used
exclusively to collect responses to surveys, the USPTO may be able to conduct some
surveys entirely over the Internet, as long as e-mail addresses are available for the
entire sample. For these surveys, the respondents will receive an e-mail message
announcing that the survey is being conducted. This e-mail will also contain a direct link
to the web-based survey instrument, with instructions for accessing and completing the
web-based survey and instructions for obtaining a paper-based survey and postagepaid return envelope from the USPTO.
While the USPTO is moving to an electronic environment and would prefer to administer
the survey only via the web to coincide with other e-government initiatives, USPTO
customers have expressed a desire for such surveys to also be made available in paper
format. The reason for this is that the majority of USPTO customers are attorneys with
significant demands on their time. Pilot tests and previous survey comments have
indicated that the only time customers find to complete the surveys are during their
commute, on planes, etc., where they do not have Internet access. The paper survey
instrument is being used to accommodate all survey respondents and enhance
response rates.
Based on customer preferences, the fact that the USPTO does not have e-mail
addresses for the majority of its customers, and due to Section 508 compliance
requirements, the USPTO does not believe that the online surveys will replace the

3

paper surveys, but rather that the online surveys will be used in conjunction with the
paper surveys.
The USPTO may make some of the information obtained through the customer surveys
available to the public on the USPTO website, although the identity of the respondent
will be kept confidential. For example, for a survey that the USPTO released to both
patent and trademark customers, the USPTO posted a letter from the Director on the
USPTO website which discussed the findings from the surveys. In most instances,
when applicable, the USPTO will share summarized survey findings directly with
respondents that participated in the survey through direct mailings.
4.

Efforts to Identify Duplication

There are no currently available methods to gather the types of information proposed by
these surveys directly from our customers. The survey questions relate specifically to
the USPTO’s products, services, and related service standards. Consequently, the
information is generally not available from other sources. The USPTO’s philosophy is to
avoid duplication. Therefore, no duplication of effort is imposed on respondents for
these proposed surveys.
5.

Minimizing the Burden to Small Entities

In an effort to minimize burden, sample sizes are kept small and the number of
questions are limited to the minimum required to obtain useful information. All sizes of
businesses and individual customers will participate in these various surveys to
accurately portray customer requirements and service quality. It is important to include
small businesses in these surveys because the USPTO wants to encourage their use of
the patent and trademark systems.
6.

Consequences of Less Frequent Collection

The information collected from these various surveys is needed for annual planning and
resource allocation.
Timely, valid information on customer requirements and
assessment of the USPTO’s performance is needed to establish program priorities and
performance goals. Information collected less frequently could prevent the USPTO
from responding to customer concerns in a timely manner.
7.

Special Circumstances in the Conduct of Information Collection

There are no special circumstances associated with this collection of information.
8.

Consultation Outside the Agency

The 60-Day Federal Register Notice was published on October 26, 2009 (74 Fed Reg.
54955). The public comment period ended on December 28, 2009. No comments from
the public were received.

4

There have been no comments received from the corporations/businesses, law firms,
educational institutions, and independent inventors frequently interviewed through these
types of surveys concerning the time required to provide the information requested in
the telephone and customer surveys and the questionnaires.
Once the surveys are developed, they will be tested with the representative customer
groups relating to the specific topic of the survey.
Due to the relatively simple nature of these surveys, consultation outside of the agency
is not expected. For significant efforts that do require outside consultation, we expect
that the scope of the study would fall outside of this generic clearance and a separate
clearance package would be required.
9.

Payment or Gifts to Respondents

This information collection does not involve a payment or gift to any respondent. All of
these surveys are voluntary, so respondents are not required to answer the questions.
10.

Assurance of Confidentiality

Responses will be confidential and will be used to compile summary statistical reports
only. Assurances will be included on each survey form and in the cover letter, if one is
provided. Responses will be destroyed following statistical analysis of the data. These
surveys are voluntary and are not mandated by law. For the web-based surveys that
are available through the Internet, unique passwords and user IDs are assigned to each
respondent. In cases where the confidentiality and security of the responses is critical,
the online survey will be hosted on a secure server.
All surveys that will be conducted under this generic clearance will be protected under
the “Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002.”
11.

Justification for Sensitive Questions

None of the required information in this collection is considered to be of a sensitive
nature.
12.

