Skip to main content    

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

**Official websites use .gov**              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.            

**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**              A **lock** (  LockA locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.            

https://www.nist.gov/iedison/iedison-organization-user-guide/general-topics/initiating-communication-or-discussion

            -  Topics  -  All Topics 
-  Advanced communications 
-  Artificial intelligence 
-  Bioscience 
-  Buildings and construction 
-  Chemistry 
-  Climate 
-  Cybersecurity 
-  Electronics 
-  Energy 
-  Environment 
-  Fire 
-  Forensic science 
-  Health 
-  Information technology 
-  Infrastructure 
-  Manufacturing 
-  Materials 
-  Mathematics and statistics 
-  Metrology 
-  Nanotechnology 
-  Neutron research 
-  Performance excellence 
-  Physics 
-  Public safety 
-  Resilience 
-  Standards 
-  Transportation 
 
            -  Publications 
            -  Labs & Major Programs  -  Laboratories    -  Communications Technology Laboratory 
  -  Engineering Laboratory 
  -  Information Technology Laboratory 
  -  Material Measurement Laboratory 
  -  Physical Measurement Laboratory 
-  User Facilities    -  NIST Center for Neutron Research 
  -  CNST NanoFab 
-  Research Test Beds 
-  Research Projects 
-  Tools & Instruments 
-  Major Programs    -  Baldrige Performance Excellence Program 
  -  CHIPS for America Initiative 
  -  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) 
  -  Office of Advanced Manufacturing 
  -  Special Programs Office 
  -  Technology Partnerships Office 
 
            -  Services & Resources  -  Standards and Measurements    -  Calibration Services 
  -  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP) 
  -  Quality System 
  -  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) 
  -  Standards.gov 
  -  Time Services 
  -  Office of Weights and Measures 
-  Software 
-  Data    -  Chemistry WebBook 
  -  National Vulnerability Database 
  -  Physical Reference Data 
  -  Standard Reference Data (SRD) 
-  Storefront 
-  License & Patents 
-  Computer Security Resource Center (CSRC) 
-  NIST Research Library 
 
            -  News & Events  -  News 
-  Events 
-  Blogs 
-  Feature Stories 
-  Awards 
-  Video Gallery 
-  Image Gallery 
-  Media Contacts 
 
            -  About NIST  -  About Us    -  Leadership 
  -  Organization Structure 
  -  Budget & Planning 
-  Contact Us 
-  Visit 
-  Careers    -  Student programs 
-  Work with NIST 
-  History    -  NIST Digital Archives 
  -  NIST Museum 
  -  NIST and the Nobel 
-  Educational Resources 
 

-  iEdison Organization User Guide  Expand or Collapse    -  Getting Started  Expand or Collapse      -  Creating a Login.gov Account 
    -  Registering Your Organization with iEdison 
    -  Creating Individual Accounts (under Organization) 
    -  Logging in to Your Account 
    -  Editing or Customizing Your Profile and Preferences 
    -  Editing or Customizing Your Organization Profile 
    -  Your Dashboard Explained 
    -  Your Sidebar Explained 
    -  iEdison Field Definitions 
  -  Invention Reports  Expand or Collapse      -  Creating an Invention Report 
    -  Viewing or Modifying Invention Reports 
    -  Giving View Access to Reports (Joint Inventions) 
    -  Linking Parent-Child Inventions 
    -  Making a Title Election Decision 
    -  Submitting a Title Election Extension Request 
    -  Submitting an Initial Patent Application Extension Request 
    -  Submitting a Non-Provisional Patent Application Request 
    -  Submitting an Invention Void Request 
    -  Submitting an Invention Assignment Request 
    -  Receiving an Invention Assignment Request 
    -  Submitting an Invention Transfer Request 
    -  Receiving an Invention Transfer Request 
    -  Submitting a Domestic Manufacturing Waiver Request 
  -  Patent Reports  Expand or Collapse      -  Creating a Patent Report 
    -  Viewing or Modifying Patent Reports 
    -  Moving a Patent to Another Invention within Your Organization 
    -  Linking Parent-Child Patents 
    -  Uploading a Government Support Clause Document 
    -  The Government Support Clause Template 
    -  Generating and Uploading a Confirmatory License 
    -  Abandoning a Patent 
    -  Submitting a Patent Void Request 
    -  Submitting a Patent Assignment Request 
    -  Receiving a Patent Assignment Request 
    -  Submitting a Patent Transfer Request 
    -  Receiving a Patent Transfer Request 
  -  Utilization Reports  Expand or Collapse      -  Creating a Utilization Report 
    -  Viewing or Modifying Utilization Reports 
  -  Generating Reports from iEdison Data  Expand or Collapse      -  Generating a Standard Report 
    -  Building a Custom iEdison Report 
    -  Retrieving a Saved Custom Report 
  -  General Topics  Expand or Collapse      -  Navigating Notifications 
    -  Notification Clearance Instructions for Organizations 
    -  Initiating a Communication or Discussion 
    -  Responding to a Communication or Discussion 
    -  Grant Formats 
    -  Troubleshooting in iEdison 
    -  How to Submit a Help Desk Ticket 

# Initiating a Communication or Discussion

## Share

Facebook

Linkedin

Twitter

Email

### Things to Know About Submitting a Discussion

Submitting a discussion within the iEdison record is a way to communicate with the agency.  If you are not expecting a response from the agency and just want to annotate a fact within the record, you should use the "Explanatory Notes" section of the Invention or Patent Report instead of submitting a discussion.  

If you want to receive a "real-time" email when your organization receives a new discussion, you should make sure that the "New comment has been posted to invention discussion" box is checked in the "Receive email notifications for" section at the bottom of your "My Profile" page.

To initiate a communication/discussion with the Agency, complete the following steps:
                  - Open an Invention Report and navigate to the "Discussions" panel.
                  - Type a message and click the "Add Comment" button.

## 1. Open an Invention Report and navigate to the "Discussions" panel

The discussions panel is located at the bottom of Invention Reports.

## 2. Type a message and click the "Add Comment" button

Click in the "Discussion" field and type a message for the Agency to view. You may add an attachment with the "Add Attachment" button.

Click the "Add Comment" button to post the message.  Note:  you do not have to push "Save Invention Report" in order for your discussion to be sent.

"Reply" and "Close" links will appear below posted comments, allowing you to respond or conclude the discussion. You may also edit the comment by clicking the pencil icon.

The Agency will be notified that a new comment has been posted to the discussion. They will review the comment and reply if necessary. If/when the Agency replies to your comment, you will receive a notification indicating as such.

-  **‹** Notification Clearance Instructions for Organizations 
-  Responding to a Communication or Discussion **›** 

### HEADQUARTERS

301-975-2000

Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices

TwitterFacebookLinkedInInstagramYouTubeGiphyRSS FeedMailing List

Feedback

            -  Site Privacy 
            -  Accessibility 
            -  Privacy Program 
            -  Copyrights 
            -  Vulnerability Disclosure 
            -  No Fear Act Policy 
            -  FOIA 
            -  Environmental Policy 
            -  Scientific Integrity 
            -  Information Quality Standards 
            -  Commerce.gov 
            -  Science.gov 
            -  USA.gov 
            -  Vote.gov