Patent Trademark Office Support Services (PTOSS)

The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) intends to modify contract no. DOC50PAPT0501007, AKIMA/DTSV, Inc., 11405 North Community House Road, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28277, and extend the contract for a base of one (1) month with four (4) one (1) month options for Patent and Trademark Office Support. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is 561210. This is not a solicitation nor will a solicitation be issued in regards to this announcement. Therefore, no RFP will be issued as a result. The USPTO Efficiency Act, 35 USC - 2(b)(4)(A) and USPTO implementing regulations, the Patent and Trademark Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG), exempt USPTO from the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act and the Competition in Contracting Act. The PTAG states "it is the policy of USPTO to promote competition to the maximum extent possible." Under the circumstances described below, it is determined that at this time competition for this requirement will not further the agency's mission and that only one source will reasonably satisfy the USPTO's immediate needs for Patent and Trademark Office Support Services. Description of Requirement: USPTO is modifying the current contract for Patent Office Support Services (services in support of patent application processing). The objective is to obtain mission essential services in support of patent application processing. Requirements include receiving and processing United States (U.S.) and international patent applications and application-related papers; maintaining miscellaneous paper files, collecting fees and updating electronic financial records; monitoring electronic mailboxes and managing, forwarding, and closing messages; mailing examiner office actions and other documents for USPTO compliance and completeness; conducting legal and content reviews of newly submitted applications and follow-on documents for USPTO compliance and completeness, creating electronic bibliographic data records, and preparing and mailing notices to applicants; copying technical references, application documents and other materials; printing and delivering working files for examiner use, sorting and delivering incoming mail and other materials; managing file rooms and locating and delivering application file folders to examiners and other patent processing personnel; and locating and delivering residual paper application files in response to requests or in order to match incoming papers. Formality (legal) review is approximately 50% of the requirement which involves reviewing newly received U.S. patent applications for compliance and completeness with all filing requirements to determine compliancy with USPTO and Federal rules and readiness for examination. During the past 5 years, AKIMA/DTSV, Inc. has been providing the above services. At this time, only AKIMA/DTSV, Inc. is capable of fulfilling this immediate need with the required level of expertise. This modification will serve as a bridge contract while the USPTO recompetes the requirement. Anticipated Award Date: June 27, 2013 Period of Performance: July 1, 2013 through November 31, 2013 Primary Point of Contact: Shellie Eaton at (571) 272-5146, shellie.eaton@uspto.gov