Chemical Abstract Service RFI

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is conducting market research to expand its understanding of the market for certain chemistry content. The USPTO’s Scientific Technical Information Center (STIC) is supported by over a dozen large contracts with content providers, aggregators, and subscription services. A significant portion of that total investment procures and maintains specialized tools for searching chemical formulas, Markush structures, and numeric properties.

In order to maximize the value from the USPTO’s investment and to reduce the STIC financial outlay, the USPTO is seeking to expand the number of sources for its Chemistry data portfolio. This document supports the USPTO’s market research efforts in support of STIC. This is not a Request for Quotes (RFQ)/Request for Proposals (RFP). The USPTO may use the results obtained from this RFI to support one or more future procurements.

Moreover, if a procurement is warranted, then the response to this RFI will be used for the purpose of determining whether a competitive or sole source procurement is appropriate (see Special Procurement Authority Notice below). Additionally, the USPTO may use the results obtained from this RFI to make a small business set-aside determination.

This means that if you are a small business and you are able to provide the content described below, your response may be critical in determining whether to set aside any future requirement in part or in total for small businesses. Any small business provider of the content described in this document is strongly encouraged to respond to this RFI.

Special Procurement Authority Notice: If this this market research results in the solicitation and award of one or more contracts, then the procurement team reserves the right to conduct a procurement using the following authority: “The subject requirement is being procured using the Alternative Competition Method in accordance with the Patent and Trademark Office Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG) and the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act (35 U.S.C. 2(b)(4)(A)).” Market research obtained above may be used to determine the extent to which one or more small businesses are capable of satisfying the agency’s need and thus eligible to participate in any alternative competition as applicable.