USPTO PRS_RFI Submission Instructions 6.18.2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Patent Reclassification Services (PRS)

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

6/18/2026

This is a Request for Information is being released pursuant to Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Part 10: Market Research.

This RFI is issued solely for informational, market research, and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFP/RFQ in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the USPTO is not seeking proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the United States Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to provide feedback with respect to any information submitted. Proprietary information, if any, should be kept at a minimum and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the United States Government to form a binding contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Although the term “offeror” is used in this RFI, your response will be treated as information only and shall not be used as a proposal.

The Government contemplates utilizing 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). This RFI request is intended as preliminary market information gathering which the USPTO will use to determine which vendor(s) is/are the most likely to successfully meet the agency’s needs and are thereby eligible to participate in an alternative competition. As a result of this market research, the solicitation will only be issued to the limited number of qualified vendor(s).

1. BACKGROUND

Patent classification systems categorize patent and other documents according to the technical features of their content. Patent classifications are used as a way to efficiently locate relevant prior art documents which are related to an invention. There are a variety of classification systems used worldwide.

In 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) entered into a bilateral agreement with the European Patent Office (EPO) to develop a joint classification system, called the Cooperative Patent Classification system (CPC). CPC is aligned with the International Patent Classification (IPC) structure and follows internationally accepted standards to facilitate data exchange and work-sharing. CPC became effective in January, 2013. CPC is collaboratively managed and maintained, with the USPTO and EPO patent examiners consulting and working together on changes to the classification scheme and definitions.

Overview of the CPC System

1) CPC is normally based on the IPC, but with further subdivisions. There is a small percentage of CPC which deviates from the current IPC.

2) CPC is based on the same sections A-H which exist in the IPC, although with a further section Y for indexing classifications.

3) CPC classification rules include warnings and notes found in the schemes which advise users how to classify into the scheme. Some of these warnings may relate to differences between CPC and the IPC, e.g., they may indicate that certain areas of the IPC are not used and users will be advised which groups are being used. Other warnings relate to how documents are classified. The Contractor is expected to follow these warnings and notes unless advised otherwise by the Government. Errors may be assessed if the most current CPC warnings and notes are not followed.

4) CPC also has definitions for most subclasses and some groups which the Contractor is expected to consult.

5) CPC may change monthly. USPTO will provide Contractor with updated CPC schemes and definitions as often as on a monthly basis. Once the Contractor receives updates from the Government, the new CPC information shall be used at the later of an effective day set by the USPTO or within four (4) weeks of receipt.

Expert classification under CPC requires that all claimed subject matter that is potentially novel and unobvious in the opinion of the expert be classified as invention information classification symbols along with any potentially novel and unobvious constituents (subcombinations) of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, any unclaimed subject matter in the disclosure that is potentially novel and unobvious in the opinion of the expert must be classified as invention information classification symbols. The expert classifier designation also requires classification, as additional information, of content in a patent document for which such additional information classification symbols are required, either in the CPC scheme, definitions, or specific guidance provided by the Government.

The CPC scheme is revised on a regular revision cycle. When the CPC scheme is revised, such that there is a change in scope (e.g., new subgroups are created or existing subgroups are split/merged/deleted), documents previously classified under the old scheme must be reclassified into the new or revised subgroups in the CPC scheme.

2. SCOPE

The USPTO is seeking to obtain full “expert” level reclassification in CPC of patent documents, in order to meet the USPTO mission which is the examination, granting and dissemination of Patents and Trademarks. Please see the Performance Work Statement for detailed information.

3. RESPONSES

Responses to this RFI shall be submitted via e-mail to Christina.Cassan@uspto.gov and Jennifer.Hudson@uspto.gov. Responses must be received NLT 3:00PM ET on July 7, 2026, should be no longer than five (5) pages, and shall include at a minimum the following information:

a) Vendor Name and Address

b) Vendor Point of Contact information

c) Vendor Website Address

d) Description of vendor’s client base (including all Federal customers)

e) Capability Statement explaining how the vendor’s recommended service meets

USPTO’s requirements mailto:Christina.Cassan@uspto.gov mailto:Jennifer.Hudson@uspto.gov

f) Vendor’s Unique Entity ID (UEI)

g) Vendor’s socio-economic designation

h) Vendor’s business size under NAICS 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and

Technical Services

i) Answers to the following questions:

• Question 1: Can you please share your firm’s knowledge about Cooperative Patent Classification system?

• Question 2: What is your firm’s understanding of reclassification process and your approach to performing reclassification services?

• Question 3: What is your firm’s approach to meet USPTO’s expectation for reclassifying at “expert” level classification in CPC?

• Question 4: What is your firm’s approach to provide a justification/reasoning statement for CPC allocations?

3.1 Discussions

The USPTO may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. Additionally, the USPTO reserves the right to seek additional information from those vendors identified with unique solutions that are determined to be beneficial to the USPTO.