[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54955-54956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25723]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Customer Input: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Customer Surveys
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden,
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this extension of a continuing information
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public
Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 28,
2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``0651-0038
Customer Input: United States Patent and Trademark Office Customer
Surveys comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: 571-273-0112, marked to the attention of Susan K.
Fawcett.
Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, Information Management Services, Data
Management Division, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to the attention of Martin Rater, Management
Analyst, Office of Patent Quality Assurance, United States Patent and
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by
telephone at 571-272-5966; or by e-mail at [email protected] with
``Paperwork'' in the subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a generic clearance for an undefined number of voluntary
surveys that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) may
conduct over the next three years. The USPTO uses telephone surveys,
questionnaires, and customer surveys to collect feedback from their
customers.
With the exception of the telephone surveys, the surveys are mailed
to the USPTO's customers. The USPTO provides the option for customers
to respond to the questionnaires and surveys electronically. Although
the USPTO is moving to an electronic environment and would prefer to
administer the questionnaires and customer surveys wholly via the Web
to coincide with other e-government initiatives, the USPTO's customers
have requested that the surveys be made available in paper format as
well since many of them only find the time to complete the surveys
during their commutes, on planes, etc., where they do not have Internet
access. Consequently, the surveys are primarily answered in the paper
format.
Customers either access the survey in question through the USPTO's
Web site or through the Web sites of the USPTO's survey contractors.
Instructions for using the online surveys are provided in the cover
letter that accompanies the survey. The cover letter also contains the
username and password required to enter the survey site and the access
code to activate the survey. The electronic version of the survey
mirrors the paper version.
The surveys in this collection are designed to obtain customer
feedback regarding products, services, and related service standards of
the USPTO. At this time, the USPTO is unable to state precisely which
survey vehicles will be used during the renewal period. As the USPTO's
survey needs are determined, the USPTO will submit the specific survey
instrument for approval.
II. Method of Collection
These surveys will either be conducted by telephone, mailed to the
USPTO in a pre-addressed, self-stamped envelope, or completed
electronically. A random sample is used to collect the data.
Statistical methods will be followed.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0038.
Form Number(s): N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Business or other for profits.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,900 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public approximately 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to complete the
telephone surveys and 5 minutes (.08 hours) to complete the
questionnaires and customer surveys, whether they are mailed to the
USPTO or submitted electronically. This includes the time to gather the
necessary information, complete the surveys, and submit them to the
USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 220 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $57,420. The USPTO
believes that both professionals and paraprofessionals will complete
these surveys, at a rate of 76% of the current professional rate of
$310 ($236) per hour and 25% of the paraprofessional rate of $100 ($25)
per hour. Using a combination of these rates, the USPTO is using an
hourly rate of $261 to calculate the respondent costs. The USPTO
estimates that the respondent cost burden for this collection will be
$57,420 per year.
[[Page 54956]]
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Estimated Estimated
Item Estimated time for response annual annual burden
responses hours
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Telephone Surveys............................. 15 minutes...................... 400 100
Questionnaires and Customer Surveys........... 5 minutes....................... 750 60
Electronic Questionnaires and Customer Surveys 5 minutes....................... 750 60
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Total..................................... ................................ 1,900 220
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Note: The burden figures shown in the table above are estimates based on the surveys that the USPTO may conduct
during the next three years. At this time, the USPTO cannot predict which or how many surveys will be
conducted. Depending on the number of surveys that the USPTO actually conducts, it is possible that the burden
hours could decrease or even increase from the totals shown in the table.
Estimated Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no capital start-up, maintenance, operation, or recordkeeping
costs, nor are there any filing fees associated with this information
collection. Although the USPTO conducts mail surveys, self-addressed
and stamped envelopes are provided with them. Respondents incur no
postage costs resulting from these surveys.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or
included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: October 20, 2009.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer,
Information Management Services, Data Management Division.
[FR Doc. E9-25723 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
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