[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21086-21087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8485]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Patents External Quality Survey (formerly Customer Panel Quality
Survey)
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 June 8, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0057 Patents External Quality Survey comment'' in the subject line of
the message.
Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Federal 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 email to [email protected] with
``Paperwork'' in the subject line.
Additional information about this collection is also available at
http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
For over the past 10 years, the USPTO has used surveys to obtain
customer feedback regarding the products, services, and related service
standards of the USPTO. The USPTO used the data 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. Typically, these surveys ask
customers to express their satisfaction with the USPTO's products and
services based upon their interactions with the agency as a whole over
a 12-month period.
In order to obtain further data concerning customer ratings of the
USPTO's services, service standards, and performance, the USPTO
developed the Patents External Quality Survey. This survey narrows the
focus of customer satisfaction to examination quality and uses a
longitudinal, rotating panel design to assess changes in customer
perceptions and to identify key areas for examiner training and
opportunities for improvement. The USPTO plans to survey patent agents,
attorneys, and other individuals from large domestic corporations
(including those with 500+ employees), small and medium-size
businesses, and universities and other non-profit research
organizations. In addition, the USPTO also plans to survey independent
inventors. The USPTO does not plan to survey foreign entities.
The USPTO will draw a random sample of these customers from their
database. Due to the rotating panel design, some sample members will be
surveyed twice in order to measure change over a period of time. Each
year of the survey will include two waves of data collection.
The Patents External Quality Survey is a mail survey, although
respondents can also complete the survey electronically on the Web. The
content of both versions will be identical. A survey packet containing
the questionnaire, a separate cover letter prepared by the Commissioner
of Patents, a postage-paid, pre-addressed return envelope, and
instructions for completing the survey electronically will be mailed to
all sample members. A pre-notification letter, reminder/thank you
postcards, and telephone calls will be used to encourage response from
sample members.
This is a voluntary survey and all responses will remain
confidential. The
[[Page 21087]]
collected data will not be linked to the respondent and contact
information that is used for sampling purposes will be maintained in a
separate file from the quantitative data. Respondents are not required
to provide any identifying information such as their name, address, or
Social Security Number. In order to access and complete the online
survey, respondents will need to use the username, password, and survey
ID number provided by the USPTO.
II. Method of Collection
By mail or electronically over the Internet if respondents choose
to complete the survey online.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0057.
Form Number(s): No form numbers.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and non-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500 responses per year, with an
estimated 75 submitted by small entities. Out of a sample size of 2,750
for each wave of data collection, the USPTO estimates that 1,250
completed surveys will be received, for a response rate of 45%. This
estimate was based on the response rates of the previous survey waves
that the USPTO has conducted. Each year of the survey will include two
waves of data collection with an estimated 2,500 completed surveys
received annually (1,250 completed surveys x 2 waves of the survey). Of
this total, the USPTO estimates that 20% (500) of the surveys will be
returned by mail and that 80% (2,000) of the surveys will be completed
using the online option.
Estimated Time Per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the
public approximately 10 minutes (0.17 hours) to complete either the
paper or online version of this survey. This estimated time includes
gathering the necessary information, completing the survey, and
submitting it to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 425 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $144,500. The USPTO
estimates that attorneys will be completing these surveys. Using the
professional hourly rate of $340 for attorneys in private firms, the
USPTO estimates $144,500 per year for the respondent cost burden for
this collection.
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Estimated
time for Estimated Estimated
Item response annual annual burden
(minutes) responses hours
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Customer Panel Quality Survey................................... 10 500 85
Electronic Customer Panel Quality Survey........................ 10 2,000 340
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Totals...................................................... .............. 2,500 425
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Estimated Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no annual (non-hour) costs for this information collection. The
USPTO covers the costs of all survey materials and provides postage-
paid, pre-addressed return envelopes for the completed mail 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, e.g., 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: April 4, 2012.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-8485 Filed 4-6-12; 8:45 am]
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