83 FR 24294 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Ombudsman Survey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 102 (May 25, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24294-24295]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11252]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Ombudsman Survey

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) will submit 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 
following proposal for collection of information under the provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act.
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
    Title: Ombudsman Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0651-0078.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular.
    Number of Respondents: 1,100 responses per year.
    Average Hours per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
approximately 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to complete the survey.
    Burden Hours: 91.67 hours per year.
    Cost Burden: $0.
    Needs and Uses: The objectives of the Patents Ombudsman Program 
are: (1) To facilitate complaint-handling for pro se applicants and 
applicant's representatives whose applications have stalled in the 
examination process; (2) to track complaints to ensure each is handled 
within ten business days; (3) to provide feedback and early warning 
alerts to USPTO management regarding training needs based on complaint 
trends; and (4) to build a database of frequently asked questions 
accessible to the public that address commonly seen problems and 
provide effective resolutions. The USPTO Ombudsman survey is a key 
component in the agency's evaluation of the program, providing a 
mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of the program and identify 
potential opportunities for program enhancement. This survey is being 
conducted by the USPTO's Ombudsman Program and will be developed, 
administered, and summarized by USPTO personnel.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    OMB Desk Officer: Nicholas A. Fraser, email: 
[email protected].
    Once submitted, the request will be publicly available in 
electronic format through reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view 
Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Further information can be obtained by:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0078 copy request'' in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, Director, Records and Information 
Governance Division, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, United 
States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 
22313-1450.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent on or before June 25, 2018 to Nicholas A.

[[Page 24295]]

Fraser, OMB Desk Officer, via email to [email protected], 
or by fax to 202-395-5167, marked to the attention of Nicholas A. 
Fraser.

Marcie Lovett,
Director, Records and Information Governance Division, Office of the 
Chief Technology Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-11252 Filed 5-24-18; 8:45 am]
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