PTOEA RFI: USPTO seeks Contractor for PTA transformation.

PTOEA RFI: USPTO seeks Contractor for PTA transformation.

THIS IS A PTOEA SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY.

In accordance with the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act (PTOEA), 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(4)(A), this Sources Sought Notice Request For Information) (RFI) is strictly for market research ONLY. It is for informational and planning purposes and shall NOT be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government at this time.

NOTE: If you already responded to RFI ACQ-26-9999 please respond again to this one if you believe you can fulfill one or both of the requirements.

PTOEA

The Government contemplates utilizing 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). This Sources sought notice is intended as preliminary market information gathering by which the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will determine which contractor(s) is/are the most likely to successfully meet the agency's needs and are thereby eligible to participate in an alternative competition. As a result of this market research, if a solicitation is issued, it will only be issued to the/ those qualified contractor(s) that is/are deemed most likely to successfully meet the agency's requirements as stated below.

.This RFI is being made available under PSC U008 - EDUCATION/TRAINING-TRAINING/CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT and NAICS: 611430 - Professional and Management Development Training

Request for Information PTA Training Consultation & Interactive eLearning

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) intends to make a firm-fixed price award to fulfill the following requirements for transforming the Patent Training Academy (PTA) focused on innovation and the development of new instructional ideas that support a reimagined training model. Interested parties may respond to one or both elements identified in this RFI. Any resulting award may be made for one or both of the elements and may result in a single or multiple award to one or more vendors.

1. Training Consultation for Program Revision;
2. Development of Interactive eLearning Content.

USPTO's Patent Training Academy is the training program responsible for preparing new hires to be patent examiners. It is designed to give new examiners the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to begin their careers. In FY 2026, the USPTO hired 963 new examiners.

Currently, the training program is delivered over 10-weeks and is comprised of a 125-course curriculum. The program follows a university-style model that uses a mix of large-lectures and small group lab sessions to give examiners opportunity to apply what they have learned. Through a combination of the use of a practice training application, active learning exercises, lecture and dedicated examination time, the goal of the program is to provide patent examiner new-hires the needed competencies to successfully examine in a Technology Center (TC) with guidance from experienced examiners.

OBJECTIVE

The USPTO seeks a training partner/partners, that can bring innovative approaches, fresh ideas, and creative solutions to help modernize and strengthen the Patent Training Academy's content and training delivery. The objective of this RFI is to seek capable contractors who could provide the USPTO with Training Consultation for Program Revision, and Development of Interactive eLearning Content.

REQUIREMENTS

Training Consultation for Program Revision: The USPTO seeks firms with experience in instructional design consultation services to provide innovative, modern, and forward-looking solutions that introduce new ideas, enhance learner engagement, and create a more effective, scalable, and future-ready training experience for patent examiners, to include:

• Expertise in instructional design and adult learning theories and principles.
• Experience providing innovative solutions to enhance engagement and learning in large training programs with extensive curriculums, specifically more than 40 courses in a single curriculum.
• Experience with providing reimagined experiential learning solutions including Super Intelligence (SI) to enhance learning and taking complex, detailed curriculum and transforming the curriculum to provide faster acquisition of job skills and application of content.
• Experience in incorporating SI solutions into training delivery models. All SI solutions must be approved by USPTO.
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to elevate learning objectives and ensure content alignment with learning objectives for highly complex legal and examination procedure topics.
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to review and upgrade course activities for highly complex legal and examination procedure topics.
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to review and modernize course teaching methodology for highly complex legal and examination procedure topics.
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to recommend updated assessments of learning objectives and outcomes.
• Experience in providing consultation services for legal content.
• Ability to develop training content and related deliverables in fresh, exciting, and engaging ways with a strong emphasis on immersive and technology-enabled experiential learning solutions with a focus on gamification and simulation-based learning .
• Experience in recommending appropriate scheduling for redesigned training programs.
• Ability to recommend ideal learning environment and delivery method, to include in-person learning classroom set-up, classroom technology requirements, hybrid learning delivery, and eLearning content at both headquarters and alternate locations.
• Ability to recommend fresh and innovative experiential learning solutions, and to provide a range of options in response to unique learning concerns.

Development of Interactive eLearning Content:

The USPTO seeks firms with experience in the development and implementation of cutting-edge, interactive eLearning content that uses innovative instructional design, interactive learning strategies, artificial intelligence-enabled solutions, gamification, adaptive learning, immersive technologies, contemporary and immersive visual design, dynamic visual elements, and cutting-edge ideas for improving learner engagement and knowledge retention, to include:

