On November 29, 2011, the USPTO published a “Request for Comments on Additional USPTO Satellite Patent Offices for the Nationwide Workforce Program” (“the USPTO Request”). The full text of the USPTO’s Request can be found here. As we indicated in our December 9, 2011 announcement, the IP Section is working closely with Colorado community leaders to prepare and submit a coordinated response from Colorado.

In connection with preparing the Colorado Response, please see the email below from Senator Bennet requesting letters of support from the IP community. In addition to providing letters of support to Senator Bennet for inclusion in the Colorado Response, the IP Section Leadership also encourages you to email your letter directly to the USPTO. The letters of support can be electronically submitted to the USPTO by e-mail at satelliteoffices@uspto.gov. In the subject line of your email, please include the following information: “Docket No. PTO-C-2011-0066; Nationwide Workforce Program.”

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you today to ask for your help to promote Colorado as the location of a new satellite office for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As you may know, I helped secure a provision in the America Invents Act that empowers the USPTO director to create three or more regional satellite offices across the country over the next three years. Since President Obama signed the America Invents Act into law, I have been working with Senator Udall to bring one of those offices to Colorado. Over the past year, we have sent letters to President Obama and USPTO Director David Kappos encouraging them to consider Colorado for a satellite office. The Colorado IP legal community has been an invaluable partner in this process. Now I need your help to make the case for Colorado in this final push.

We all know why our state would be an ideal location for a new USPTO satellite office. We are home to one of the country’s most vibrant clusters of innovation, technological development, and economic growth. Our innovation-based industries are heavily dependent on the approval of new patents for growth. Additionally, our state boasts a large number of technology workers that would be excellent long-term patent examiners. These unique qualities, among many others, make Colorado the perfect choice for a new office.

The USPTO is seeking comment on potential locations for future satellite offices. I would like you to join me in replying to the USPTO’s request. My office will be collecting letters of support to deliver to the USPTO as part of a cohesive package of responses. Please send your letter to Monisha Merchant, my Sr. Adviser for Business Affairs, atmonisha_merchant@bennet.senate.gov no later than January 17, 2012. That will ensure that we have enough time to deliver them to the USPTO by the deadline.

Thank you for partnering with me on this endeavor to bring valuable jobs and economic growth to Colorado.

Sincerely,

Michael F. Bennet
United States Senator

Send letters to:

Monisha Merchant
Sr. Adviser for Business Affairs
atmonisha_merchant@bennet.senate.gov
303-455-5995