[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59859-59860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29962]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census


1997 Business Expenditures Survey

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 January 24, 
1997.

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 Sheldon Ziman, Bureau of the Census, AGFS, IMALL 
300-19, Washington, DC (301)763-7596.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to conduct the 1997 Business Expenditures 
Survey (BES), previously known as the Assets and Expenditures Survey 
(AES), as part of the 1997 Economic Censuses. This information 
collection will supplement basic economic statistics produced by the 
1997 Censuses of Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, and Service Industries, 
and is the sole source of detailed comprehensive statistics on business 
operating expenses of domestic merchant wholesale, retail, and service 
businesses. Data will be collected only from employer businesses 
included in the business current sample surveys (BSR-97) database. This 
information will be used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis to 
benchmark national economic accounts such as the input-output account, 
and to derive economic measures of value produced, such as value added. 
Other government agencies, private industry, and academia also will use 
these data for policy making, market and economic research, and 
planning. Detailed inquiries on fixed assets and capital expenditures, 
included in the 1992 survey, have been dropped.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will use mail out/ mail back survey forms to 
collect the data. These forms will initially supplement those mailed to 
respondents included in the Annual Surveys of Merchant Wholesale, 
Retail Trade, and Service Industries. The latter surveys provide data 
on sales, purchases, and inventories needed to supplement the operating 
expenses data required for the computation of measures of value 
produced. Since the main Economic Census due date of February 12 would 
likely pose undue respondent burden for the types of inquiries to be 
asked, the survey's due date will be March 12. Reasonable time 
extensions will be offered to further reduce this burden. Reminder 
letters and telephone calls will be directed to those not responding by 
the extension or due date.

III. Data

    OMB Number: [not available]
    Form Numbers--9 forms will be used:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           1997 BES form                Supplement to annual survey--   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-451(S)...........................  Wholesale alpha form B-451.        
B-450(S)...........................  Wholesale E.I. form B-450.         
B-151(S)...........................  Retail E.I. form B-151.            
B-151A(S)..........................  Retail E.I. form B-151A.           
                                     Retail E.I. form B-151D.           
B-151D(S)..........................  Retail alpha form B-153.           
                                     Retail alpha form B-153D.          
B-153(S)                                                                
B-153D(S)..........................  Service alpha (A) and E.I. (E)     
                                      reporting units covered in the B- 
                                      500 series).                      
B-500(S1)                                                               
B-500(S2)                                                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Note: Alpha reporting units cover all trade-specific locations 
of companies with multiple Employer Identification (E.I.) numbers in 
a particular trade. All other reporting units are covered under 
trade-specific company E.I. numbers.

    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Large and small businesses, other for-profit 
organizations, and non-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 60,100 (all employers). This 
reflects the addition of part of the real estate industry to the scope 
of the survey, consistent with the Service Annual Survey.
    Estimated Time Per Response: The average for all respondents is 
1.07 hours. For alpha companies (generally large multiunits), the range 
is .7 to 4.5 hours, averaging 1.7 hours. For E.I. companies (generally 
smaller), the range is .3 to 3.8 hours, averaging 1.0 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: The total annual burden for fiscal 
year 1998 is 64,296 hours. The decrease from the 1992 survey reflects 
the elimination of inquiries covering fixed assets and detailed capital 
expenditures.
    Estimated Total Cost: Included in the total cost of the 1997 
Economic Census, estimated to be $218 million.
    Respondents' Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131, 193, 
195, and 224.

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

[[Page 59860]]

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 will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: November 18, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-29962 Filed 11-22-96; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P