Supporting Statement_National Teachers' Summer Institute_June_19

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

United States Patent and Trademark Office

National Teachers’ Summer Institute

OMB CONTROL NO. 0651-00xx

June 2014

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Necessity of Information Collection

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requests emergency review of an information collection request associated with the Maker Fair Initiative. This will be a new pilot program entitled “National Teachers’ Summer Institute.” The USPTO seeks to begin collection of this information in June 2014. A waiver is also sought for the requirement of a 30-Day Federal Register Notice prescribed by Sec. 1320.5(a)(1)(iv).

The collection of information is needed prior to expiration of the time period established by 5 C.F.R. 1320. The importance of STEM initiatives to the Obama Administration is well known. This is in support of a new pilot program, Teacher Summer Institute.

Table 1: Statute and Rule Citations

Requirement	Statute	Rule
Teacher’s Summer Institute Application	35 USC 2(a)(2) and (b)(11)	N/A

2. Needs and Uses

This program would receive information from applicants, who would be requesting to participate in the program and certifying that they are educators with at least 3 years’ experience and who 1) have taught in STEM related fields last year; 2) plan to teach in a STEM related field this upcoming year; and 3) are acknowledging their commitment to incorporate the learnings from the Teacher Summer Institute into their curriculum, where applicable, and cooperate with sharing lessons/outcomes with teachers and PTO.

The President seeks to get committed educators in science fields to learn about innovative strategies to help increase student learning and achievement in these fields and elements of invention and IP. The institute will showcase a collaborative project of the USPTO and the National Science Foundation; including an 11 part video series produced by NBC learn with specifically designed lesson plans. The agenda would include scientists, inventors, and fields trips (i.e. to NASA) as well as networking.

Table 2: Needs and Uses

Form and Function	Form #	Needs and Uses
National Teachers’ Summer Institute Application	NSTI 1	Will allow teachers to apply to the Teacher Summer Institute

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 this information collection and its supporting statement comply with all applicable information quality guidelines, i.e., the 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.

2. Use of Information Technology

Applications will be submitted electronically through the www.uspto.gov/education website.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

This information is collected to determine whether the applicant is eligible for pilot program. It does not duplicate information or collection of data found elsewhere.

5. Minimizing the Burden to Small Entities

No significant impact is placed on small entities.

6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection

This information is collected only as required to process an application for participation in the pilot program. This information is not collected elsewhere. Therefore, this collection of information could not be conducted less frequently. If this information were not collected, the USPTO would not be able to present awards.

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 USPTO worked closely with both the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Science Teachers Association in developing materials for the program and they can be consulted, as needed, in providing feedback on the program and any information collection activities.  The USPTO also solicits general public comments regarding its information collections. 

8. Payment or Gifts to Respondents

This information collection does not involve a payment or an award to select respondents. For teachers selected to participate in the Teacher Summer Institute, the USPTO will extend invitational travel for individuals selected who live outside of a 50 mile radius of the Institute venue.

8. Assurance of Confidentiality.

The USPTO will comply with the Privacy Act of 1974.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

None of the information to be collected is considered to be of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimate of Hour and Cost Burden to Respondents

Table 3 calculates the anticipated burden hours and costs of this information collection to the public to be an estimated $6902.5 based on the following factors:

• Respondent Calculation Factors

The USPTO estimates that it will receive 500 applications per year.

• Burden Hour Calculation Factors

The USPTO estimates that it takes the public approximately 30 minutes to complete the application, depending on the nature of the information. This includes the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the application and submit it and any supplemental supporting materials, to the USPTO.

• Cost Burden Calculation Factors

Respondent costs are estimated at one rate:

• $27.61 per hour: the median rate for secondary school teachers, (source: BLS website).

Table 3: 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)
Teacher’s Summer Institute Application	30 minutes	500	250	$27.61	$6902.50
Total		500	250	$27.61	$6902.50

13. Total Annualized Cost Burden

There are no postage, operation or maintenance costs associated with this information collection. All applications will be received electronically. The only burden associated with this collection is the hourly burden for completing the application; which results in a total burden of $ 6902.5.

14. Annual Cost to the Federal Government

The USPTO’s total estimated cost for processing the information in this collection is estimated at $ 5,001 per year. The estimated cost for processing the applications is as follows:

It is estimated that a GS-9, step 3, will take 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to review the applications for completeness. . The hourly rate for a GS-9, step 3, is currently $26.65 according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2014 wage chart, including locality pay for the Washington, DC area. When 30% is added to account for a fully loaded hourly rate (benefits and overhead), the rate per hour for a GS-9, step 3 is $34.64 ($26.65+ $7.99).

It is estimated that a GS-11, step 3, will take 10 minutes (0.15 hours) to begin to apply selection critertia to the application. The hourly rate for a GS-11, step 3, is currently $32.25 according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2014 wage chart, including locality pay for the Washington, DC area. When 30% is added to account for a fully loaded hourly rate (benefits and overhead), the rate per hour for a GS-9, step 3 is $41.92 ($32.25 + $9.67).

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)
Teacher Summer Institute Application GS 9, step 3 Attorney	0.083 0.17	500 500	41.5 85	$34.64 $41.92	$1,437.56 $3,563.20
Total		500	126.5	- - - -	$5,001

15. Reason for Change in Burden

This is a new collection of information.

16. Project Schedule

There is no plan to publish this information for statistical use. The pilot program start date is currently estimated as June/July/August 2014. Applications are expected to be collected once a year for the pilot. This schedule may be adjusted in the future.

17. Display of Expiration Date of OMB Approval

The form in this information collection will display the OMB Control Number and the OMB expiration date.

18. Exception to the Certificate Statement

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

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.

5