E6-7484. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submitted 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 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Title: Customer Input—Patent and Trademark Customer Surveys.

Form Number(s): None.

Agency Approval Number: 0651-0038.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Burden: 220 hours annually.

Number of Respondents: 1,900 responses per year.

Avg. Hours Per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take the public approximately 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to complete a telephone survey and 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to complete questionnaires and customer surveys. The questionnaires and customer surveys can be completed on paper and mailed to the USPTO or completed electronically. It takes 5 minutes to complete the surveys, whether they are mailed to the USPTO or completed electronically. This includes the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the form, and submit the completed request.

Needs and Uses: The public uses the telephone and customer surveys and the questionnaires to provide their opinions, suggestions, and comments about the USPTO's services, products, and customer service. Depending on the type of survey, the public can provide their comments on the spot to the interviewer, or complete the survey at their own pace and either mail their responses to the USPTO or submit their responses electronically via a web-based survey. The USPTO uses the data collected from these surveys for strategic planning, allocation of resources, the establishment of performance goals, and the verification and establishment of service standards. The USPTO also uses this data to assess customer satisfaction with USPTO products and services, to assess customer priorities in service characteristics, and to identify areas where service levels differ from customer expectations.

Affected Public: Individuals or households, businesses or other for-profits, and not-for-profit institutions.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, [phone].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by any of the following methods:

• E-mail: [e-mail]. Include “0651-0038 copy request” in the subject line of the message.
• Fax: [phone], marked to the attention of Susan Brown.
• Mail: Susan K. Brown, Records Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, Data Architecture and Services Division, U.S. 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 16, 2006, to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: May 11, 2006.

Susan K. Brown,

Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, Data Architecture and Services Division.