[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2998-2999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1759]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


1997 Economic Census Covering Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, and 
Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations Sectors; Proposed 
Agency Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 1, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Margaret L. Woody, Department 
of Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, 
DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to John Trimble for Wholesale Trade, Bureau of the 
Census, Room 2682, Building 3, Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-2725 
and to Fay Dorsett for Retail Trade and Food Services, Drinking Places, 
and Accommodations, Bureau of the Census, Room 2679, Building 3, 
Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-2687.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of 
timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the 
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program 
commitment during nondecennial census years. The economic census, 
conducted under authority of Title 13 USC, is the primary source of 
facts about the structure and functioning of the Nation's economy and 
features unique industry and geographic detail. Economic census 
statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and 
provide essential information for government, business and the general 
public. The 1997 Economic Census will cover virtually every sector of 
the U. S. economy including more than .5 million wholesale 
establishments, more than 1.1 million retail establishments, and more 
than .5 million food services, drinking places, and accommodations 
establishments.

II. Method of Collection

    The wholesale trade, retail trade, and food services, drinking 
places, and accommodations sectors of the economic census will select 
establishments for their mail canvasses from a frame given by the 
Census Bureau's Standard Statistical Establishment List. To be eligible 
for selection, an establishment will be required to satisfy the 
following conditions: (i) it must be classified in the wholesale trade, 
retail trade, or food services, drinking places, and accommodations 
sector; (ii) it must be an active operating establishment of a multi-
establishment firm, or it must be a single-establishment firm with 
payroll; and (iii) it must be located in one of the 50 states or the 
District of Columbia. Mail selection procedures will distinguish the 
following groups of establishments:

A. Establishments of Multi-Establishment Firms

    Selection procedures will assign all active wholesale, retail, food 
services, drinking places, and accommodations operating establishments 
of multi-establishment firms to the mail component of the potential 
respondent universe. We estimate that the census mail canvass for 1997 
will include approximately 155,000 wholesale multi-establishment firms, 
422,000 retail multi-establishment firms, and 151,000 food services, 
drinking places, and accommodations multi-establishment firms.

B. Single-Establishment Firms With Payroll

    As an initial step in the selection process, we will conduct a 
study of the potential respondent universe for wholesale trade, retail 
trade, and food services, drinking places, and accommodations. 
Wholesale trade agents, brokers, and commission merchants will be 
exempted from this process and will all receive a standard form. The 
study of potential respondents will produce a set of industry-specific 
payroll cutoffs that we will use to distinguish large versus small 
single-establishment firms within each industry or kind of business. 
This payroll size distinction will affect selection as follows:
1. Large Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign large single-establishment firms 
having annualized payroll (from Federal administrative records) that 
equals or exceeds the cutoff for their industry to the mail component 
of the potential respondent universe. We estimate that the census mail 
canvass for 1997 will include approximately 229,000 merchant wholesale 
firms, 238,000 retail firms, and 165,000 food services, drinking 
places, and accommodations firms in this category.
2. Small Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign a sample of small single-
establishment firms having annualized payroll below the cutoff for 
their industry to the mail component of the potential respondent 
universe. Sampling strata and corresponding probabilities of selection 
will be determined by a study of the potential respondent universe 
conducted shortly before mail selection operations begin. We estimate 
that the census mail canvass for 1997 will include approximately 11,000 
merchant wholesale firms, 78,000 retail firms, and 17,000 food 
services, drinking places, and accommodations firms in this category.
    Small single-establishment merchant wholesale firms not selected in 
the foregoing sample will receive a wholesale short form, which will 
collect basic statistics and other essential information that is not 
available from administrative records. We estimate that the census mail 
canvass for 1997 will include approximately 105,000 merchant wholesale 
firms in this category.
    All single-establishment agents, brokers, and commission merchant 
firms will receive a wholesale standard form. We estimate that the 
census mail canvass will include approximately 45,000 firms in this 
category.
    All remaining single-establishment firms with payroll will be 
represented in the census by data from Federal administrative records. 
Generally, we will not include these small employers in the census mail 
canvass. However, administrative records sometimes have 

[[Page 2999]]
fundamental deficiencies that make them unsuitable for use in producing 
detailed industry statistics by geographic area. When we find such a 
deficiency, we will mail the firm a census short form to collect basic 
information needed to resolve the problem. We estimate that the census 
mail canvass for 1997 will include approximately 340,000 retail firms 
and 202,000 food services, drinking places, and accommodations firms in 
this category.

III. Data

    The information collected from businesses in these sectors of the 
economic census will produce basic statistics by kind of business for 
number of establishments, sales, payroll, and employment. It also will 
yield a variety of subject statistics, including sales by commodity and 
merchandise line, sales by class of customer, and other industry-
specific measures. Primary strategies for reducing burden in Census 
Bureau economic data collections are to increase electronic reporting 
through broader use of computerized self-administered census 
questionnaires, electronic data interchange, and other electronic data 
collection methods.
    OMB Number: Not Available.
    Form Number: The forms used to collect information from businesses 
in these sectors of the economic census are tailored to specific 
business practices and are too numerous to list separately in this 
notice. You can obtain information on the proposed content of the forms 
by calling Yvonne Wade on (301) 457-2661.
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Affected Public: Businesses or Other for Profit, Non-profit 
Institutions, Small Businesses or Organizations, and State or Local 
Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

Wholesale Trade (Standard Form)--395,000
Wholesale Trade (Short Form)--105,000

Retail Trade (Standard Form)--738,000
Retail Trade (Short Form)--333,000

Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Standard Form)--
340,000
Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Short Form)--
202,000

    Estimated Time Per Response:

Wholesale Trade (Standard Form)--1.25 hrs
Wholesale Trade (Short Form)--.50 hrs

Retail Trade (Standard Form)--.85 hours
Retail Trade (Short Form)--.20 hours

Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Standard Form)--.85 
hours
Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Short Form)--.20 
hours

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

Wholesale Trade (Standard Form)--493,750
Wholesale Trade (Short Form)--52,500

Retail Trade (Standard Form)--627,300
Retail Trade (Short Form)--66,600

Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Standard Form)--
289,000
Food Services, Drinking Places, and Accommodations (Short Form)--40,400

    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this 
work is included in the total cost of the 1997 Economic Census, 
estimated to be $218 million.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 24, 1996.
Margaret L. Woody,
Office of Management and Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-1759 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P