[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 129 (Thursday, July 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31378-31379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14383]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
USPTO Websites Customer Satisfaction Surveys
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a
proposed new information collection.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 4,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651--
New: Generic Clearance comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Marcie Lovett, Director, Records and Information
Governance Division, 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 Marcie Lovett, Director, Records and Information
Governance Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer, United
States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA
22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-8123; or by email to
[email protected] with ``Generic Clearance'' in the subject line.
Additional information about this collection can be found at http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This proposed information collection covers information gathered on
the USPTO Websites Customer Satisfaction Surveys. These surveys provide
a means to consistently assess, benchmark, and improve customer
satisfaction with USPTO websites. The agency has partnered with ForeSee
Results, Inc. to conduct this information collection. ForeSee Results'
methodology (Customer Experience Analytics or CXA) is a derivative of
the widely used American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). This
methodology combines survey data and a patented econometric model to
precisely measure the customer satisfaction of website users, identify
specific areas for improvement, and determine the impact of those
improvements on customer satisfaction. The ultimate purpose of the
surveys covered in this collection is to improve the quality of goods
and services available to customers of the USPTO.
The USPTO Websites Customer Satisfaction Surveys will be completed
subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579, December 31,
1974 (5 U.S.C. 522a). The agency information collection will be used
solely for the purpose of the surveys. The contractor will not be
authorized to release any USPTO information obtained through surveys
without first obtaining permission from USPTO. In no case will any new
system of records containing privacy information be developed by the
USPTO or the contractor collecting the data. In addition, USPTO
provides ForeSee only information sufficient to randomly select website
visitors as potential survey respondents.
The information collected in the surveys will enable USPTO to
determine customer satisfaction metrics among various visitor sub-
groups. This information collection will assist USPTO in improving
customer service and addressing areas of concern in a targeted manner.
This survey does not ask any questions of a sensitive nature or
regarding sensitive topics. There is no other agency or organization
able to provide the information that is accessible through the
surveying approach used in this information collection.
II. Method of Collection
Customers will respond to the surveys electronically, as hosted on
USPTO websites.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651--New.
IC Instruments and Forms: The individual instruments in this
collection, as well as their associated forms, are listed in the table
below.
Type of Review: New collection.
Affected Public: Individuals and households; businesses or other
for-profits; and not-for-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100,000 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: Approximately 8 minutes (0.133 hours)
per response.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 13,333.33 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$2,716,133.33. The USPTO expects that attorneys, paralegals and pro se
applicants will complete these applications. The professional hourly
rate for attorneys is $438, and the hourly rates for paralegals and pro
se applicants are $145 and $28.14, respectively. The combination of
these respondent types brings the average respondent rate to $203.71.
The sources for these rates are the 2017 Report of the Economic Survey
of the American Intellectual Property Association (AIPLA), the 2016
National Utilization and Compensation Survey Report of the National
Association of the Legal Assistants (NALA), and the mean rate for
office and administrative
[[Page 31379]]
support workers as found in the May 2017 National Occupational
Employment and Wage Estimates of the U.S Bureau pf Labor Statistics
(occupation code 43-1011). Using this blended hourly rate, the USPTO
estimates that the total respondent cost burden for this collection is
$2,716,133.33 per year.
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Estimated
time for Estimated
IC No. Information response annual Estimated annual Rate (S/hr)
collection item responses burden hours
(minutes)
................ (a) (b) (a) x (b) = (c)
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1............................ Surveys......... 8 100,000 13,333.33 $203.71
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Total (Three-Year Period) ................ ......... 100,000 13,333.33 $2,716,133.33
(300,000) (40,000) ($8,148,400.00)
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no capital start-up, maintenance, postage, or recordkeeping costs
associated with this information collection.
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.
Marcie Lovett,
Director, Records and Information Governance Division, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-14383 Filed 7-3-18; 8:45 am]
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