[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26932-26933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12196]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Business and Professional Classification Report

ACTION: Proposed collection; 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 July 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5033, 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 Carol S. King, Bureau of the Census, Room 2651-3, 
Washington, DC 20233, (301) 457-2675.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau sponsors the SQ-CLASS, ``Business and 
Professional Classification Report'', to collect information needed to 
keep the retail, wholesale, and service samples current with the 
business universe. The form was previously known as B-625 (97). Because 
of rapid changes in the marketplace caused by the emergence of new 
businesses, the deaths of others, transfer of ownership, mergers, and 
so forth, on a quarterly basis the Bureau of the Census canvasses a 
sample of new Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) obtained from the 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration 
(SSA). Each selected firm is canvassed once for kind of business 
classification, measure of size, and company affiliation on the 
establishments associated with the new EIN. In essence, from the 
perspective of the business firm, this is a one time collection of 
data. A different sample of EINs is canvassed four times a year.
    We are revising the SQ-CLASS to better assign kind-of-business 
codes based on the North American Industry Classification System 
(NAICS). This includes collection of additional information on method 
of selling which is a key component for ensuring correct NAICS 
classification.
    (Occupational Employment Statistics Bureau of Labor Statistics, 199 
National Occupational Employment and Wage Data Professional, 
Paraprofessional, and Technical Occupations, $17.66 represents the 
median hourly wage of the full-time wage and salary earnings of 
accountants and auditors) http://stats.bls.gov/oes/national/
oes__prof.htm
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

    Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

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 automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection. They also will become a matter of public record.


[[Page 26933]]



II. Method of Collection

    We collect this information by mail, fax, and telephone follow-up.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0189.
    Form Number: SQ-CLASS.
    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Retail, Wholesale and Service firms in the United 
States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Annually, approximately 42,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 13 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,101.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondent for fiscal 
year 2000 is estimated to be $160,724 based on the median hourly salary 
of $17.66 for accountants and auditors.

    Dated: May 7, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-12196 Filed 5-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-U