[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27150-27151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11419]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Pro Bono Survey

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

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 comment on the 
proposed 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 July 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-Pro 
Bono Survey comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records Management Division Director, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Jennifer McDowell, Attorney, Office of General 
Law, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-7013; or by email to 
[email protected] with ``0651-Pro Bono Survey comment'' 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

    The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), Public Law 112-29 Sec.  
32 (2011) directs the USPTO to work with and support intellectual 
property law associations across the country in the establishment of 
pro bono programs designed to assist financially under-resourced 
independent inventors and small businesses. In February 2014, President 
Obama issued an Executive Action calling on the USPTO to expand the 
existing patent pro bono programs to all 50 states in the country. In 
support of this Executive Action, the USPTO--in collaboration with 
various non-profit organizations--has established a series of 
autonomous regional hubs that act as matchmakers to help connect low-
income inventors with volunteer patent attorneys across the United 
States. The regional hubs comprise law school IP clinics, bar 
associations, innovation/entrepreneurial organizations, and arts-
focused lawyer referral services that are strategically located to 
provide access to patent pro bono services across all fifty states. 
This information will help the USPTO determine which regional hubs are 
operating efficiently and which programs need additional support.
    This information collection will ascertain the effectiveness of 
each individual regional hub with respect to their matchmaking efforts. 
The USPTO has worked with the Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC) to 
determine what information is necessary to ascertain the effectiveness 
of each regional pro bono hub's matchmaking operations. PBAC is a well-
established group of patent practitioners and patent pro bono regional 
hub administrators who have committed to provide support and guidance 
to patent pro bono programs across the country. PBAC is responsible for 
the collection of this information, which is collected on a quarterly 
basis. The information, at its highest level, will allow PBAC and the 
USPTO to ascertain whether the regional hubs are matching qualified low 
income inventors with volunteer patent attorneys. It will also help 
establish the total economic benefit derived by low-income inventors in 
the form of donated legal services.

[[Page 27151]]

II. Method of Collection

    This survey will be conducted electronically through a web form 
created to support this survey.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651--New.
    IC Instruments and Forms: The individual instrument in this 
collection, as well as its associated form, is listed in the table 
below.
    Type of Review: New.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: An estimated 20 respondents will 
provide quarterly responses, for a total of 80 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
two hours to complete the PBAC Administrator Survey, including time 
needed to gather the necessary information, enter it into the 
information collection instrument, and submit it.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 160 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $8,000.00. 
The USPTO expects that regional program administrators will complete 
these applications. The professional hourly rate for a regional program 
administrator is $50.00. Using this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates 
that the total respondent cost burden for this collection is $8,000.00 
per year.

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                                 Information     Estimated time
            IC No.                collection      for response    Estimated annual  Estimated annual   Rate  ($/
                                  instrument        (minutes)         responses       burden hours        hr)
                                                             (a)               (b)    (a) x (b)/60 =
                                                                                                 (c)
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1............................  Regional                      120                80               160      $50.00
                                Program
                                Administrator
                                Survey.
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total....................  ...............  ................                80               160  ..........
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    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0.00. 
There are no capital startup, maintenance, or operating fees associated 
with this collection, nor are there postage costs, filing fees, or 
processing fees.

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: May 4, 2015.
Marcie Lovett,
Records Management Divison Director, USPTO, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-11419 Filed 5-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P