The United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) is requesting a generic clearance to cover the
telephone and customer surveys and questionnaires that may be
conducted over the next three years. The customer surveys and
questionnaires may be completed online. The USPTO conducts these
surveys to implement E.O. 12862 Setting Customer Service Standards
and uses them to obtain customer feedback relating to the agency's
products, services, and related service standards. The USPTO
obtains feedback from corporations/businesses, law firms,
educational institutions, and independent inventors through these
surveys.
EO: EO
12862 Name/Subject of EO: Setting Customer Service Standards
The estimates for the annual
responses for the electronic questionnaires and customer surveys
have been adjusted because the USPTO does not foresee that any
additional electronic surveys beyond those generally submitted and
accounted for under this clearance will be needed during this
renewal period. The USPTO estimates that 750 electronic surveys
will be submitted and that there will be 128 burden hours
associated with them. This is a reduction of 6,000 responses and
1,020 burden hours from the currently approved inventory. These
reductions are the result of an administrative adjustment.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.