DoD, PTO discuss plans for potential shutdown

Federal financial managers are coming to terms with financial compliance; limited money for new systems or upgrades; and the continuing need for achieving clean audits, financial transparency, and compliance. How are those financial managers facing these challenges is the subject of the Federal News Radio Discussion: Accounting in Austerity.

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USPTO CFO: The job's challenge makes it fun

When the economy is down, the Patent and Trademark Office receives fewer patent applications. Anthony Scardino, CFO of USPTO explains why that makes it hard to predict what managers should commit from the discretionary funds.

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Telework is about to change your agency

The recent passage of the Telework Enhancement Act substantially changes the status of telework throughout government. But how? We get details from Dr. Scott Overmyer, author of a new study.

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USPTO launches satellite office

The first ever USPTO satellite office is about to open in Detroit, Michigan. Patent and Trademark Office Director, David Kappos, explains the reasons for the move and about jobs opening up as a result.

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D.C. telecenters to lose GSA funding

Administrator Martha Johnson said changes in the way people work and the technology they have access to are major reasons why GSA will no longer guarantee a specific number of workers at the area telecenters. GSA remains committed to telework in other ways, including the launch of a new collaboration platform called FedSpace. It also awarded a contract to deploy telepresence at 15 offices around the country.

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Commerce's Locke promises changes

A new advisory council will provide Commerce and other agencies with ideas for how the government can help push federally-funded technologies into the commercial marketplace. Locke said his agency will do its part by speeding up the patent process to one year and get certain grant funding out in 30 days. Commerce also is working with NIH and NSF on the i6 Challenge where $12 million is available for companies to commercialize technologies.

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Vote: Which agency has the best gym?

Vote for the agency with the best gym as part of Federal News Radio's Best of the Federal Government series. Your votes determine the winner!

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PTO has a new plan for applications

A major new patent examination initiative would provide applicants greater control. USPTO's David Kappos explains how it will work.

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Manager buy-in remains the biggest telework challenge

The next challenge for supporters of teleworking in the government has nothing to do with laptops, laws or cybersecurity. Instead, experts say that challenge will be to convince the recalcitrant manager in the office down the hall, who doesn't like the idea.

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USPTO puts tasty innovation on display

Inventive Eats: Incredible Food Innovations highlights how our breakfast cereals, sandwiches, dinner entrees, and more have been transformed by significant events, discoveries and inventions. We get the tasty details from the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, David Kappos.

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USPTO turns to Google for help with TMI

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has turned to Google to store 10 terabytes of bulk data. David Kappos, Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, explains.

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Telework caught in a crossfire

One amendment, two committees equals a whole lot of nothing moving in the Telework Enhancement Act.

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USPTO opens up about telework success

Out of a total of approximately 5,300 PTO staffers who have both the authorization and the technical capability to telework, 91 staffers telework three days a week; 165 work two days a week from home; 2,700 who work from home one day a week; and finally 2,300 staff who are "hotelers", who do the majority of their work from their homes, and only come into PTO headquarters once a week or once every two weeks. Danette Campbell, the senior telework advisor at PTO, explains.

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USPTO's Peer-to-Patent program ends; what are lessons learned?

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PTO: One million applications backlogged and climbing

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