PTAG 6 1 1 NOI to Sole Source_Torres Blanca.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- ACQ-26-1947
About this file
This document is a Notice of Intent for Sole Source procurement by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO intends to negotiate and award a Purchase Order for Arbitration Services to Torres Blanca under NAICS Code 541199 for legal services. The procurement is for an estimated twelve-month period, with an anticipated award date of October 1, 2025. The USPTO is exempt from the Competition in Contracting Act and will sole-source the contract because Torres Blanca has been jointly selected by parties to serve on a standing panel to hear grievances, and is considered the only qualified source for continuity and fairness in the ongoing dispute resolution process.
The Notice of Intent specifies that this is not a competitive proposal request and no public solicitation will be issued. Questions about the notice must be submitted in writing via email to the designated Contracting Officers (Yen Nguyen and Emalee Gawrelski) no later than 5:00 PM EDT on September 11, 2025. The procurement is being conducted under the Patent and Trademark Office Acquisition Guidelines and the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act, with specific authorization from Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-3(b)(3)(ii) for procuring neutral persons to facilitate alternative dispute resolution.
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PTAG 6.1.1 Notice of Intent for Sole Source
ACQ-26-1947
The Office of General Law (OGL) provides general litigation and advisory services on matters concerning the administration and management of the USPTO. The parties have jointly selected arbitrators, including Ms. Torres Blanca, to serve on a standing panel to hear grievances brought by the parties.
For this procurement, the USPTO is exempt from the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) as 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). The full text is located here: https://federal register.gov/a/2013-24316.
The USPTO intends to negotiate and award a Purchase Order for Arbitration Services under
NAICS Code 541199 – All Other Legal Services to Torres Blanca, 5250 Valley Forge Drive, APT
411, Alexandria, VA 22304-5610 for an estimated period of performance comprised of twelve (12) months. The anticipated award date is October 1, 2025.
For this instance, Ms. Torres Blanca is the only known qualified source since she has already been agreed to both parties. Accordingly, for reasons of continuity, efficiency, and fairness to the parties, it is essential that this arbitrator be retained to complete the matter. Substitution at this stage would not only risk inconsistency and duplication of effort, but would also undermine the integrity of the process. It is the best interest of the Government and consistent with USPTO’s statutory authority to proceed with this arbitrator through the conclusion of this case. Moreover, FAR 6.302-
3(b)(3)(ii) specifically allows for the use of other than full and open competition to procure, “A neutral person, e.g., mediators or arbitrators, to facilitate the resolution of issues in an alternative dispute resolution process.”
This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals nor will a solicitation be issued to the public. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to the following point of contact or alternate point of contact no later than 5:00pm EDT on September 11, 2025. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.
Points of Contact: Yen Nguyen, Contracting Officer, yen.nguyen1@uspto.gov
Alternate Point of Contact: Emalee Gawrelski, Contracting Officer, emalee.gawrelski@uspto.gov mailto:yen.nguyen1@uspto.gov mailto:emalee.gawrelski@uspto.gov
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .