FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DOC - 368 - Public Advisory Committee for Trademark Affairs - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Public Advisory Committee for Trademark Affairs	Agency Name	Department of Commerce
Fiscal Year	2000	Committee Number	368
Original Establishment Date	9/1/1970	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	3/29/2000	Committee URL
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	Unlimited
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Ms.
Current Charter Date	5/28/1998	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Sharon
Date Of Renewal Charter	5/28/2000	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	R.
Projected Termination Date	5/28/2000	Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Marsh
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	703-308-8910 ext. 45
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	703 308-9395
Specific Establishment Authority*	Secretary's Decision Memorandum	Designated Federal Officer Email*	sharon.marsh@uspto.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	9/1/1970
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Non Scientific Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Committee advises the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the PTO in the administration of the Trademark Act. Usually the Committee reviews proposals prepared by the PTO and then meets to provide the Office with comments and suggestions on the proposals. The Committee considers all aspects of the internal operations of the PTO related to trademarks. In 1999, the Committee provided advice on the proper grade-level for agency attorneys. As a result of the Committee's advice, the Office added a number of GS-14 attorney positions in the Trademark Operation. The Committee also provides private sector input to the PTO in the areas of international and domestic trademark law. For example, in 1999 the Committee provided invaluable advice when the agency was developing new federal rules to simplify the application process and to implement the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act. Many of the Committee's suggestions were included in the final rules package that took effect on October 30, 1999.
How is membership balanced?*	The Committee is composed of 15 intellectual property organizations and state bar organizations from all over the United States. For example, in 1999, the California State Bar, the American Intellectual Property Association and the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association were selected as members.In 1996, the Committee's charter was changed in order to restructure the Committee. It is now a Committee comprised of organizations rather than of individual members. This has provided a broader base of expertise and widened the representative viewpoints on the Committee. The member organizations are selected based on a solicitation in the Federal Register. Of the fifteen members, each continuing member serves staggered three-year terms, with five organizations being selected each year.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	Historically, the Committee has met quarterly on average. This group is most relevant and helpful to the PTO. The Public Advisory Committee for Trademark Affairs (PACTA) has made many recommendations which the Office has chosen to implement. For example, in 1982 this group was influential in helping the Office in setting fees as Trademarks became 100% fee-funded. This group provided invaluable advice in implementing the Trademark Law Revision Act of 1988. In 1999, the group provided advice on implementing the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act, and on proposals to change the practice regarding public access to pending applications, to change the procedure for the public to file information to be considered by the Examining Attorney in pending applications, and to issue a list of commonly misused registered marks. The members of this group also have been excellent counselors on the Madrid Protocol, and other international issues affecting the Office.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	There are no other single, discrete groups that are able to provide the Office with: the same breadth of experience; the benefit of years of work in all facets of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) field; the different viewpoints that come because this group speaks for a broad range of trademark owners, domestic and foreign; the regional differences reflected among a number of metropolitan areas throughout the USA; the variety of approaches demonstrated by attorneys representing large Intellectual Property firms, small boutique firms, large corporation's in-house counsel, public searchers, academics, paraprofessionals, et al.; attorneys as well as non-attorneys, including those directing the trademark search firms and information vendors.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A
Recommendation Remarks

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*		Action Reorganize Priorities*
Outcome Trust In Government		Action Reallocate Resources
Outcome Major Policy Changes		Action Issued New Regulations
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research		Action Proposed Legislation
Outcome Effective Grant Making		Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments
Outcome Improved Service Delivery		Action Other
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction		Action Comment
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements		Grants Review*
Outcome Other		Number Of Grants Reviewed
Outcome Comment		Number Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings*		Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings Comment		Grants Review Comment
Number Of Recommendations*		Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*
Number Of Recommendations Comment		Access Agency Website
% of Recs Fully Implemented*		Access Committee Website
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment		Access GSA FACA Website
% of Recs Partially Implemented*		Access Publications
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment		Access Other
Agency Feedback*		Access Comment
Agency Feedback Comment*		Narrative Description*

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$29,600.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$29,600.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$3,600.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$3,600.00
11. Total Costs	$33,200.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$33,200.00
Date Cost Last Modified		Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.60
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.60	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

No interest areas selected for this committee.

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