Under Section 5 of the Fastener
Quality Act (FQA) of 1999, (15 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.), certain
industrial fasteners must bear an insignia identifying the
manufacturer. It is also mandatory for manufacturers of fasteners
covered by the FQA to submit an application to the USPTO for
recordal of the insignia on the Fastener Insignia Register. The
purpose of requiring both the insignia and the recordation is to
ensure that certain fasteners can be traced to their manufacturers
and to protect against the sale of mismarked, misrepresented, or
counterfeit fasteners. The procedures for the recordal of fastener
insignia under the FQA are set forth in 15 CFR 280.300 et seq. This
information collection covers data gathered by the FQA applications
for Recordal of Insignia and the applications for
Renewal/Reactivation of Recordal. The USPTO uses the information in
this information collection to record or renew insignias under the
FQA and to maintain the Fastener Insignia Register, which is open
to public inspection. The public may download the Fastener Insignia
Register from the USPTO website at
https://www.uspto.gov/trademark/lawsregulations/fastener-quality-act-fqa/fastener-quality-act-fqa.
The total respondent cost
burden for this information collection has increased by $14,560
(from $4,640.00 to $19,200) from the previous renewal due to: •
Increases in estimated hourly rates. The 2018 renewal used an
estimated rate of $145 per hour for respondents (paraprofessionals)
to this information collection. For the current renewal, the USPTO
is using a professional hourly rate of $400. • Increases in
estimated burden hours. The total estimated burden hours have
increased from 32 in the 2018 renewal to 48 for the current renewal
due to changes in the estimated time to complete the application.
For this renewal, the USPTO estimates that the total annual
(non-hour) costs will increase by $14 (from $2,122.00 to $2,136.00)
due to an increase in the postage rates used to calculate the
mailing costs associated with these applications.
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.