[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 101 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 36569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13085]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


2002 Business Expenses Survey

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 23, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
6608, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Sheldon G. Ziman, U. S. Census Bureau, Room 1183, 
Building 3, Washington DC 20233-6400 (301-457-3315), or via the 
Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The business expenses survey is conducted as part of the economic 
census, which is required by law to be taken every five years under 
Title 13 of the United States Code. The 2002 Business Expenses Survey 
will be conducted on a sample basis for the collection of data on 
business operating expenses to complement data on sales and inventories 
compiled in current surveys. Together, these data are benchmarked to 
the economic census and are used to compile measures of value produced 
for selected industries. The collection of business expenses data is 
required for reliable measurement of the United States economy. As 
such, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), producer of gross domestic 
product estimates, is the primary user of these data. The BEA uses the 
expenses data for developing the national income and product accounts, 
input-output tables, and economic indexes, and to fill previously 
identified critical gaps in underlying data in these accounts.
    Industrial sectors covered by the survey include wholesale trade, 
retail trade, and most of the transportation and service sectors, as 
based on the 1997 North American Industry Classification System 
(NAICS).
    The information collected will produce statistics by kind of 
business on operating expenses such as labor costs, depreciation, rent, 
materials and supplies, utilities, and purchased services such as 
advertising, repairs, legal, accounting, and computer services. The 
primary strategy for minimizing burden in this survey is the use of 
sampling and sub-sampling, and where possible, supplementing the Census 
Bureau's business annual surveys as the data collection vehicle.

II. Method of Collection

    The 2002 Business Expenses Survey will be conducted using mailout/
mailback procedures, where possible supplementing the Census Bureau's 
business annual surveys. The sample to be used was previously created 
for the business current surveys, covering wholesale trade, retail 
trade, and most of the transportation and service industrial sectors. 
Most multi-location companies included in the sample will receive a 
separate form to consolidate their data for each unique kind of 
business operated. Only employer businesses will be mailed. Data for 
non-employers for selected industries will be estimated based on 
administrative records. The questionnaires will be mailed from the 
Census Bureau's National Processing Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. 
Three periodic mail follow-ups and a telephone follow-up will be 
conducted to minimize statistical error due to nonresponse. Upon 
closeout of data collection, the response data will be edited and 
reviewed.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Number: Not available. Some of the forms to be used to collect 
information for the 2002 Business Expenses Survey will be associated 
with concurrent business annual surveys of wholesale, retail, and 
selected service businesses. For industries not covered in the annual 
surveys, such as selected finance, insurance, real estate, 
transportation, and education services, unique forms will be used. 
Requests for information on the proposed content of the forms should be 
directed to Sheldon G. Ziman, U. S. Census Bureau, Room 1183, Building 
3, Washington DC 20233-6400 (301-457-3315) or via the Internet at 
[email protected].
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Affected Public: Incorporated and non-incorporated businesses, and 
for profit and not for profit institutions or organizations
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90,000 employer reporting units.
    Estimated Time Per Response: The average for multi-location firms 
is 2.2 hours and the average for single-location firms is 1.2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 160,000 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Respondents: $3.1 million.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131, 193, 
195, and 224.

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.
    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: May 20, 2002.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-13085 Filed 5-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P