Patent & Trademark Office, Office of Procurement, Box 6, Washington, DC 20231

D -- FIRST PAGE DATABASE ON CD-ROM USING MIMOSA AUTHORING SOFTWARE DUE 122295 POC Thomas A. Sowa, 703-305-8441, Contracting Officer The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeks to disseminate patent information as widely as possible, as effectively as possible. The primary goal of the First Page Database (FPDB) on CD-ROM is to make international first page data widely and inexpensively available to both patent offices and patent information users worldwide. The USPTO is, therefore, considering several alternatives for producing the FPDB on CD-ROM using MIMOSA authoring software and is interested in receiving comments regarding possible strategies. The USPTO now has MIMOSA CD-ROM authoring software and the FPDB consisting of representative family members from the minimum PCT documentation, i.e. USPTO, European, and PCT patents. The database consists of two portions: the backfile (1971-1995) and the frontfile (1996 forward). The USPTO seeks comments for producing both portions of the database on CD-ROM. The Japanese backfile portion of the FPDB is already produced and on the market as PAJ discs. The EP/US data will need to be sorted as nearly as possible into the 69 JPO-defined technological area clusters before disseminating on CD-ROM to ensure complementary products. The following assumptions, based on the PAJ model, have been made for the backfile: (1) EP/US data only (PAJ processed by JPO separately); (2) 2,650,000 first pages produced in 69 (PAJ defined) clusters; (3) issued as ~100 discs. The frontfile is to be produced with the data in numerical order. Consideration should also be given to the provision of index discs and the periodic appending to the backfile of frontfile data sorted into appropriate technological area clusters. The following assumptions, based on the PAJ model, have been made for the frontfile: (1) EP/US data only (PAJ processed by JPO separately) approximately 300,000 first pages per year processed in numerical order issued monthly. Both portions of the data will be provided sorted numerically on 3480/3490 compatible tape cartridges using the Trilateral standard format for data exchange. Therefore, disc producers will have to further sort the documents to enable the building of the database in the desired technological clusters. Authoring the FPDB n CD-ROM will require the MIMOSA authoring software, which runs under UNIX. This is to ensure that the database created will be compatible with the MIMOSA user interface software, running under Microsoft Windows. For purposes of discussion, assume that the following quantities are needed: (1) USPTO internal use, 100 sets; (2) USPTO library use, 100 sets; (3) EPO internal use, 50 sets; (4) EPO library use, 150 sets; (5) JPO internal use, 100 sets; (6) Developing country use, 200 sets. The following alternatives are being considered. In all cases, use of both the MIMOSA authoring software and the MIMOSA user interface software is assumed. (1) Contract for 700 sets for use as above. Data returned to USPTO by Contractor when no longer needed for production. No sales of discs or data by the Contractor. Any further commercial demand would be met by publishers who purchase the database. (2) Contract for 700 sets for use as above. Data remains with Contractor who may publish for further commercial use and unrestricted sales to the public; as a result, it is expected that the 700 sets would be provided at little or no cost. Contractor's use of the data is non-exclusive; i.e., other publishers could purchase the database from the USPTO and publish other products. (3) The USPTO sells the database to any interested publisher. It is expected that the USPTO will be offered 700 sets at a discounted price. There would be no guarantee to purchase these sets from a particular publisher. (4) Contract for 450 sets (no USPTO or EPO library sets), but following the same options as specified in 1, 2 and 3 above. (5) Contract for either 700 or 450 sets with the U.S. Government Printing Office(GPO). No sales of discs by the GPO to the public. Any further commercial demand would be met by publishers who purchase the database. It is likely that the GPO would provide up to 1400 discs at no-cost to the Federal Depository Libraries. Other alternatives and ideas would be welcome. For each alternative above, and any other proposed, the USPTO would like to know the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, and an estimated cost to USPTO where appropriate. An in-depth discussion of market potential under each proposal would be helpful. Comments are requested within 30 days of this notice. Comments may be mailed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Procurement, PK1-810, Washington, DC 20231. Comments may be delvered to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Procurement, Suite 810, Crystal Park One, 2011 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. Comments may be e-mailed via the Internet to Larry Larson of the USPTO at larson@uspto.gov. (0326)

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