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Trademark Fee Cost Analysis Status Update for TPAC February 2010. Trademark Fee Cost Analysis - Objective. The Trademark Fee Cost Analysis is a joint effort between CFO and Trademarks to identify the actual cost of work performed for Trademark and TTAB Processing Fees.
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Trademark Fee Cost Analysis Status Update for TPACFebruary 2010
Trademark Fee Cost Analysis - Objective • The Trademark Fee Cost Analysis is a joint effort between CFO and Trademarks to identify the actual cost of work performed for Trademark and TTAB Processing Fees. • OMB Circular A-25 requires Fee Studies to ensure costs are recovered by fees in the aggregate. • Objectives: • Revise existing Trademark and TTAB models to provide better cost information to support management decision making. • Develop a method for determining the cost per fee for all Trademark and TTAB processing fee codes, including both direct and indirect costs. • Use cost information for making management decisions including future fee setting.
Accomplishments (since November meeting) • Successfully completed the revised Trademark ABI model with cost and workload information • Continued review of the FY2008 ABI model with both Trademarks and TTAB • Produced FY2009 ABI model • Populated multiple displays to present/validate data for FY2008 and FY2009 • Started using the revised ABI model in FY2010 financial reporting • Began populating FY2010 Quarter One displays
Preliminary Observations • Electronic filings are cheaper to process than paper ones. • E-files allow for faster processing, better tracking and many other advantages not captured by cost data. • The processing costs of most paper filings exceed the fees; paper files are generally subsidized by electronic ones. • Renewals and SOU-extensions subsidize examination, petition, and TTAB. • Between 2008 and 2009 the largest cost variations affect small volume filings (paper files). The cost of a new paper application increased in 2009 because: • Paper applications represent a small fraction of filings yet have some high fixed costs (process mail, scanning...). • in 2009 new application filings went down more than 12% while paper ones went down about 40% (given our fixed costs, the paper unit cost surges). • The historical unit costs shown do not account for dissemination and multi-year investment costs (ten of millions of dollars).
Next Steps • Incorporate TTAB updates into FY2008 and FY2009 fee unit cost results • Complete final review and validation • Develop briefing packages for broader review and executive presentations • Begin incorporating cost analysis results into larger USPTO Sustainable Funding Model plans: • Determine optimal Trademark operating reserve • Compare prospective budget requirements and costs compared to current fee rates
Questions… Thank you!