[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11805-11806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5878]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Current Industrial Reports Surveys--WAVE I (Mandatory and 
Voluntary Surveys)

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 12, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 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: Judy Dodds, Assistant Chief for Census and 
Related Programs, (301) 763-4587, Census Bureau, Manufacturing and 
Construction Division, Room 2101, Building 4, Washington, DC 
20233 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau conducts a series of monthly, quarterly, and 
annual surveys as part of the Current Industrial Reports (CIR) program. 
The CIR surveys deal mainly with the quantity and value of shipments of 
particular products and occasionally with data on production and 
inventories; unfilled orders, receipts, stocks and consumption; and 
comparative data on domestic production, exports, and imports of the 
products they cover. These surveys provide continuing and timely 
national statistical data on manufacturing. The results of these 
surveys are used extensively by individual firms, trade associations, 
and market analysts in planning or recommending marketing and 
legislative strategies.
    The CIR program includes both mandatory and voluntary surveys. 
Typically, the monthly and quarterly surveys are conducted on a 
voluntary basis and annual collections are mandatory. The collection 
frequency of individual CIR surveys is determined by the cyclical 
nature of production, the need for frequent trade monitoring, or the 
use of data in Government economic indicator series. Some monthly and 
quarterly CIR surveys have an annual ``counterpart'' collection. The 
annual counterpart collects annual data on a mandatory basis from those 
firms not participating in the more frequent collection.
    Due to the large number of surveys in the CIR program, for 
clearance purposes, the CIR surveys are divided into ``waves.'' There 
are three waves that include the mandatory and voluntary surveys. 
Mandatory and voluntary surveys historically have been divided into 
separate clearance requests, making six separate clearances. Each year, 
one wave (or two clearance requests) is submitted for OMB review. We 
are now combining the mandatory and voluntary surveys of each wave into 
one clearance request, reducing the total number of

[[Page 11806]]

clearance requests from six to three, and the number of OMB submissions 
annually from two to one. This year the Census Bureau plans to submit 
mandatory and voluntary surveys of Wave I for clearance. Also, in this 
request we are converting the MA311D ``Confectionery'' and MA333N, 
``Fluid Power Products'' from mandatory collection to voluntary. The 
surveys in Wave I are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Mandatory surveys                     Voluntary survey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
** MA311D--Confectionery...............  * MQ325B--Inorganic Fertilizer
                                          Materials and Related Products
MA325F--Paint and Allied Products......  * MQ327D--Clay Construction
                                          Products
MA327C--Refractories...................
MA331A--Iron and Steel Castings........
MA331B--Steel Mill Products............
MA331E--Nonferrous Castings............
MA332Q--Antifriction Bearings..........
MA333A--Farm Machinery and Lawn and
 Garden Equipment.
MA333M--Refrigeration, Air Conditioning
 and Warm Air Heating Equipment.
** MA333N--Fluid Power Products........
MA334B--Selected Instruments and
 Related Products.
MA335A--Switchgear, Switchboard
 Apparatus, Relays, and Industrial
 Controls.
MA335F--Major Household Appliances.....
MA335H--Motors and Generators..........
MA335K--Wiring Devices and Supplies....
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 * These voluntary surveys have mandatory annual counterparts.
** Mandatory annual surveys convert to voluntary status.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will use mail out/mail back survey forms to 
collect data. We ask respondents to return monthly report forms within 
10 days, quarterly report forms within 15 days, and annual report forms 
within 30 days of the initial mailing. Telephone calls and/or letters 
encouraging participation will be mailed to respondents who have not 
responded by the designated time.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0392--Mandatory Surveys, 0607-0393--Voluntary & 
Annual Counterparts Surveys.
    Form Number: See Chart Above.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Businesses, or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Total--9,305.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.073.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: Total--9,983 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to respondents for 
all the CIR reports in Wave 1 for fiscal year 2004 is $152,940.
    Respondent's Obligation: The CIR program includes both mandatory 
and voluntary surveys.

    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.
    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: March 7, 2003.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-5878 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P