Communication Services Support

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), under the Department of Commerce, is conducting market research through a sources-sought notice titled Communication Services Support, identified by solicitation number ACQ-26-1014, posted on April 29, 2026, with responses due by May 13, 2026. This request seeks information from industry on professional media communication services to support the USPTO’s public affairs and communications functions, with performance expected to occur at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The scope encompasses a broad range of communication support activities including the development of media strategies, drafting press releases and media advisories, managing media relations and interview coordination, monitoring and reporting on media coverage, creating content for social media and internal staff communications, delivering training to USPTO personnel on communication best practices, and conducting a comprehensive assessment of the agency’s current communication capabilities to identify skill gaps. The government has explicitly stated this is not a request for proposals and no award will result from this action; it is solely for market research to inform potential future procurement decisions. Respondents are required to submit a single PDF file not exceeding ten pages, which must include a capability statement and comply with submission format requirements. Offerors must hold an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in SAM.gov to be eligible. All responses become government property with no reimbursement for preparation costs. Contractors must adhere to strict ethical and confidentiality standards, including full compliance with laws prohibiting conflicts of interest, unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, and misuse of proprietary or personally identifiable data under the Privacy Act and 18 U.S.C. §1905. Personnel must be available for on-site work in Alexandria, Virginia, with specific roles defined including Communications Strategist, Social Media Lead, and Audiovisual Lead, and core functions must be performed in-house with limited subcontracting. Offerors must certify their business size status and any applicable socioeconomic designations such as WOSB, VOSB, 8(a), or HUBZone, and are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest immediately upon discovery. The government is evaluating the market’s capacity to deliver integrated communication solutions but has not established evaluation criteria, weights, or award mechanisms, as this solicitation does not lead directly to a contract award. Future contracts may be set aside for small businesses depending on responses received.