Estimate of Hour and Cost Burden to Respondents

The USPTO expects to conduct telephone and customer surveys and questionnaires
over the next three years to collect customer comments. Respondents can mail the
questionnaires and customer surveys to the USPTO or they can respond to them
electronically. The exact number of different surveys, the length of each survey, and
the number of respondents per survey is unknown at this time. The USPTO estimates
that 400 surveys will be conducted over the telephone annually. The USPTO also
estimates that 1,500 questionnaires and customer surveys will be completed annually,
with half submitted in paper and the other half submitted electronically. The number of

5

annual burden hours requested (356) is based on the number of surveys the agency
estimates will be conducted during a one-year period. Based on previous experience,
the agency believes that this is a reasonable ceiling.
Table 2 calculates the anticipated burden hours and costs of this information collection
to the public, based on the following calculation factors:
•

Respondent Calculation Factors
Based on previous survey experience and projections of surveys that may be conducted
during the next three years, the USPTO estimates that it will receive the following
number of responses to these various types of surveys:
• 400 responses to telephone surveys
• 750 responses to paper questionnaires and customer surveys
• 750 responses to electronic questionnaires and customer surveys

•

Burden Hour Calculation Factors
Based on results from testing the various types of surveys with the representative
customer groups and with internal test groups, the USPTO estimates that it will take the
public 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to complete the telephone surveys and 10 minutes (0.17
hours) to complete the questionnaires and customer surveys, whether they are
completed on paper and mailed to the USPTO or completed electronically. This
includes the time to gather the necessary information, respond to the survey, and submit
it to the USPTO.

•

Cost Burden Calculation Factors
The USPTO believes that both professionals and paraprofessionals will complete these
surveys, at a rate of 75% of the current professional rate of $325 per hour and 25% of
the para-professional rate of $100 per hour. The professional hourly rate used for the
calculation is the median rate for attorneys in private firms as published in the 2009
report of the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual
Property Law Association. This report summarized the results of a survey with data on
hourly billing rates. The para-professional hourly rate comes from the 2008 National
Utilization and Compensation Survey, published in March 2008 by the National
Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). The hourly rate for professionals, calculating
75% of $325, totals $244, while the hourly rate for the para-professionals, calculating
25% of $100, totals $25, for a combined hourly rate of $269. The USPTO estimates that
the respondent cost burden for this collection will be $95,764 per year. These are fully
loaded rates.

Table 2: Burden Hour/Burden Cost to Respondents
Item

Hours
(a)

Responses
(yr)
(b)

Burden
(hrs/yr)
(c)
(a) x (b)

Rate
($/hr)
(d)

Total Cost
($/hr)
(e)
(c) x (d)

Telephone Surveys

0.25

400

100

$269.00

$26,900.00

Questionnaires and Customer Surveys (paper)

0.17

750

128

$269.00

$34,432.00

Electronic Questionnaires and Customer Surveys

0.17

750

128

$269.00

$34,432.00

Total

- - - -

1,900

356

- - - -

$95,764.00

6

13.

Total Annualized Cost Burden

There are no capital start-up, maintenance, operation, or recordkeeping costs
associated with these various surveys. There are no filing fees associated with this
information collection. Although the USPTO conducts mail surveys, the USPTO
provides self-addressed and stamped envelopes for them. Respondents incur no
postage costs resulting from these surveys.
14.

Annual Cost to the Federal Government

The USPTO uses a variety of methods for conducting their customer satisfaction
surveys. The surveys are conducted and processed by USPTO personnel. Processing
costs for the surveys can vary widely depending on the methodology selected for the
survey and the size of the population being surveyed.
The USPTO believes that it will take two staff members to handle all of the tasks
associated with a single survey response. Staff members at a GS-7, step 1 level
process survey correspondence, perform the data entry tasks (or collects the data in
response to a telephone interview), and perform the survey completion administration.
Staff members at a GS-13, step 1 level prepare the sampling plans, develop the survey
instrument, analyze and summarize the data, and prepare reports concerning the
survey findings.
In order to determine the hourly labor rate for this collection, the USPTO multiplied the
hourly labor rate for the GS rating that performs the task by the total number of minutes
that are allocated to that staff position to complete the task at hand. Then 30% is added
to that total to account for a fully loaded hourly rate (benefits and overhead). This
adjusted hourly rate is used to calculate the USPTO’s total costs for conducting and
processing these surveys. It is this adjusted hourly rate that is multiplied by the actual
amount of time that it takes USPTO employees to process each survey response to
obtain the total burden hours. Further details are provided below.
For the telephone surveys, the USPTO estimates that it takes a total of 22 minutes
(0.37 hours) to process them. Out of this 22 minutes, the USPTO estimates that it takes
a GS-7, step 1, approximately 12 minutes (0.20 hours) to perform their tasks and a GS13, step 1 10 minutes (0.17 hours) to perform their tasks. The hourly rate for a GS-7,
step 1 is $20.22 and the hourly rate for a GS-13, step 1 is $42.66. When 30% is added
to both of these hourly rates to account for a fully loaded hourly rate (benefits and
overhead), the combined cost per hour for the GS-7, step 1 and GS-13, step 1 is $26.29
($20.22 + $6.07 = $26.29) and $55.46 ($42.66 + $12.80 = $55.46), respectively. When
the fully loaded rate of $26.29 for the GS-7 is multiplied by 12 minutes (0.20 hours), the
USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly rate for a GS-7, step 1 to perform their
survey tasks is $5.26. When the fully loaded rate of $55.46 for the GS-13, step 1 is
multiplied by 10 minutes (0.17 hours), the USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly
rate for a GS-13 to perform their survey tasks is $9.43. Therefore, the USPTO

