[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7773-7775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4700]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


1997 Economic Census Covering Professional, Management, and 
Support Services; Health and Social Assistance; Educational Services; 
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; and Other Services Sectors

ACTION: Proposed Agency Information Collection Activity; Comment 
Request.

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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 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, 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 Jack Moody, Bureau of the Census, Room 2665, 
Building 3, Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-2689.

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 U.S.C., 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 approximately 594,000 professional, 
management, and support services establishments; 469,000 health and 
social assistance establishments; 22,000 educational services 
establishments; 79,000 arts, entertainment, and recreation 
establishments; and 373,000 other services establishments.

II. Method of Collection

    Establishments in these sectors of the economic census will be 
selected for mailout 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 professional, management, and support 
services; health and social assistance; educational services; arts, 
entertainment, and recreation; or other services sectors; (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 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 136,000 professional, 
management, and support services multi-establishment firms; 114,000 
health and social assistance multi- establishment firms; 3,000 
educational services multi-establishment firms, 9,000 arts, 
entertainment, and recreation multi-establishment firms; and 75,000 
other services 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 

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professional, management, and support services; health and social 
assistance; educational services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; 
and other services sectors. 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 176,000 professional, 
management, and support services firms; 154,000 health and social 
assistance firms; 5,000 educational services firms; 41,000 arts, 
entertainment, and recreation firms; and 129,000 other services 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 49,000 
professional, management, and support services firms; 31,000 health and 
social assistance firms; 2,000 educational services firms; 4,000 arts, 
entertainment, and recreation firms; and 27,000 other services 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 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 233,000 professional, management, 
and support services firms; 169,000 health and social assistance firms; 
12,000 educational services firms; 25,000 arts, entertainment, and 
recreation firms; and 142,000 other services firms in this category.

III. Data

    This 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 receipts or 
revenue 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 Jack Moody on (301) 457-2689.
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for profit institutions, non-
profit institutions, small businesses or organizations, and state or 
local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

Professional, Management, and Support Services (Standard Form)--361,000 
Professional, Management, and Support Services (Short Form)--233,000

Health and Social Assistance (Standard Form)--299,000
Health and Social Assistance (Short Form)--169,000

Educational Services (Standard Form)--10,000
Educational Services (Short Form)--12,000

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Standard Form)--54,000
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Short Form)--25,000

Other Services (Standard Form)--231,000
Other Services (Short Form)--142,000

Estimated total number of respondents for these five sectors: 1,536,000

    Estimated Time Per Response:

Professional, Management, and Support Services (Standard Form)--1.1 
hours
Professional, Management, and Support Services (Short Form)--0.2 hours

Health and Social Assistance (Standard Form)--1.0 hours
Health and Social Assistance (Short Form)--0.2 hours

Educational Services (Standard Form)--0.8 hours
Educational Services (Short Form)--0.2 hours

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Standard Form)--1.1 hours
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Short Form)--0.2 hours

Other Services (Standard Form)--0.9 hours
Other Services (Short Form)--0.2 hours

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

Professional, Management, and Support Services (Standard Form)--397,100
Professional, Management, and Support Services (Short Form)--46,600

Health and Social Assistance (Standard Form)--299,000
Health and Social Assistance (Short Form)--33,800

Educational Services (Standard Form)--8,000
Educational Services (Short Form)--2,400

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Standard Form)--59,400
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (Short Form)--5,000

Other Services (Standard Form)--202,900
Other Services (Short Form)--28,400

Estimated total burden hours for these five sectors: 1,087,600

    Estimated Total 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 

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approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: February 26, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-4700 Filed 2-28-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P