Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 22, 2021 / Notices 52653 

2See OED Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), 

available at www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ 

patent-and-trademark-practitioners/oed-frequentlyasked-questions-faqs. 

suggestions beyond the scope of the 

request for comments and the questions 

posed therein were provided in many of 

the comments. The USPTO appreciates 

the suggestions and may address them 

in the future, once further evaluation 

and data are garnered. 

This notice merely describes agency 

policy and procedures and does not 

involve substantive rulemaking. While 

the criteria for admission to practice in 

patent matters is generally described in 

37 CFR 11.7, the rule does not set forth 

the specific scientific and technical 

criteria for admission. 

Administrative Update 1: Add Common 

Category B Degrees to Category A 

As explained further in the GRB, 

bachelor’s degrees listed under Category 

A present prima facie evidence of the 

requisite technical and scientific 

qualifications. Prior to this notice, the 

bachelor’s degree under Category A may 

only have been in one of the following 

subjects: Biology, biochemistry, botany, 

computer science, electronics 

technology, food technology, general 

chemistry, marine technology, 

microbiology, molecular biology, 

organic chemistry, pharmacology, 

physics, textile technology, aeronautical 

engineering, agricultural engineering, 

biomedical engineering, ceramic 

engineering, chemical engineering, civil 

engineering, computer engineering, 

electrical engineering, electrochemical 

engineering, engineering physics, 

general engineering, geological 

engineering, industrial engineering, 

mechanical engineering, metallurgical 

engineering, mining engineering, 

nuclear engineering, and petroleum 

engineering. These degree categories 

will remain listed under Category A. 

Acceptable computer science degrees 

under Category A must be accredited by 

the Computer Science Accreditation 

Commission of the Computing Sciences 

Accreditation Board or by the 

Computing Accreditation Commission 

of the Accreditation Board for 

Engineering and Technology on or 

before the date the degree was awarded. 

This requirement for computer science 

degrees under Category A remains 

unchanged by this notice. Based on the 

comments received, the USPTO will 

continue to evaluate this requirement in 

light of the type of computer science 

degrees (i.e., whether accredited or not) 

and the nature of computer science 

degrees generally awarded by colleges 

and universities. 

Starting in early 2020, the USPTO 

undertook a review of Category B 

applications to identify bachelor’s 

degrees that are routinely accepted as 

demonstrating the requisite scientific 

and technical qualifications. This 

review is ongoing. Based on the analysis 

to date and comments received, and 

understanding that Category A cannot 

be an exhaustive list of all degrees that 

would qualify, the Office is expanding 

the above list of Category A degrees to 

expressly include the following degrees 

that are routinely accepted under 

Category B: Aerospace engineering, 

bioengineering, biological science, 

biophysics, electronics engineering, 

genetic engineering, genetics, marine 

engineering, materials engineering, 

materials science, neuroscience, ocean 

engineering, and textile engineering. 

Listing these Category B degrees under 

Category A will improve operating 

efficiency and streamline the 

application process for prospective 

patent practitioners. 

The USPTO also invited comments on 

any additional degrees that should be 

considered under Category A. Based on 

the comments received and a review of 

the applicants in the suggested degree 

categories over the past three calendar 

years (i.e., 2018 through 2020), the 

USPTO is also expanding the list of 

Category A degrees to expressly include 

the following degree: Environmental 

engineering. Other degree categories 

suggested by commenters were 

considered but are not being included 

under Category A at this time to allow 

for the additional collection and 

evaluation of data on these degree 

categories. For example, one of the 

degree categories suggested by 

commenters was artificial intelligence. 

In the past three calendar years, 

however, there have been no applicants 

with an artificial intelligence degree. 

The USPTO will continue to monitor 

degree categories as the degrees and 

data develop. 

