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The Trademark organization will continue
to move aggressively in the next year to continue to build upon the successes
of the USPTO’s 21st Century Strategic Plan and move
forward with the revision of the next five-year Strategic Plan
by working with its constituencies to ensure the goals and objectives
are aligned with their needs. Trademark's intends to continue to assess
the efficiency of its operations as it proceeds with the incremental redesign
of operations, which rely on e-government as the primary means of doing
business with applicants and registrants, and, as the means for processing
work inside the examining operation. In the next year Trademark's plans
to:
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Continue to develop new forms and enhance existing
TEAS forms to add functionality for the applicant and improve the
efficiency of the process.
- Continue the enhancement and development of electronic systems and
functionality to complete the incremental redesign of the trademark
process.
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Continue to conduct assessments of the workflow
and production process to identify options for improvements in how
work is performed, reduce cycle time, and develop requirements to
complete the electronic workflow process.
- Continue the development of training materials and documentation to
address changes in process and practice; ensure all employees have the
tools they need to perform their jobs.
The Trademark organization has achieved considerable success in implementing
its business process re-engineering plan to move from primarily doing
business with paper to doing business in an electronic environment. Completion
of an electronic file management system, in addition to the currently
available electronic filing and information systems permits:
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Reduction in cycle times by consolidating separate
processes and eliminating the potential for lost or missing papers
that create additional delays and poor service.
- Enhancements in the functionality and number of electronic filing
options.
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The ability to offer a totally electronic filing
and receiving process to handle applications from U.S. applicants
seeking protection of their mark in foreign countries, and requests
for protection of marks from foreign countries in the United States.
As paper records disappear from internal processes, the cost for handling
applications and related materials, along with the reliance on increasing
numbers of employees or contractors to handle increases in filings, will
continue to be reduced. Data quality has improved as data is captured
electronically to support examination and to publish documents and registrations.
Electronic file management presents an opportunity for the USPTO to offer
multiple options for filing that allow applicants to select the method
of filing that best suits their business needs.
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