FPNG Outreach Focus Sessions Submission Request

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0690-0030)

T ITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Fee Process Next Generation (FPNG) Focus Sessions Regarding Fee Processing System Access and Stored Payment Account Access and Management

PURPOSE:

To obtain qualitative feedback and preferences from the public about accessing the USPTO’s fee processing system and about stored payment account access and management. This feedback is regarding potential end-user requirements to assist in the design of the new FPNG system.

The goal of FPNG is to replace the current fee processing system with updated technology and to enhance the user experience.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

Respondents are a representative cross section of stakeholders who volunteer to provide feedback and preferences about accessing the USPTO’s fee processing system and about the stored payment account access and management.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Mandy Moore________________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [X] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [X] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden Hours
External USPTO stakeholders	40	2 hours	80 hours
Totals	40	2 hours	80 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated one-time cost to the Federal government is $6,244.

1. 2 support consultants 10 hours each to prepare for, to facilitate and to take notes for the focus session and 20 hours each to translate the results into recommendations for functional and technical requirements (40 hours x $143.00 = $5,720.00) ($143.00 is a blended rate for support consultants)

2. 1 GS-14 project manager 8 hours to monitor the focus sessions and to direct and assist with the results analysis (8 x $65.53 = $524.00)

$65.53 per hour: The hourly rate for a GS-14 step 1 is currently $50.41 according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management wage chart including locality pay for the Washington, D.C. area. When 30% is added to account for a fully loaded hourly rate (benefits and overhead), the rate per hour for a GS-14, step 1 is $65.53 ($50.41 + $15.12 = $65.53)

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [] Yes [X] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

A variety of forms of communication will be used to advertise the times and dates of the focus sessions. For example, we will send an e-mail to the current Patent eAlert and Trademark eAlert list serves and also to Financial Profile users to seek volunteers. Participation is strictly voluntary, though we are asking those interested to categorize their customer role to help ensure that we get a representative cross sample of USPTO customers as to take advantage of the full spectrum of customer experiences and requirements. We are not conducting a scientific survey, so a sampling plan is not required. We are limiting the focus session to a maximum of 40 participants (probably in two separate sessions).

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

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