[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 55779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22153]


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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: Annual Retail Trade Survey.
    Form Number(s): SA-44, SA-44A, SA-44C, SA-44E, SA-44N, SA-44S, SA-
45, SA-45C, & SA-721.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0013.
    Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Burden: 9,299 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 22,977.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 24 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) provides the 
only continuing official measure of annual total retail sales, e-
commerce sales, end-of-year inventories, sales/inventory ratios, 
purchases, inventory valuation methods, gross margin, and end-of-year 
accounts receivables for retailers and annual sales and e-commerce 
sales for accommodation and food services firms in the United States.
    The data collected in the annual retail survey provide a current 
statistical picture of the retail and food services and accommodations 
portions of consumer activity. Also, the estimates compiled from this 
survey provide valuable information for economic policy decisions and 
actions by government and are widely used by private businesses, trade 
organizations, professional associations, and others for market 
research and analysis. The sales and receipts are used by the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis (BEA) in determining the consumption portion of the 
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
    Our last request included a total of seven report forms: the SA-44, 
SA-44A, SA-45, SA-44C, SA-45C, & SA-721 with one supplemental form the 
SA-44N. The SA-44N included only additional questions asked exclusively 
of non-store retailers, office supply companies, and computer stores. 
This request is for the clearance of nine similar report forms, the SA-
44, SA-44A, SA-44C, SA-44E, SA-44N, SA-44S, SA-45, SA-45C, & SA-721. 
The two new forms, the SA-44E and SA-44S, as well as the SA-44N, 
incorporate those additional questions included originally on the 
supplemental form of our last request. These nine forms will enable us 
to collect information on a North American Industry Classification 
System (NAICS) basis and to request similar data items. A variety of 
forms are needed to address the size of the firm, its specific kind-of-
business, or the data items requested.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 182, 224, and 225.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Madeleine Clayton, Departmental Paperwork 
Clearance Officer, (202)482-3129, Department of Commerce, room 6608, 
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: August 26, 2002.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-22153 Filed 8-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P