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[Wiscagent]

The USPTO outsources much of its PCT search work to private contractors.  The new contracts are due to be awarded soon, perhaps this week.  Does anyone know the if the contracts have yet been awarded?

[Yak]

I attended the AIPLA PCT conference in 2010 and the impression I got was that all the US RO search reports were performed by outside contractors.  Additionally, that the PTO examining corp has little confidence in the search reports from the contracting entity.

[Wiscagent]

The existing contracts expire at the end of this month.  Bids for the new contracts were due a few weeks ago.  I'm wondering if there is any news about the new contracts.

[Wiscagent]

... the PTO examining corp has little confidence in the search reports from the contracting entity.

That's no surprise.  The PTO examining corp has a vested interest in keeping the PCT searches in-house.

[MYK]

Dang.  Pity the bidding is over with.  Anyone know how much is usually charged, what the bidding rules are, and so on?

[Wiscagent]

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Solicitation Number: DOC52PAPT1100013
Agency: Department of Commerce
Office: Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)
Location: Office of Procurement

https:[slash slash]www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=3d71a8843592fc91f7813788a7ef89a6&tab=core&tabmode=list&=

[MechD]

Additionally, that the PTO examining corp has little confidence in the search reports from the contracting entity.

Maybe 25% of the applications that I see have usable art when the search report is done by one of the two current contractors (Landon IP, Cardinal IP). Most art is completely off the mark as the searchers do not have a grasp the technologies. But, it's to be expected, as these companies have maybe a 100 employees to cover the entire breadth of what's patentable. Plus it does not help that the companies basically pay per search done (about $4-500) so their employees are just hail mary-ing with Google Patents as quickly as possible to churn them out for a fatter paycheck.

I'm interested to see who gets awarded this fat contract this time around. There should be quite a number of proposals submitted this time, many more than the handful that tried last time the contract was up.

[Yak]

The question was asked of the USPTO rep if there were any plans to bring the PCT searches in-house to the PTO... he just sort of laughed and said he wished.

[bleedingpen]

Cardinal is doing plenty of them.