CAS SciFinder and STNext

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plans to award a contract to the American Chemical Society, operating as the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS), for access to its comprehensive collection of patent and non-patent literature through subscriptions to SciFinder and STNext platforms. This procurement addresses USPTO’s need for multi-platform scientific and technical information resources, essential for patent examination processes. The contract is expected to last approximately five years, with an estimated value of over $110 million, and the anticipated contract award date is August 13, 2025. The USPTO issued a Request for Information in May 2024, and the outcome indicated that the American Chemical Society was the only qualified provider capable of meeting the requirement. As a result, the USPTO will proceed with a non-competitive procurement under the Patent and Trademark Acquisition Guidelines and the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act, bypassing the standard competitive bidding process due to the agency's exemption from the Competition in Contracting Act. The contract, categorized under NAICS code 519290 for information services, will be performed at USPTO’s Alexandria, Virginia location, with Brian Carper serving as the point of contact.