Patent and copyright consultancy services

Tender description

This procurement is for patenting and professional intellectual property related services in support of the technology transfer activity at Swansea University. The requirement is for a firm/s of patent agents to provide cost effective, general intellectual property advice and to undertake the preparation, registration and prosecution of applications for patents and other forms of registered intellectual property including but not limited to trademark applications across all of the relevant research areas of the University. The patent firm/s will be expected to possess the necessary breath of intellectual property law experience and technical understanding particularly in the life, physics and computer sciences with respect to patents, design rights and trademarks. This procurement is for patenting and professional intellectual property related services in support of the technology transfer activity at Swansea University. The requirement is for a firm/s of patent agents to provide cost effective, general intellectual property advice and to undertake the preparation, registration and prosecution of applications for patents and other forms of registered intellectual property including but not limited to trademark applications across all of the relevant research areas of the University. The patent firm/s will be expected to possess the necessary breath of intellectual property law experience and technical understanding particularly in the life, physics and computer sciences with respect to patents, design rights and trademarks. It is important that the patent firm/s is able to develop a strong rapport with both the academic community and the technology transfer team at Swansea University and to take proactive steps to foster good relations including availability to correspond in efficient time via email and telephone and to visit Swansea as reasonably requested. The patent firm/s will also be required to track and report on the costs of their service provision on a quarterly basis and to provide training for University staff in IP administration. Before the end of the contract, the patent firm/ s will provide a professional transfer of IP administrative processes to the University and the cost of this should be included. The University will reserve the right to procure IP services from other firm/ s of patent agents where, for example, they believe unique specialist skills are required, where they are mandated by funders of University research or where it perceives a potential conflict of interest.