Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 03, 2005 FBO #1377
SOURCES SOUGHT

R -- Docketing and tracking of annuities and patents filed in countries outside the United states to ensure timely payment.

Notice Date

9/1/2005
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

541110 — Offices of Lawyers
 

Contracting Office

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Acquisition and Property Division, Acqusition Branch (DC), 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW Suite 580C, Washington, DC, 20024-2142
 

ZIP Code

20024-2142
 

Solicitation Number

Reference-Number-053K06115
 

Response Due

9/16/2005
 

Archive Date

10/1/2005
 

Description

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. This is not a request for competitive quotes and no solicitation is available. Please send the following information: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) sponsors research on new and useful products and processes which have potential application in the private and public sectors, and may seek patent rights in various foreign countries covering products and processes derived from the ARS Research. ARS is the major research agency of the USDA and receives over 80 percent of the total patents. USDA has the authority, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 207 and 15 U.S.C. 3710, to obtain and maintain patents in the United States and foreign countries. USDA can grant licenses in accordance with the regulations set forth in 37 C.F.R. Chapter IV, as amended, to receive fees, royalties or other revenues therefrom, and to take all other suitable and necessary steps to protect and administer such rights. The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), USDA, ARS and the Forest Service (FS) requires services to docket, track, and report quarterly on the status of foreign patents including the payment of annuities, taxes and maintenance fees to maintain existing patents in force. Currently, there are approximately 800 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications/ International Patents for which annuities, taxes, and maintenance fees may become due and payable. ARS has a history of research collaborations with industry and academia. Pursuant to the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, ARS has implemented a technology transfer program covering a variety of agricultural technologies that have high commercial potential to industry. Patent applications possessing licensable beneficial foreign rights are being filed and prosecuted in foreign countries. ARS researchers currently report over 100 inventions annually. During Fiscal Year 2004, 150 inventions were reported, 63 were filed for domestic patents and 59 patents were issued. During the same period, 24 PCT applications were filed. The Department has a total current patent portfolio of 2034, for which there are approximately 800 foreign filings corresponding to 99 different U.S. filings. ARS currently contracts with the law firm of Pendorf & Cutliff for filing and prosecuting all international applications for which ARS is responsible. FS cases are included in this contract. To serve public interest, the Government will ensure that the results of Federally-sponsored research be protected, marketed, and practiced so that maximum benefit is achieved in the form of enhanced U.S. economic activity and competitiveness. The countries chosen for patent protection may include both member and non-member countries of the PCT. This requirement involves services related to docketing, tracking and reporting on the status of foreign patents including the payment of requisite annuities and taxes. The services to docket, track, and report annuities are incidental services which will support the annuity payments and taxes under any resultant contract. The requirement also requires: 1) providing incidental docketing, tracking, payment and reporting services for non-domestic patents; 2) performing the following patent-related services and purchases as may be required to maintain patents in effect: a) maintaining a current case docket to ensure that fees for annuities and taxes are paid on a timely basis; an b) entering information in its docketing system from Government-furnished and publicly available records to effect the payment of annuities, taxes and maintenance fees. The Government provides the Contractor with a database file containing all current PCT patents which require tracking. An already established computerized docketing, tracking, and payment system with the capabilities to calculate and administer different country-by-country patent regulations in regards to payment of annuities, taxes, and maintenance fees shall be required. The Government seeks sources who can provide a Tax Maintenance Report identifying all cases with a payment due within the quarter. This ?Sources Sought? notice is being published to determine the availability of potential businesses, who can provide patent services with experience computerized docketing, tracking, and payment system with the capabilities to calculate and administer different country-by-country patent regulations in regards to payment of annuities, taxes, and maintenance fees. The Government is very interested in and encourages small businesses to respond. Please send the following information: Name of Company Address Contact Person(s) Website Any other statement of capability information to support meeting the technical requirements in this notice.
 

Place of Performance

Address: USDA/ARS/OTT, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD

Zip Code: 20705-5131

Country: USA
 

Record

SN00884611-W 20050903/050901211716 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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