7

estimates the combined fully loaded hourly rate for USPTO staff members to process
the telephone surveys is $14.69.
For the mail questionnaires and customer surveys, the USPTO estimates that it takes a
total of 17 minutes (0.28 hours) to process them. Out of this 17 minutes, the USPTO
estimates that it takes a GS-7, step 1, approximately 7 minutes (0.12 hours) to perform
their survey tasks and a GS-13, step 1 10 minutes (0.17 hours) to complete their survey
tasks. The fully loaded hourly rates for the GS-7, step 1 and GS-13, step 1 are $26.29
and $55.46, respectively. When the fully loaded rate for the GS-7 is multiplied by 7
minutes (0.12 hours), the USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly rate for a GS-7 to
perform their survey tasks is $3.15. When the fully loaded rate for the GS-13 is
multiplied by 10 minutes (0.17 hours), the USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly
rate for a GS-13 to perform their survey tasks is $9.43. Therefore, the USPTO
estimates the combined fully loaded hourly rate for USPTO staff to process the mail
questionnaires and customer surveys is $12.58.
For the electronic questionnaires and customer surveys, the USPTO estimates that it
takes a total of 13 minutes (0.22 hours) to process them. Out of this 13 minutes, the
USPTO estimates that it takes a GS-7, step 1, approximately 3 minutes (0.05 hours) to
complete their survey tasks, and a GS-13, step 1 10 minutes (0.17 hours) to perform
their survey tasks. The fully loaded hourly rates for the GS-7, step 1 and GS-13, step 1
are $26.29 and $55.46, respectively. When the fully loaded rate of $26.29 is multiplied
by 3 minutes (0.05 hours), the USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly rate for a GS7, step 1 to perform their survey tasks is $1.31. When the fully loaded rate of $55.46 is
multiplied by 10 minutes (0.17 hours), the USPTO estimates that the adjusted hourly
rate for a GS-13, step 1 to perform their survey tasks is $9.43. Therefore, the USPTO
estimates the combined fully loaded hourly rate for USPTO staff to process the
electronic questionnaires and customer surveys is $10.74.
Table 4 calculates the processing hours and costs of this information collection to the
Federal Government:
Table 4: Burden Hour/Burden Cost to the Federal Government
Item

Hours
(a)

Responses
(yr)
(b)

Burden
(hrs/yr)
(c)
(a) x (b)

Rate
($/hr)
(d)

Total Cost
($/hr)
(e)
(c) x (d)

Telephone Surveys

0.37

400

148

$14.69

$2,174.00

Questionnaires and Customer Surveys – Mail

0.28

750

210

$12.58

$2,642.00

0.22

750

165

$10.74

$1,772.00

----------

1,900

523

------------

$6,588.00

Questionnaires
Electronic
Total

and

Customer

Surveys

–

Note: The USPTO processing costs estimated for this renewal are substantially
reduced from those in the currently approved collection. Previously, the processing
costs were estimated at $36,574. For this renewal, the processing costs are estimated

8

at $6,588, which is a reduction of $29,986 over the previous estimates. In part, this
reduction is due to the USPTO reverting to previous estimates for the electronic
questionnaires and customer surveys before the burden hours were increased to
accommodate the USPTO Electronic Business Center (EBC) Satisfaction Measurement
Survey and the 2008 e-Commerce Satisfaction Measurement Survey. But the main
impact on the processing costs is from reestimated internal processing times for the
surveys.
In the previous submission, the USPTO estimated that it would take internal staff 40
minutes to process the telephone surveys, 25 minutes to process the mail
questionnaires and customer surveys, and 23 minutes to process the electronic
questionnaires and customer surveys. The USPTO now estimates that it takes 22
minutes to process the telephone surveys, 17 minutes to process the mail
questionnaires and customer surveys, and 13 minutes to process the electronic
questionnaires and customer surveys. The reduction in the processing times is the
result of efficiencies developed from processing various customer surveys through the
years and to the fact that the USPTO has many processes in place that were developed
while conducting previous surveys.
The reductions in the processing time estimates and the estimated responses has
reduced the processing burden hours by 345 hours, from 868 in the previous
submission to 523 in this submission.
15.

