Electronic Business Center RFI
ID: PTO-26-PSSD-01Type: Sources Sought
Overview

Buyer

COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OFUS PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICEDEPT OF COMMERCE PTOALEXANDRIA, VA, 22314, USA

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

PSC

SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: OTHER (R499)

Set Aside

Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5) (SBA)

Original Source

https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/cc4bffe44e1b4c26affb02af1d818a17/view
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Commerce, specifically the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), is seeking qualified small businesses to provide technical support for its Electronic Business Center (EBC) through a Sources Sought notice. The EBC is responsible for assisting external stakeholders with the USPTO's electronic patent systems, including the Patent Center and trademark filing systems, and requires comprehensive support services such as technical troubleshooting, account management, and customer service. This opportunity is crucial for maintaining efficient operations within the intellectual property community, with a contract value exceeding $25 million and a performance period extending from June 2026 to December 2031. Interested parties should submit their responses, detailing relevant experience, by December 19, 2025, to the primary contact, Denise Sanders, at denise.sanders@uspto.gov.

    Files
    Title
    Posted
    Draft PWS and Draft Performance Metrics Attachment 1.pdf
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requires contractor support for its Electronic Business Center (EBC), which provides technical assistance to external stakeholders for electronic patent and trademark systems. This single labor hour contract involves comprehensive support for patent e-Commerce systems like Patent Center and Priority Document Exchange, as well as trademark filing and identity verification systems. Services include technical troubleshooting, account management, multifactor authentication support, and responding to inquiries via phone and email. The contractor will also assist internal USPTO staff with testing, documentation, special projects, and quality control. Key personnel, including a Program Manager and Team Leads, are required, and the period of performance consists of a base year and four option years, with an optional six-month extension. The work will primarily be performed off-site, with some on-site support at the USPTO Alexandria Campus for paper document processing.
    Draft Quality Assurance) Surveillance Plan Attachment 2.pdf
    This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) outlines the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) methods for monitoring the performance of the Electronic Business Center (EBC) support contract (ACQ-26-0475). The EBC provides technical support for external stakeholders using USPTO's electronic patent systems. The contract, valued at over $25 million, spans a base period and multiple option periods from June 2026 to December 2031. The QASP details the roles and responsibilities of USPTO personnel (Contracting Officer, COR, SMEs, Program Manager) and contractor personnel (Project/Program Manager, Team Leads). It specifies deliverables, surveillance methods (100% inspection, random surveillance, customer feedback, contractor metrics, trend analysis), and documentation procedures for acceptable and unacceptable performance. The plan emphasizes communication, risk mitigation, and ensuring the contractor meets performance standards and acceptable quality levels (AQLs) defined in the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS).
    RFI Final.pdf
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued an RFI (RFI-PTO-26-01) for its Electronic Business Center (EBC), seeking information for market research and planning purposes. This RFI is not a request for proposals and does not guarantee a future contract. The EBC provides technical support to external stakeholders using USPTO's electronic patent systems. The objective is to assess the capabilities of small businesses across socioeconomic statuses for an upcoming recompete of the EBC contract, currently held by Epsilon Inc. under Call Order 1333BJ24F0014001. The USPTO is seeking feedback on a draft Performance Work Statement, Performance Metrics, and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. Respondents are asked to detail relevant experience in technical support, customer service models, defect resolution, and drafting/testing new functionalities for intellectual property filing systems. Responses, limited to 10 pages, must be submitted electronically by December 19, 2025.
    Lifecycle
    Title
    Type
    Electronic Business Center RFI
    Currently viewing
    Sources Sought
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