[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9125-9126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4586]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Annual Survey of Manufactures

ACTION: Proposed Collection; 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 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
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 Allen Foreman, Acting Chief of Manufactured 
Nondurables Branch, (301) 457-4810, Bureau of the Census, Room 2212, 
Building 4, Washington, DC 20233; and Kenneth Hansen, Chief of 
Manufactured Durables Branch, (301) 457-4755, Bureau of the Census, 
Room 2207, Building 4, Washington, DC 20233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau has conducted the Annual Survey of Manufactures 
(ASM) since 1949 to provide key measures of manufacturing activity 
during intercensal periods. In census years ending in ``2'' AND ``7'', 
we mail and collect the ASM as part of the census of manufactures. This 
survey is an integral part of the Government's statistical program. The 
ASM furnishes up-to-date estimates of employment and payrolls, hours 
and wages of production workers, value added by manufacture, cost of 
materials, value of shipments by product class, inventories, and 
expenditures for both plant and equipment and structures. The survey 
provides data for most of these items for each of the 474 industries as 
defined in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). 
It also provides geographic data by state at a more aggregated industry 
level.
    The survey also provides valuable information to private companies, 
research organizations, and trade associations. Industry makes 
extensive use of the annual figures on product class shipments at the 
U.S. level in its market analysis, product planning, and investment 
planning. The ASM data are used to benchmark and reconcile monthly and 
quarterly data on manufacturing production and inventories.
    This ASM clearance request will be for the years--1999 to 2001. 
There will be no changes to the information requested from respondents.

II. Method of Collection

    The ASM statistics are based on a survey which includes two 
components, mail and nonmail. The mail portion of the survey is a 
probability sample of about 55,000 manufacturing establishments 
selected from a total of about 225,000 establishments. These 225,000 
establishments represent all manufacturing establishments of multiunit 
companies (companies that operate at more than one physical location) 
and all single-establishment manufacturing companies that were mailed 
forms in the 1997 Census of Manufactures.
    The nonmail portion of the survey is defined as all single-
establishment manufacturing companies that we tabulated as 
administrative records in the 1997 Census of Manufactures.
    Although this portion includes approximately 155,000 
establishments, it accounted for less than 2 percent of the estimate 
for total value of shipments at the total manufacturing level for 1997. 
This administrative information, which includes payroll, total 
employment, industry classification, and physical location, is obtained 
under conditions which safeguard the confidentiality of both tax and 
census records.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0449.
    Form Number: MA-1000(L), MA-1000(S).
    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: 55,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3.4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 187,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to the respondents 
is $5,048,090.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 182, 224, 
and 225.

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.

[[Page 9126]]

    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: February 18, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-4586 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P