USPTO Patent Reclassification Services

The USPTO is conducting a sources-sought action under solicitation number ACQ-26-0993 to gather market information for expert-level reclassification of patent documents into the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system, a critical component of its mission to ensure accurate patent examination and dissemination. This request for information (RFI), posted on June 18, 2026, with a submission deadline of July 7, 2026, is not a formal procurement but serves as market research to assess industry capability, capacity, and approach to meeting the USPTO’s evolving classification needs. Respondents must provide a five-page submission including vendor details, Unique Entity ID, socio-economic designation, business size under NAICS 541990, client base descriptions, capability statements demonstrating alignment with USPTO requirements, and responses to specific RFI questions, all submitted via email to designated contracting personnel. The work would involve full expert-level reclassification of patent documents according to revised CPC schemes, with project sizes ranging from fewer than 200 to over 10,000 documents, using official government-provided resources such as the CPC scheme XML files, IPC Guide, and Examiner Handbook. Performance is required at the contractor’s facilities, and deliverables must be submitted as Excel or equivalent electronic files via email to the Contracting Officer's Representative. Proposed contracts would feature a base performance period from December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2027, with four one-year option periods extending through November 30, 2031. Compensation is strictly performance-based, tied solely to the number of uniquely reclassified and accepted patent documents, with payment contingent upon formal government approval of each batch. Contractors must submit a Quality Control Plan and operate under a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan with rigorous oversight, including sampling to ensure reclassification accuracy, where the maximum allowable error rate is capped at 10%. Delays in delivery trigger significant price reductions—ranging from 10% to 50% depending on the number of days past the Fixed Final Completion Date—and excessive formalities or substantive errors may lead to volume reductions, option non-exercise, or termination for default. Contractors may appeal rejection decisions within five business days, with a final government response expected within fifteen business days. Status reports may be requested monthly or quarterly, and all communications regarding acceptance, rejection, or delays will be conducted formally in writing by the COR.