[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