[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 2930]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1164]


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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: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) 
Survey, Unfilled Orders Benchmark Survey.
    Form Number(s): MA-300.
    Agency Approval Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden: 5,000 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 10,000.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Census Bureau presently conducts the 
Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) survey under 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0607-0008. The M3 
survey collects monthly data on shipments, inventories, and new and 
unfilled orders from manufacturing companies. The orders, as well as 
the shipments and inventory data, are used widely and are valuable 
tools for analysts of business cycle conditions, including members of 
the Council of Economic Advisers, the Treasury Department, and the 
business community.
    The monthly M3 estimates are based on a relatively small sample and 
reflect primarily the month-to-month changes of large companies. There 
is a clear need for periodic benchmarking of the M3 estimates to 
reflect the entire manufacturing universe. The Annual Survey of 
Manufactures (OMB control number 0607-0449) provides annual benchmarks 
for the shipments and inventory data collected in this monthly survey. 
However, there is no annual benchmark for new and unfilled orders 
estimates. Because of the methodology used for the monthly indicator, 
any discrepancy between the indicator series and statistically derived 
measures can become exaggerated over time and the results can be 
misleading to policy makers. The last benchmark survey for unfilled 
orders estimates was for the year 1986. In addition to the long period 
between benchmark estimates, the conversion from the Standard 
Industrial Classification system to NAICS further exacerbates any 
discrepancy and makes the need for the benchmark survey more critical.
    The proposed benchmark survey will collect value of unfilled orders 
at the end of 1999. Estimates of unfilled orders will be made for 
industries classified according to the new North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS). These estimates will provide benchmark 
levels of unfilled orders by NAICS industries for the monthly M3 
indicator series.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    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 5033, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer, room 10201, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: January 12, 2000.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-1164 Filed 1-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P