Fee Process Next Generation (FPNG) Phone Interviews Regarding Fee Processing System Access and Stored Payment Account Access and Management

OMB Control Number 0690-0030
Expiration Date: 04/30/14

FEE PROCESSING NEXT GENERATION (FPNG) Interview Script
Fee Collection: Order preparation and payment business process questions
Introduction
Good Morning, My name is ______ and I am calling on behalf of the United States Patent and Trademark
Office regarding the USPTO’s fee collection system replacement effort. May I please speak with Mr./Ms.
______?
If the volunteer stakeholder is not available ask:
Is there a better time or phone number on which to reach them? Record time and/or alternate phone
number ________. Thank you for your time, I will try to reach Mr./Ms. at a later time.
If yes, proceed with the following:
On ________ (date), you indicated via an e-mail that you would like to provide input into our fee
collection system replacement effort. Do you have 15 minutes to answer some questions now or is there
a better time to reach you?
If the stakeholder can’t speak now, but is available later record preferred time and preferred contact
information __________. Thank you for your time, I will call back on ______ (preferred date) at _____
(preferred time).
If the stakeholder does not want to participate at all record “do not contact” on stakeholder database.
If yes, proceed with the following: Thank you for providing your feedback. Your input will be used to
generate user requirements for the new system. All input will be anonymous and you can choose not to
answer any of the questions that I ask by simply stating “pass”.
If 15 minutes passes during the interview and the participant has not answered all questions state at a
break in conversation: We have reached the 15 minute mark in our conversation and I want to be
respectful of your time. Would you like to continue, schedule a follow up, or end the interview at this
time?
General Questions
1. Please validate your status as a(n): (1) individual pro se inventor or applicant; (2) in-house
counsel; (3) law firm attorney practitioner; or (4) legal assistant or administrator.
2. Approximately how many patent and/or trademark applications do you (or your organization)
file per year?
3. Are there any specific reasons you want to provide feedback regarding a new fee collection
system?
4. What is your current role in the process of making payments to the USPTO?
5. What challenges do you encounter when making payments to the USPTO?
6. What can we do to make the process more convenient for you?
Great, thank you for your input. We have a few more detailed questions about how you conduct
business with USPTO. These questions will help us better define the roles and workflow in the new
system.
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OMB Control Number 0690-0030
Expiration Date: 04/30/14

Order Preparation and Payment Business Process Questions
Please note the term “order” is generic for all business that you conduct, for example submitting
application fees, follow-on fees, petitions, copies, etc.
1. Does your organization have multiple people interacting with the USPTO to prepare and pay for
an order? (e.g. financial work vs. legal work)
a. If yes, what are their roles in the process?
b. If yes, what are their responsibilities within the process?
c. If yes, does the current USPTO system allow them to efficiently execute these roles?
i. If not, what are the major issues that you experience?
d. If yes, would automated features such as approvals and notifications assist in
coordination within your organization?
i. Would it be helpful if you could route prepared orders to other system users to
make the order payment?
e. If no, how do you, or your organization, currently prepare orders and make payments to
the USPTO?
2. Are people outside of your organization, such as clients, involved in the process of making
payments to the USPTO?
a. If yes, does the current USPTO system allow them to efficiently execute these roles?
i. If not, what are the major issues that you experience?
3. What types of access/control would you like to give to other users to manage and/or view your
financial account information (i.e. ability to add an account, make a payment, or view payment
history, etc.)?
4. How would you like to receive communications from the USPTO (e.g., e-mail, on-line, text,
etc.)?
a. Would you benefit from communication preferences at a group level and/or stored
payment account level as well?
5. What financial communications would you like to receive beyond fee payment confirmation
and refund issuance notification (e.g., notifications of low deposit account balance, deposit
account transfers, blanket/general deposit account usage, etc.)?
6. Do you have any additional feedback regarding order preparation and payment that was not
already addressed?
That concludes the questions.
Are you available if we have any follow-up questions?
Thank you for your time. USPTO greatly appreciates your input. If you would like to contact us, please
feel free to send an email anytime to fpng@uspto.gov.

This information collection contains requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Notwithstanding any other
provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to penalty for failure to comply with,
a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently
valid OMB Control Number. The estimated response time for this collection is 30 minutes. The response time includes the time
for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information.

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