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

R -- ELECTRONIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY DEVELOPEMETN SUPPORT SOL 52-PAPT-7-00041 DUE 092497 POC Christopher E. Zeleznik E-MAIL: click here to contact the contracting office via e-mail., chris.zeleznik@uspto.gov. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format stated in the FAR, subpart 12.6, as supplemented by the additional information stated below. This announcement constitutes the RFP and is the only solicitation that will be issued. Proposals are requested pursuant to this announcement. All responses shall reference Solicitation No. 52-PAPT-97-00041. This solicitation incorporates all of the applicable provisions and clauses in effect through FAC 90-45, as if stated in full text. The terms and conditions of FAR 52-212-1 also apply. This procurement will result in a firm fixed price, ID/IQ task order contract. The applicable SIC code is 7389 and the appropriate size standard is $5.0 million. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) intends on awarding a contract for Electronic Records Management Policy Development Support. This contract will have a period of performance of one base year, with two, one year option periods. The base year andthe option years will each have a minimum quantity of 600 hours and a maximum quantity of 3500 hours. The USPTO anticipated an award date in September 1997. The USPTO has a requirement for a Contractor to assistance in conducting research and developing a system of laws, standards, procedures and practices to meet the legal, technical and operational requirements of an electronic patent records system. All of the PTO's patent records, as the official records of the PTO, must be legally authentic and admissible in any administrative or judicial proceeding throughout the record's entire life. The advent of electronic patent records creates a critically important need for the PTO to establish policies, procedures and systems that anticipate and meet all requirements for the national and international legal acceptability of electronic records. As the world's largest patent office, the PTO's management of its electronic patent records will impact other patent offices worldwide. The United States, therefore, has aspecial opportunity to lead in the development of an electronic patent records system that would be compatible for the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) and the Trilateral offices (the US, Japanese and European patent offices). In order to achieve the many benefits of an internationally compatible system for managing electronic patent records, the PTO must continue its research and devise a system of laws, standards, procedures and practices which meets the legal, technical and operational requirements of an electronic patent records system. Highly specialized, state-of-the-art legal/technical consulting expertise is required in the following areas. 1) Advise senior PTO management, US trilateral and other US international intellectual property project teams, and US PTO reengineering initiative teams by identifying legal, technical, policy and operational issues, analyzing and evaluating issues and processes, developing recommendations, and providing training in the technical aspects of and solutions to the issues. 2) Conduct research and provide reports summarizing the analysis and findings of the research conducted for US and international electronic evidence laws and administrative guidelines and standards; analyze future trends; Key legal, policy and procedural issues and standards relating to the creation, management and audibility of electronic patent records; Similar existing operational electronic records systems within the Federal Government and international patent authorities to identify the legal, technical, process and procedural requirements and standards for functional systems; Digital signatures, verification of digital signatures and other specific issues pertaining to electronic filing and files; Potential solutions for achieving certification in the communication and management of electronic patent records; Management of electronic records through their life cycle. 3) Prepare, assess, review and comment on draft documents and solution models related to electronic records issues for the requirements and potential solutions for achieving certification in the communication and management of electronic patent records; WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) proposals re: Electronic Filing; United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) positions on electronic commerce; Legal and practical issues related to the overall electronic filing model and proposed functionality of the PCT Electronic Filing and Management System (EFMS) against established and proposed best industry and Government practices for electronic records management (ERM); Electronic records management issues and define and evaluate resolutions regarding the detailed file management approach and structure of the PCT EFMS as it relates to technical standards for electronic filing of legal documents, legal admissibility, security and life cycle records management, including retention management and long term maintenance of document integrity; Resolutions regarding the ability of the PCT EFMS to meet established as well as envisioned changes to International patent filing rules and requirements with a focus on the Patent Cooperation Treaty, Patent Law Treaty and the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commercial; Trilateral Draft Working Paper resulting from the collaborative effort of all parties to address electronic records and the issues as related to patent application records. 4) Provide facilitation, training, research and documentation support, including planning meetings, documenting meeting results and recommendations and preparing briefing materials and status reports; Set up and host "Expert Roundtable's" to help identify and discuss the major issues facing the PTO and solution alternatives in the area of electronic records management. The roundtable's will include key personnel from Government, legal (e.g., the American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association), academia, as well as the PTO; Provide quality educational services relating to legal research conducted, associated technical alternatives and recommendations, PTO operational options, and documents drafted and reviewed. The skills and attributes required to meet this unique combination of PTO requirements include, but are not limited to Extensive ability to conduct authoritative legal research; Comprehensive understanding of document-based information management, including the conceptual and technical issues associated with the implementation of electronic records management systems; Demonstrable experience in the unique legal and operational issues associated with patent records; Extensive educational experience in providing management training on the legal, operational and technical issues associated with managing electronic records; Recognized leadership in developing electronic records management standards; Complete independence from any vendor who has previously or might subsequently do business with the PTO as a hardware or software provider or systems integrator; and Established record of excellence in providing quality professional services. The Government will furnish or make available to the contractor the documentation or data deemed necessary to perform the required effort and will be specified in individual task orders. Offerors are requested to submit past performance data on their three most relevant contracts performed within in the last three years. The past performance data shall include the name of the agency or company work was performed, the name of a point of contact, a current phone number, current address, and contract number (if applicable). Offerors are requested to submit a five (5) page technical proposal that demonstrates their technical capabilities and experience that relates to the above specified statement of work (SOW). Offerors are requested to submit a price proposal that reflects the proposed labor mix and full burdened hourly rates of the labor proposed for the one year base period and the two one year option periods. The Government will award a contract resulting from this synopsis to the responsible offeror whose proposal conforms to this solicitation and is determined to be the most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. A contract award will include FAR 52.212-4 Contract terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items and 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items. The price proposals must contain completed Certifications and Representations as stated in FAR 52.212-3. The following factors will be used in evaluate offers: (A)Offeror's Past Performance in accomplishing similar efforts; (B) Technical Capability; and (C) Price. Factor A is more important than Factor B, and together are substantially more important than C. The evaluation of Past Performance will be based on the information obtained from the contacts/ references provided by the offeror, as well as any other information the Government may have or obtain from other sources. Offerors shall submit one (1) original and four (4) copies of the requested proposals. All offers are due by September 23, 1997, no later than 2:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) and shall be addressed to: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Procurement, Attention: Christopher E. Zeleznik, Box 6, Washington D.C., 20231. If proposals are hand carried, deliver to 2011 Crystal Drive, Crystal Park One Building, Room 810, Arlington, Virginia, 22202. For additional information call Christopher E. Zeleznik at (703) 305-8417. (0259)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0066 19970918\R-0008.SOL)