SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) was established in 2006 and is a critical resource of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for encouraging the development of effective and balanced intellectual property (IP) systems around the world. Through targeted international technical assistance activities, GIPA helps to promote both domestic and international IP rights. GIPA's activities cover every aspect of intellectual property law and policy, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, commercialization, and enforcement. By participating in GIPA courses, foreign government officials learn about global intellectual property rights protection ( printed page 20985) and enforcement and discuss strategies to handle the protection and enforcement issues in their respective countries. GIPA is an important instrument that the USPTO utilizes to achieve its objective of preventing intellectual property theft and advancing intellectual property right policies.

The surveys in this information collection are conducted in an effort to measure the effectiveness of each activity or intervention. Specifically, the GIPA surveys help to demonstrate the impact of the specific activity on each participant's work and the relevance of each activity to the country's efforts to improve systems for protecting and enforcing IP rights. The survey information is then used to further tailor and improve future interventions. The data captured is also used to help meet organizational performance and accountability goals through the following legislative mandates and performance:

• Government Performance and Results Act of 1993; ^[1]

• Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRMA); ^[2]

• President's Management Agenda (PMA); ^[3] and

• Foundations for Evidence Based Policy Making Act of 2018.^[4]

Evaluations and measurement efforts provide methodologically rigorous data activity and analyses rather than subjective, ad hoc, and non-standardized anecdotal material.

These voluntary surveys support various business goals developed by the USPTO to fulfill customer service and performance goals, to assist the USPTO in strategic planning for future initiatives, to verify existing service standards, and to establish new ones. The USPTO also uses these surveys to implement Executive Order 12862 of September 11, 1993, Setting Customer Service Standards, published in the Federal Register on September 14, 1993 (58 FR 48257).^[5]

II. Method of Collection

Items in this information collection may be submitted as electronic submissions and occasionally as in-person surveys.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0651-0065.

Forms: None.

Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 14,508 respondents.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 14,508 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses in this information collection will take the public approximately 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to complete. This includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed item(s) to the USPTO.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,627 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $355,700.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden: $0. There are no capital start-up costs, maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, filing fees, or postage costs associated with this information collection.

IV. Request for Comments

The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:

(a) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information for those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record. The USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in a comment, be advised that the entire comment—including PII—may be made publicly available at any time. While one may request in a comment to withhold PII from public view, the USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

91 FR 20984