• Expertise in the design of eLearning content, using standard eLearning authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline 360, Adobe Captivate, and similar platforms, including SI-enabled development features where appropriate. All training content must be developed in a shareable and editable file format, firms must not recommend proprietary software or learning management system-solutions.
• Expertise in incorporating instructional design and adult learning theories and principles to eLearning content.
• Experience in building an adaptive gamification into eLearning content to increase learner motivation, participation, and retention.
• Experience in designing microlearning content.
• Ability to leverage SI-informed approaches to support content development, learner personalization, scenario generation, assessment design, adaptive learning environments or other enhancements, as appropriate.
• Demonstrated experience in developing interactive eLearning that incorporates the following:
  • SI-powered personalization and adaptive learning
  • Immersive technologies (Augmented Reality & Simulations)
  • Blended and hybrid learning that seamlessly incorporates in person training with interactive eLearning elements
  • Gamification using timed activities, branching scenarios, challenges/missions, and other innovative approaches
  • Contemporary and immersive visual design targeted at adult audiences
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to ensure the design correctly represents legally accurate materials.
• Tools used must meet FEDRAMP and other USPTO security requirements.
• Experience in ensuring 508-compliance of all materials. Utilizes best practices in technical writing to ensure clear instructions and flow of all eLearning content.
• Experience in intuitive, learner-centered design.
• Experience in clearly defining design processes, to include steps in design processes, timelines, and checkpoints for subject-matter expert review.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

As part of the RFI response, vendors are asked to discuss their ability and provide their solutions and business offerings for this requirement, and to specifically address the questions listed below. General responses with generic capability statements that do not address the specific content of this RFI may not be considered.

Training Consultation for Program Revision

1. Describe the largest training program for which your company has been a training consultant. Please include the number of employees impacted and the number of courses impacted. If for a government contract, please provide the contract number and the Contracting Officer.
2. Describe your process for identifying and developing transformative solutions for training programs. Include the factors and evaluation criteria you use to assess alternatives, how you determine whether a solution is appropriate for the training objective and audience, and how your team makes final decisions on the recommended approach.
3. Explain how you work with agency subject matter experts (SMEs) in the design and development of training.
4. Provide at least 2 examples of innovative solutions you have suggested for curriculum revisions, including their experiential learning components. One example must involve an in-person delivery methodology, and one example must involve an eLearning delivery methodology.
5. Describe your experience with providing instructional design consultation services for scientific, technical, legal, or IP-based learning.
6. Our patent examiner training content is highly complex, requiring examiners to apply legal principles to technical subject matter and exercise sound judgement in decision-making. Please describe your approach to designing and developing learning for this type of subject matter, including how you simplify complex information, engage learners, and ensure accuracy.

Development of Interactive eLearning Content

1. Provide at least 1 specific example of content that you have redesigned from an in-person delivery model to a computer-based training (CBT) for technical, legal, regulatory, or IP audiences. If for a government contract, please provide the contract number and the Contracting Officer.
2. Provide at least one example of an eLearning module that used gamification to improve learner engagement, knowledge retention, or performance. Describe the content, the gamification approach, the rationale for using it, and the methods used to evaluate its impact. Provide screenshots if content allows. If the example was developed under a government contract, please include the contract number and Contracting Officer information, if available.
3. Describe how SI is embedded in your CBT development process to improve instructional design, learner engagement, personalization, or assessment. Provide examples of SI-enabled features and explain how you validate their effectiveness and reliability.
4. Describe your experience in developing SI-powered personalization and adaptive learning that adjusts training delivery based on an individual's performance, allowing for additional practice based on response.
5. Provide at least one eLearning example that best demonstrates their ability to incorporate gamification, adaptive learning, or immersive technologies. For each example, please describe:
   1. The training purpose and target audience;
   2. The development timeline; and,
   3. The tools and technologies used to create the training.

For the Development of Interactive eLearning Content submittals, vendors may provide a video link to support the required submissions listed above, but submission of a video link is not required. Videos will be for internal use only. Videos may not exceed 5 minutes and must be in MP4 format.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1. Questions and responses are to be submitted via email to Roy.Pitman@uspto.gov and Christopher.Ward@uspto.gov.
2. In your email, please include in the subject: RF1-27-1002 USPTO PTA TRANSFORMATION
3. Please clearly identify whether your company is interested in either one or both of the following:

• Training Consultation for Program Revision
• Development of Interactive eLearning Content.

Please ensure that your response clearly addresses each of these distinct requirements separately in your response.

The response to this RFI should provide USPTO management with an understanding of the contractor's experience and the range of services provided. This will allow USPTO to conduct thorough market research, identify suitable providers, and make informed decisions.

Responses shall be no more than 3 pages for one requirement or 5 pages for both requirements and may include a link as stated above.

DEADLINES:

• Questions regarding this RFI are to be submitted via email no later than November 18, 2026 , at 1:00 PM ET
• Responses are due no later December 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET
• Late responses may be considered at the government's discretion.

Responses shall include:

1. A capability statement: Which includes a detailed response as described in the Requested Information section above.
2. The name of your firm.
3. Your SAM.gov UEI number (if available).
4. Whether or not your firm includes NAICS: 611430 - Professional and Management Development Training in your SAM.gov registration.
   1. If not, please state in your response that it will be added by the time a solicitation is released.
5. The complete address, email and phone number of the primary contact.
6. Your firm's GSA schedule contract number(s) (if applicable)
7. Note: Per RFO 52.204-7: The Offeror shall have an active Federal Government contracts registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) when submitting an offer or quotation in response to this solicitation and at the time of award.

Disclaimer: This PTOEA Sources Sought Request For Information (RFI) notice is issued solely for Market Research information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled in accordance with procurement integrity requirements. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.