Reason for Change in Burden

Summary of Changes Since the Previous Submission
The OMB approved the renewal of this information collection on April 24, 2007 with
1,900 responses and 220 burden hours. There are no annualized (non-hour) costs for
this collection.
To accommodate two customer satisfaction surveys that were not considered in the
original burden request, the USPTO submitted a change worksheet to OMB on
September 24, 2007. This change worksheet, approved by OMB on October 11, 2007,
increased the burden by 6,000 responses and 1,156 hours, resulting in a new burden of
7,900 responses and 1,376 burden hours.
The USPTO submitted four surveys under this generic clearance during this renewal
period. All four surveys were approved by OMB:
•

USPTO Electronic Business Center (EBC) Satisfaction Measurement Survey,
submitted on November 2, 2007 and approved on December 4, 2007 with 6,000
responses and 600 burden hours.

•

2008 e-Commerce Satisfaction Measurement Survey, submitted on January 10,
2008 and approved on June 3, 2008 with 1,018 responses and 173 burden hours.

9

•

Global Intellectual Property Academy Program Survey, submitted on August 6, 2009
and approved on August 26, 2009 with 167 responses and 42 burden hours.

•

First-Action Interview Applicant Survey, submitted on September 22, 2009 and
approved on October 1, 2009, with 247 responses and 62 burden hours.

The USPTO used a total of 7,432 responses and 877 burden hours of the survey
inventory, with 468 responses and 499 burden hours remaining in the survey inventory.
With this renewal, the USPTO estimates that the total burden and annualized (nonhour) costs for this collection will be 1,900 responses, 356 burden hours, and $0
annualized costs. This is a reduction of 6,000 responses and 1,020 burden hours. This
collection still does not have annualized costs. The reductions in the responses and
burden hours are due to administrative adjustments.
Changes in Burden Estimates Since the 60-Day Federal Register Notice
In the 60-Day Federal Register Notice published on October 26, 2009 for this renewal,
the USPTO estimated that this collection would have 1,900 responses, 220 burden
hours, and a total annual respondent cost burden of $57,420 per year. In the final
renewal submission, the USPTO still estimates that this collection will have 1,900
responses per year, but now estimates that this collection will have 356 burden hours
and $95,764 in respondent cost burden per year. This is an increase of 136 burden
hours and $38,344 in total respondent cost burden.
In the 60-Day Notice, the estimated time reported for completing the paper and
electronic questionnaires and customer surveys was 5 minutes. In actuality, the
estimated time should have been 10 minutes. In the renewal approved in April 2007, it
was estimated that it would take 5 minutes to complete both the paper and electronic
questionnaires and customer surveys. However, the USPTO determined later that the
completion time for the surveys should be increased to 10 minutes. The change
worksheet submitted to OMB on September 24, 2007 changed the estimated
completion time for these surveys from 5 to 10 minutes. The original completion time of
5 minutes was mistakenly used in the 60-Day Notice instead of the current completion
time of 10 minutes. Using 10 minutes to calculate the burden hours for this renewal
changes the burden hours for the paper and electronic questionnaires and customer
surveys from 60 to 128 burden hours. This increases the overall burden estimate for
this collection by 136 hours, from the 220 hours reported in the 60-Day Notice to 356
hours in this submission.
For the total estimated respondent costs, the hourly rate used in the calculations is a
combination of 75% of the current professional rate and 25% of the current
paraprofessional rate. In the 60-Day Notice, the professional rate of $310, from the
2007 report of the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), and the paraprofessional rate of $100,
from the 2008 National Utilization and Compensation Survey by the National

