[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67095-67096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33445]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed revision of the ``International Price Program--
U.S. Import Price Indexes.''
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before February 23, 1998.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Karin G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212. Ms. Kurz can be 
reached on 202-606-7268 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The U.S. Import Price Indexes, produced continuously by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics' International Price Program (IPP) since 1971, 
measure price change over time for all categories of imported products, 
as well as many services. The Office of Management and Budget has 
listed the Import Price Indexes as a major economic indicator since 
1982.
    The indexes are widely used in both the public and private sectors. 
The primary public sector use is deflation of the U.S. Trade statistics 
and the Gross Domestic Product; the indexes also are used in 
formulating U.S. trade policy

[[Page 67096]]

and in trade negotiations with other countries. In the private sector, 
uses of the Import Price Indexes include market analysis, inflation 
forecasting, contract escalation, and replacement cost accounting.
    The International Price Program indexes are viewed as a sensitive 
indicator of the economic environment. The Department of Commerce uses 
the monthly statistics to produce monthly and quarterly estimates of 
inflation-adjusted trade flows. Without continuation of data 
collection, it would be extremely difficult to construct accurate 
estimates of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. In addition, Federal 
policy-makers in the Department of the Treasury, the Council of 
Economic Advisors, and the Federal Reserve Board utilize these 
statistics on a regular basis to improve these agencies' formulation 
and evaluation of monetary and fiscal policy, and evaluation of the 
general business environment.

Current Actions

    The IPP continues to modernize data collection and processing to 
permit more timely release of its indexes and to reduce reporter 
burden. The IPP is using the telephone rather than personal visits for 
new item initiation in limited situations. We believe that initiation 
by telephone reduces reporting burden with no loss in response. Other 
potential initiation techniques to reduce burden being reviewed include 
less frequent sampling of more stable item areas, use of broader item 
areas in certain cases, and retention of items initiated in previous 
samples. To reduce the time required for processing new items, direct 
entry of initiation data from the field will be tested. Also, for 
repricing, the use of fax telephone lines to permit direct collection 
and entry into our database is being considered. In addition, use of 
the Internet for monthly repricing is being reviewed, contingent upon 
the resolution of questions relating to the security of the data.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: International Price Program/U.S. Import Product Information.
    OMB Number: 1220-0026.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

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                                                                                            Average   Estimated 
                                        Total                                    Total     time per     total   
                Form                 respondents           Frequency             annual    response     burden  
                                                                               responses    (hours)    (hours)  
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Form 2894B.........................         1725  Annually..................         1725         1         1725
Form 3008..........................         1725  Annually..................         1725      .334       576.15
Form 3007D.........................         3235  Monthly, quarterly........        38540       .56      21582.4
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    Total..........................         4960                                   41,990                  23884
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 18th day of December, 1997.
W. Stuart Rust, Jr.
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 97-33445 Filed 12-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M