USPTO agrees $95m contract with Serco

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) ha s agreed a $95 million deal with management services company Serco.

Serco will provide patent classification services at the USPTO.

Professionals from Serco will review patent applications and sort them into the appropriate classification. Serco has been contracted by the USPTO since 2006 to provide this service.

The parties have agreed to a one-year base period contract, with the option over four years to renew the deal annually for another year.  Serco said the full five-year contract is worth $95 million.

Dan Allen, chief executive of Serco, said: “Our team continues our focus on operational excellence and incorporating innovative solutions, for classification services, in the most economic and efficient manner.”