10

Association of Legal Assistants, were used to calculate the respondent total cost
burden. Using a combination of these rates, the USPTO estimated an hourly rate of
$261.
Since the publication of the 60-Day Notice, the USPTO obtained a copy of the 2009
report of the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual
Property Law Association. In this report, the current professional rate is $325. Using
this updated professional rate, the USPTO now estimates that the hourly rate would be
$269 and that the total respondent cost burden for this collection will be $95,764 per
year.
Changes in Respondent Cost Burden
The respondent cost burden has increased from the costs reported in the previous
submission due to increases in the professional and para-professional rates. The
current collection has an estimated total respondent cost burden of $345,376. This was
calculated using the professional hourly rate of $304 from the 2005 report of the
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property Law
Association and the para-professional rate of $90 from the 2004 National Utilization and
Compensation Survey published by the National Association of Legal Assistants
(NALA). Using 75% of the professional rate of $304 and 25% of the para-professional
rate of $90, the USPTO calculated a combined hourly rate of $251, which was then
used to calculate the $345,376 respondent cost burden.
For this renewal, the USPTO estimates the total respondent cost burden at $95,764,
which is a reduction of $249,612 from the currently approved respondent cost burden.
This reduction is due to a reestimate in the number of electronic questionnaires and
customer surveys that the USPTO believes will be submitted. However, since the last
renewal, new professional and para-professional hourly rates have been published.
The USPTO is using the updated professional hourly rate of $325 from the 2009 report
of the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property
Law Association and the updated para-professional hourly rate of $100 from the 2008
National Utilization and Compensation Survey published by the National Association of
Legal Assistants (NALA). Using the same percentage breakdowns as previously, the
USPTO calculates a combined hourly rate of $269, which was used to calculate the
$95,764 in respondent cost burden.
Changes in Responses and Burden Hours
The USPTO estimates that the number of responses submitted annually for this
collection will decrease by 6,000 responses, from 7,900 to 1,900 responses.
Consequently, the USPTO estimates that the total burden hours for this collection will
decrease by 1,020 hours, from 1,376 to 356 hours per year. These changes are due to
administrative adjustments, as follows:

11

•

The USPTO is adjusting the estimated annual responses for the electronic
questionnaires and customer surveys because the agency does not foresee that
any additional electronic surveys beyond those generally submitted under this
clearance will be needed during this renewal period. The USPTO estimates that
750 electronic surveys will be submitted, which is a reduction of 6,000 from the
previous estimate of 6,750. Consequently, the USPTO expects that the burden
hours for this survey will decrease to 128 hours, which is a reduction of 1,020
hours from the previous estimate of 1,148 hours. This reestimate of the burden is
due to an administrative change.

The USPTO estimates that a total of 1,020 burden hours will be reduced from this
collection, from 1,376 to 356 burden hours per year. Therefore, the USPTO estimates
that this collection has a total burden reduction of 1,020 hours per year resulting
from an administrative adjustment.
Changes in Annual (Non-Hour) Costs
There are no capital start-up, maintenance, operation, or recordkeeping costs
associated with this information collection. The surveys in this collection do not have
filing fees. Although the questionnaires and customer surveys are mailed to the
USPTO, the agency provides self-addressed and stamped envelopes with the survey,
so this collection does not have postage costs resulting from the survey. This has not
changed from the previous submission.
16.

Project Schedule

The USPTO does not publish the results from every survey that is conducted by the
agency. While the USPTO may reference summarized survey findings in various press
releases, actual reports that address survey findings are typically limited to sharing only
with survey respondents as a token of appreciation for participation.
For the miscellaneous external customer surveys and other data collection efforts
conducted by the USPTO staff, the decision to publish the survey findings is dependent
upon the needs and goals of the organization sponsoring the data collection effort.
Enumeration periods vary based on the delivery method and customer group being
surveyed. As a general rule of thumb, customer surveys are enumerated for about four
weeks. On average, data are tabulated and summary reports are prepared for the
sponsoring organization within six weeks of the close of data collection. Quantitative
analyses are conducted using SPSS® software. Summary and analysis programs are
performed in batch mode using SPSS® command syntax created prior to the close of
data collection to ensure timely release of the survey data. Ad-hoc and exploratory
analyses are performed as needed throughout the analysis and reporting period. The
summary reports contain descriptive statistics, trend analysis, correlation and
regression analysis to identify key drivers of satisfaction, and qualitative content
analysis, when applicable. The data collection effort and analysis/reporting tasks
generally cover a 10-week period.

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17.

Display of Expiration Date of OMB Approval

These surveys do not have USPTO form numbers associated with them. Once these
various types of survey are approved, they will display the OMB Control Number and
the expiration date.
18.

Exception to the Certificate Statement

This collection of information does not include any exceptions to the certificate
statement.

List of References
A.

USPTO Information Quality Guidelines

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