The USPTO is seeking expert-level reclassification services for patent documents into the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system. The contractor will be responsible for assigning classifications and providing textual rationale for each allocation. Timeliness is a vital requirement, with performance-based price adjustments for late deliveries. The contract includes a base period and four option periods. All work is to be performed at the contractor's site.
Each reclassification project will have a fixed final completion date set by the government. Any batch not submitted by this date will be considered overdue or untimely.
The contractor will only be compensated based on the total number of unique patent documents reclassified and accepted by the government, and will only invoice after approval of submitted batches.
Timeliness performance-based price adjustments will be applied, with reductions of the clin price for each untimely deliverable. Repeated noncompliance may lead to non-assignment of work, non-exercise of options, or termination for default.
On occasion, contractor representatives may be required to meet government personnel at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, with a minimum advance notice of 2 business days. The government also reserves the right to visit the contractor's location at its discretion with the same advanced notice.
Upon notification of nonacceptance of a batch, the contractor may, within five 5 business days after notification, appeal the error designations and provide rationale to the government.
Repeated contractor performance below the acceptable compliance rate or above the acceptable error rate may lead to non-assignment of present and/or future work, non-exercise of an option period, or termination for default.
