Federal Register #PTOP20260199

USPTO PIER Pilot Program and Proposed Deletions of Defense-Related Products from Procurement List

This notice covers several government actions, including a USPTO pilot program and proposed product deletions from the Procurement List: - United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is launching the PCT Informed Examination Request (PIER) Pilot Program - Focuses on improving patent examination efficiency by requiring applicants to respond to international phase work products before proceeding with national stage examination - Applicants must choose to proceed, delay, or abandon their applications - No external vendors or products are being procured; this is an internal procedural initiative - Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled proposes deleting several Defense-related products from the Procurement List - Products affected include: - Case, Carrying, M240 (Part Number: 1005-01-470-3006) - Carrying strap (Part Number: 1005-01-526-8280) - Hose, Fire, Lightweight, Lined, White, 1 x 50 (Part Number: 4210-00-542-3480) - Cover, M1 Helmet, Woodland Camouflage (Part Number: 8415-00-105-0605) - Cover, Lightweight Helmet w/Pad System, Camouflage, XS/S (Part Number: 8415-01-549-4944) - Cover, Lightweight Helmet w/Pad System, Camouflage, M/L (Part Number: 8415-01-549-4946) - Cover, Lightweight Helmet w/Pad System, Camouflage, XL (Part Number: 8415-01-549-4948) - These items are being considered for removal from mandatory federal procurement sources - No specific OEMs or commercial vendors are named for the affected products - Notable requirement: The proposed deletions may impact procurement channels for these Defense-related items

Description

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is implementing the PCT Informed Examination Request (PIER) Pilot Program to evaluate the impact on patent application inventory and examination efficiency. Selected national stage patent applications that entered under 35 U.S.C. 371 will receive a requirement for information referencing international phase work products such as the International Search Report and Written Opinion. Applicants must respond by indicating whether they wish to proceed with examination, delay examination for 12 months, or expressly abandon the application. The program aims to reduce backlog and pendency by encouraging applicants to make informed decisions early in the examination process.

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