The Office will continue to accept 

degrees where the transcript 

demonstrates equivalence to a Category 

A degree (For example, molecular cell 

biology may be equivalent to biology, 

and materials science and engineering 

may be equivalent to materials 

science.).2

Administrative Update 2: Accept 

Advanced Degrees Under Category A 

Prior to this notice, Category A did 

not include post-baccalaureate degrees. 

Based on a review of applicants and the 

comments received, the USPTO is 

updating the GRB to list possession of 

a master’s or a doctor of philosophy 

degree in a Category A subject as 

demonstrating acceptable technical and 

scientific training. This includes the 

newly added Category A degrees listed 

above and degrees where the transcript 

demonstrates equivalence to a Category 

A degree. 

Administrative Update 3: Accept a 

Combination of Core Sciences Under 

Category B, Options 2 and 4 

Prior to this notice, Category B, 

Option 4 in the GRB required a 

combination of 40 credit hours in 

acceptable technical and scientific 

courses, including at least 8 hours in 

either chemistry with a lab or 8 hours 

in physics with a lab. Category B, 

Option 2, which focuses on training in 

biology and related sciences, had a 

similar requirement. The requirement 

for lab-based core science courses is 

meant to ensure familiarity with the 

processes involved in conducting valid 

experiments, the scientific method, and 

proper analysis of scientific data. 

It is not clear whether multiple 

courses in either chemistry or physics 

alone, with a lab, provide an 

appreciable benefit over general core 

science training. Accordingly, the 

USPTO is revising Category B, Option 4 

by changing ‘‘8 semester hours in 

chemistry or 8 semester hours of 

physics . . . obtained in two sequential 

courses, each containing a lab’’ to ‘‘eight 

semester hours in a combination of 

chemistry, physics, and/or biology, with 

at least one course including a lab.’’ 

Category B, Option 2, which already 

requires training in biology, is being 

revised to require at least ‘‘eight 

semester hours in a combination of 

chemistry and physics, with at least one 

course including a lab.’’ 

Andrew Hirshfeld, 

Commissioner for Patents, Performing the 

Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary 

of Commerce for Intellectual Property and 

Director of the United States Patent and 

Trademark Office. 

[FR Doc. 2021–20378 Filed 9–21–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Navy 

National Nuclear Security 

Administration Pay and Performance 

System 

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of the Naval Nuclear 

Propulsion Program (NNPP) conversion 

to the National Nuclear Security 

Administration (NNSA) pay and 

performance system. 

52654 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 22, 2021 / Notices 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Fiscal 

Year 2018 National Defense 

Authorization Act, the DON announces 

that the NNPP, a joint activity of the 

DON and the Department of Energy 

(DOE), NNPP will convert from the 

General Schedule (GS) Classification 

and Pay System and the DON Interim 

Performance Management System 

(IPMS) to the NNSA pay and 

performance System, also known as the 

NNSA Demonstration Project. This 

conversion will align DON employees of 

the NNPP with their counterparts in the 

DOE, NNSA, and bring parity to the pay 

and performance systems within the 

Nuclear Propulsion workforce. 

DATES: This conversion will become 

effective September 22, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Edward Rose, 412–476–7204, or 

edward.rose@nrp.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When the 

Naval Sea Systems Command 

(NAVSEA) Headquarters converted to 

the DoD Civilian Acquisition Workforce 

Personnel Demonstration Project 

(AcqDemo), Naval Reactors chose to opt 

out of AcqDemo in anticipation of 

aligning with the DOE, NNSA 

Demonstration Project. Section 

3116(a)(3) of the Fiscal Year 2018 

NDAA authorized NNPP to convert its 

DON employees to the NNSA System 

with the concurrence of the Secretary of 

the Navy. The Secretary of the Navy 

approved the transition of NNPP’s DON 

civilian personnel to the NNSA 

Demonstration Project Personnel 

Management System on February 5, 

2019. NNPP has been working with the 

NAVSEA Office of Civilian Human 

Resources to promulgate the conversion 

and plan the implementation through 

relevant DON and DoD offices. After 

providing data and supporting 

documentation, the DoD Defense 

Civilian Personnel Advisory Service has 

given approval to commence with the 

planning and implementation upon 

publishing of this notice. The 

implementation will require, among 

other actions, coordination with the 

DFAS, final notice to employees, 

developing NNPP procedures, creating 

new position descriptions, and 

processing pay plan adjustment 

personnel actions. 

