Legacy technology serves as the foundation of numerous U.S. Government information technology systems, providing services to millions of Americans. These complex systems, woven into the fabric of our society and critical to its day-to-day operations, are all too often outdated, difficult to maintain, and extremely challenging to replace. The federal government has recognized the need for digital transformation of its services, with billions in funding allocated to modernize government IT systems. Accenture Federal Services (AFS) has recently been awarded a contract to assist the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as part of that effort.
The seven-year, $87 million contract was recently awarded to Accenture’s government services subsidiary as part of an effort to support and enhance the Trademark Product Line (TMPL), which manages the entire trademark lifecycle, from filing to registration. As the prime systems integrator, AFS will help the USPTO modernize business-critical applications and create a new DevSecOps infrastructure while incorporating cloud, cyber, and automation capabilities into the agency’s operations. The contract was awarded via the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration Alliant 2 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract vehicle.
“We look forward to bringing the resources of our Accenture Federal Digital Studio with omni-channel digital services and user-centered design to support the USPTO Trademark Product Line IT systems,” said Rasha Nahas, Managing Director and the U.S. Department of Commerce Lead for Accenture Federal Services. “By merging the latest technologies with proven product management practices, we will help the USPTO streamline the entire trademark application process across its lifecycle, including the migration of legacy products.”
While recent administrations have devoted substantial funding to IT modernization efforts, the urgency of the need became clear during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many state unemployment systems struggled to accommodate the special modifications required to process claims filed as a result of lockdown orders, leaving working people without badly needed funding, sometimes for months. The White House has requested over $500 million in IT modernization funds in its FY2022 budget, with hopes of leading states following suit.
