Pre-Search Project

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), through its Office of Patent Information Management, seeks a fully automated prior art search solution designed to utilize existing unexamined patent applications as search queries and deliver relevant results. This procurement is conducted under a special exemption allowed by the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act, bypassing the usual Competition in Contracting Act requirements and following the Alternative Competition Method as outlined in the USPTO Acquisition Guidelines. The requirement was publicly announced via a Request for Information (RFI) in June 2015, which led to demonstrations from select vendors. Based on these evaluations, only a few vendors appear capable of meeting the technical needs and objectives specified. The contract, identified as the Pre-Search Project with solicitation number USPTO-AQPP1600396, is managed by the Department of Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office located in Alexandria, Virginia. The base period of performance extends from the award date through March 7, 2017. This notice is informational and does not solicit competitive proposals. For further inquiries, the designated point of contact is Connie Z Lum, reachable via email or phone. The project falls under NAICS code 541990, reflecting specialized services within the scope of the contract.