24-0660 Online Legal Subscription RFI Final 9May2024.docx

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC)

Request for Information

USPTO-STIC- ACQ-24-0660

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

SOURCES SOUGHT: This document supports the USPTO’s market research efforts in support of STIC. This is not a Request for Quotes (RFQ) or Request for Proposals (RFP).

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking sources for the Online Legal Journals listed below. The USPTO mission requires the use of Legal research to examine and grant valid patents and trademarks. The Code of Federal Regulations (37 C.F.R. 1.104(a)) sets forth the requirement that upon taking up an application for examination, patent and trademark, examiners shall make a thorough study and a thorough investigation of the available prior art relating to the subject matter of the claimed invention or trademark. The federal regulation also states an international type search will be made in all national applications.

The USPTO is tasked to provide patent and trademark examiners with resources to study and investigate available prior art and legal issues relating to the subject matter of the patent application. A number of legal business units at USPTO review granted patents, and adjudicate and investigate the various legal issues to the ownership and obviousness and other legal matters related to rules of practice in intellectual property.

The USPTO may use the results obtained from this Sources Sought announcement to support one or more future procurements. Moreover, if a procurement is warranted, then the response to this announcement will be used for the purpose of determining whether a competitive or sole source procurement is appropriate (see Special Procurement Authority Notice below). Additionally, the USPTO may use the results obtained from this Sources Sought to make a small business set-aside determination. This means that if you are a small business and you are able to provide the content described below, your response may be critical in determining whether to set aside any future requirement in part or in total for small businesses. Any small business provider of the content described in this document is strongly encouraged to respond to this announcement.

Special Procurement Authority Notice: If this market research results in the solicitation and award of one or more contracts, then the procurement team reserves the right to conduct a procurement using the following authority: “The subject requirement is being procured using the Alternative Competition Method in accordance with the Patent and Trademark Office Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG) and the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act (35 U.S.C. 2(b)(4)(A)).” Market research obtained above may be used to determine the extent to which one or more small businesses are capable of satisfying the agency’s need and thus eligible to participate in any alternative competition as applicable.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1: Statement of Work dated 9May2024

Attachment 2: Required Content

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Responses If you can provide all items on Attachments 1 and 2, provide the following information to the Contract Specialist or Contracting Officer listed below:

· Company name, address, and UEI number (if you do not have a UEI please note)

· Company small business status (e.g. WOSB, SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, etc.). Please include “OTSB” if you are not a small business concern.

· Points of contact for questions.

Submission: Please submit your responses to the following individuals by the date and time listed below:

Frederick.Porter@USPTO.gov, Contracting Officer Michelle.Ellis@USPTO.gov, Contract Specialist

Submission Date and Time:

All responses must be received by the 5/24/2024, no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time:

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