[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 54 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 13364-13365] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-6986] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Agency: Bureau of the Census. Title: Questionnaire for Building Permit Official. Form Number(s): SOC-QBPO. Agency Approval Number: 0607-0125. Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection. Burden: 209 hours. Number of Respondents: 835. Avg. Hours Per Response: 15 minutes. Needs and Uses: The Bureau of the Census uses the Questionnaire for Building Permit Official in conjunction with the Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), also known as the survey of construction (SOC). Data collected in the SOC are used to produce statistics on residential construction and are needed by economic policy makers to monitor this sector of the economy. Census field interviewers use the Questionnaire for Building Permit Official to obtain information on the operating procedures of a sample of the building permit issuing offices in the United States in order to locate, classify, list, and sample building permits for residential construction. This information is used to carry out the sampling for the SOC and to verify and update the geographic coverage of permit offices. In July 1997, we plan to convert to an electronic form to collect this data. We have been experimenting with Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) and have been using this technology on a test basis since November 1995. Currently, interviewers use a paper form to record respondents' answers. We have improved the CAPI instrument over the paper form based on a reassessment of our data capture needs and efforts to minimize burden. For example, we have deleted some items that are no longer used, added others that enhance the conduct of the SOC, and improve the flow of questions and overall survey administration. Affected Public: Business or other for-profit. Frequency: Annually. Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary. Legal Authority: Title 13 USC, Section 182. [[Page 13365]] OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202) 395-7314. Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DOC Forms Clearance Officer, (202) 482-3272, Department of Commerce, room 5312, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk Officer, room 10201, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503. Dated: March 14, 1997. Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and Organization. [FR Doc. 97-6986 Filed 3-19-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-07-P