Patent and PTAB Pro Bono Programs

OMB Control No: 0651-0082	ICR Reference No: 202601-0651-001
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202504-0651-001
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Patent and PTAB Pro Bono Programs
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 04/01/2026
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 02/18/2026
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	04/30/2029	36 Months From Approved	04/30/2026
Responses	85	0	89
Time Burden (Hours)	149	0	156
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	1,333

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Abstract: The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), Public Law 112–29 § 32 (2011) directs the USPTO to work with and support intellectual property law associations across the country in the establishment of pro bono programs designed to assist financially under-resourced independent inventors and small businesses (also referred to as “regional hubs”). To support this, the USPTO works with and supports various non-profit organizations to operate a series of autonomous regional hubs that endeavor to match low-income inventors with volunteer patent practitioners across the United States. The regional hubs comprise law schools, bar associations, innovation/entrepreneurial organizations, and arts-focused lawyer referral services that are strategically located to provide access to patent pro bono services across all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. To support the purposes described above, the Patent Pro Bono Survey collects information regarding the activity of the regional hubs. The USPTO works with the Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC) to determine what information is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of each regional hub’s operations. The PBAC is a well-established group of patent practitioners and thought leaders in intellectual property who provide support and guidance to the regional hubs across the country. The data collected provides the USPTO with valuable information, including the number of inventor inquiries, referral sources, number of pro bono applicants successfully matched with patent practitioners, and types of patent filings. The USPTO, PBAC, and the regional hubs, are responsible for the quarterly collection of this data. The USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), collaborates with the PTAB Bar Association (PTAB Bar Assoc.), a non-profit organization focused on helping secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of every PTAB proceeding and serves the public by coordinating pro bono opportunities. The PTAB and the PTAB Bar Assoc. established a national clearinghouse that acts as a matchmaker to connect under-resourced inventors with volunteer patent practitioners across the United States for assistance in preparing and arguing ex parte appeals before the PTAB. The PTAB Bar Assoc.’s national clearinghouse provides nationwide access to legal representation for pro bono ex parte appeal services. The PTAB Pro Bono Program supports the purposes described above by facilitating the availability of pro bono services for proceedings before the PTAB, which the USPTO believes can help reduce the financial burden on under-resourced inventors seeking ex parte appeal assistance, especially those impacted by the pandemic.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 112 - 29 32 Name of Law: America Invents Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 47732	10/02/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 7468	02/18/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title Form No. Form Name PTAB Pro Bono Survey USPTO/552 PTAB Pro Bono Survey Patent Pro Bono Survey USPTO/550 Patent Pro Bono Survey

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	85	89	0	0	-4	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	149	156	0	0	-7	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	1,333	0	0	-1,333	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Change in Responses and Hourly Burden due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate The total number of responses has decreased by 4 due to estimated fluctuations in the number of respondents in this information collection. This decrease in the number of respondents and responses results in a decrease of 7 hours in the annual time burden estimates. Change in Annual Non-hour Costs due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate For this renewal, the USPTO estimates that the total annual non-hour costs will decrease by $1,333 from the previous approval. The there is no longer an annualized cost for the national clearinghouse to create a data collection form for the PTAB Pro Bono Program, as the form has been created and is now fully operational.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $10,383

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Grant Corboy 571 272-4097

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
		(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
		(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
		(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
		(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
		(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
		(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
		(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
			(i) Why the information is being collected;
			(ii) Use of information;
			(iii) Burden estimate;
			(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
			(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
			(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
		(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
		(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
		(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Certification Date: 02/18/2026

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