The NNSA Demonstration Project was 

designed by NNSA, with participation 

of and review by the DOE and the Office 

of Personnel Management. The NNSA 

Demonstration Project modifies the GS 

Classification and Pay System by 

creating broad career paths, establishing 

pay bands within each career path 

which may cover more than one GS 

grade, eliminates longevity-based step 

progression, and provides for annual 

pay adjustments based on performance. 

The NNPP has experienced higher-thanaverage attrition and has had difficulty 

filling positions, with pay/grade 

frequently cited as the reason for 

declination by candidates. 

As a joint DON/DOE organization, 

Naval Reactors has historically managed 

its civilian workforce under each 

respective agency’s personnel 

management system. The Fiscal Year 

(FY) 2018 National Defense 

Authorization Act states that the 

Director of the Naval Nuclear 

Propulsion Program (NNPP) may, ‘‘with 

concurrence of the Secretary of the 

Navy,’’ apply NNSA DEMO to all nonexecutive competitive service 

employees of the NNPP, thereby 

strengthening Naval Reactors’ 

recruitment and retention of the highestquality technical and professional 

workforce. This move aligns with the 

goal of shifting away from tenure-based 

personnel systems to performance-based 

personnel management systems while 

streamlining administrative processes 

inherent in managing Naval Reactors’ 

employees under two different systems. 

All DON NNPP current GS employees 

and vacant GS positions will be 

converted, excluding any Schedule C 

excepted service positions. There are 

approximately 210 affected positions, 

with all but about 40 of those positions 

located at the Washington Navy Yard. 

These positions will remain as DON 

positions. The NNPP will adopt the 

NNSA Demonstration Project Policies 

and Procedures Manual, dated March 

2008, which will also be used by the 

servicing Human Resources Office and 

the Defense Finance Accounting Service 

(DFAS) to implement and support the 

NNPP. The intent of this notice is to 

promulgate this conversion to 

stakeholders within the Departments of 

Energy, Defense, and Navy. Affected 

employees are not represented by a 

labor union. 

Dated: September 17, 2021. 

J.M. Pike, 

Commander, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, 

U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–20510 Filed 9–21–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; National 

Center for Information and Technical 

Support for Postsecondary Students 

With Disabilities Program 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary 

Education, Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications (NIA) for a new award for 

fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the National 

Center for Information and Technical 

Support for Postsecondary Students 

with Disabilities Program, Assistance 

Listing Number 84.116D. This notice 

relates to the approved information 

collection under OMB control number 

1894–0006. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: September 

22, 2021. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: October 22, 2021. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: December 21, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on February 13, 2019 

(84 FR 3768), and available at 

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019- 

02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shedita Alston, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

Room 2B194, Washington, DC 20202– 

4260. Telephone: (202) 453–7090. 

Email: Shedita.Alston@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

this program is to support a National 

Center for Information and Technical 

Support for Postsecondary Students 

with Disabilities (the Center) to provide 

technical assistance and information on 

best and promising practices for 

students with disabilities as they 

transition to or attend postsecondary 

education. Institutions of higher 

education (IHEs), as well as elementary 

and secondary schools, have legal 

obligations under two civil rights laws 

prohibiting disability discrimination, 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, as amended (Section 504) (29 

U.S.C. 794), and the Americans with 

Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended 

(ADA) (42 U.S.C. 12101–12213). The 

technical assistance and information 

provided by the Center can help 

students, parents, and educational 

officials in determining how to meet