Patents External Quality Survey

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
0057 Supporting Statement April 2019 Draft.doc	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2019-04-24	Available
0057 SuptStmnt Part B April 2019 Draft.doc	Supporting Statement B	Uploaded 2019-04-24	Available
Westat_Technical_Proposal.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2016-03-10	Available
Wave 17 Advance Letter.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
External Quality Sampling Plan - Pages from Westat_Technical_Proposal.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
Script for Patents External Quality Survey Prompting Phone Calls.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
Nonresponse_Follow-up_Report.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
USPTO-QS Reminder Postcard.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
USPTO Quality Survey Cover Letter Dec 20 2012.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
USPTO Quality Survey Advance Letter Dec 20 2012.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Available
Summary_on_Non-Response.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-17	Repair queued
0651-USPTO-Information-Quality-Guidelines-Dec2009[1].pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-16	Repair queued
PTO Wave 19 Nonresponse Follow-up Report-10-31-2013.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-02	Available

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
43582	Patents External Quality Survey	Other-Survey	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0651-0057	ICR Reference No: 201904-0651-001
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201512-0651-001
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Patents External Quality Survey
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 06/18/2019
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/24/2019
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	06/30/2022	36 Months From Approved	06/30/2019
Responses	2,500	0	3,100
Time Burden (Hours)	417	0	527
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

---

Abstract: 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 Patent External Quality 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. The USPTO does not plan to survey foreign entities. This collection was formerly titled "Customer Panel Quality Survey".

---

Authorizing Statute(s): EO: EO 12862 Name/Subject of EO: Setting Customer Service Standards
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

---

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	84 FR 1072	02/01/2019
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	84 FR 16006	04/17/2019
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

---

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Patents External Quality Survey

---

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	2,500	3,100	0	0	-600	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	417	527	0	0	-110	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

---

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $365,767

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

---

Common Form ICR:  No

---

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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 04/24/2019

---