Patent and Trademark Office: Key Processes for Managing Automated Patent System Development Are Weak
AIMD-93-15
Published: Sep 30, 1993. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Patent and Trademark Office's (PTO) Automated Patent System (APS), focusing on whether PTO can adequately: (1) establish cost, benefit, and schedule baselines; and (2) monitor progress against these baselines.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce should ensure that the Commissioner, PTO, immediately establishes a process that: (1) identifies expected benefits to internal and external users in justifying each new APS increment before investing money in that increment; (2) establishes performance measures for these expected benefits; and (3) measures attainment of the expected benefits. |
Closed – Implemented
PTO implemented a process in 1994 that identifies benefits of new APS projects before they are started, establishes measures to identify successes, and evaluates the attainment of benefits.
|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce should ensure that the Commissioner, PTO, immediately implements a rigorous, systematic, and repeatable process for estimating APS costs. This process should: (1) retain original and revised cost estimates, as well as data comparing actual performance against these estimates; (2) analyze reasons for deviations; and (3) allow adjustments to the estimation process based on this analysis of deviations. These cost estimates should be reflected in PTO budget planning documents. |
Closed – Implemented
PTO has implemented a rigorous, systematic, and repeatable process for estimating and capturing actual APS costs. The agency is also tracking why estimates change, comparing plans with actuals and providing reasons for variances.
|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce should ensure that the Commissioner, PTO, immediately links APS system-level cost baselines (incorporating task orders, in-house activities, and indirect costs) and schedule baselines, and monitor progress against these baselines. |
Closed – Implemented
PTO modified existing tools to link cost and schedule baselines. Project teams use this system to monitor progress against baselines.
|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce should require the Commissioner, PTO, to use the resulting information to determine whether PTO plans for APS are justified. The results of this analysis should be reported to PTO House and Senate authorization and appropriation committees. |
Closed – Implemented
PTO sent a package of information fulfilling this recommendation to the House and Senate committees.
|
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Topics
IT acquisitionsBenchmark testingComputer equipment managementCost analysisManagement information systemsPatentsSystems designSystems evaluationSystems managementCost estimates