[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7192-7193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3153]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES).
    Form Number(s): ACE-1(S), ACE-1(M), ACE-1(Long), and ACE-2.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0782.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 203,000 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 61,000.
    Avg. Hours Per Response: 3 hours and 20 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: A major concern of economic policymakers is the 
adequacy of investment in plant and equipment. Data on the amount of 
business expenditures for new plant and equipment and measures of the 
stock of existing facilities are critical to evaluate productivity 
growth, the ability of U.S. business to compete with foreign business, 
changes in industrial capacity, and measures of overall economic 
performance. The ACES is the current source of comprehensive statistics 
on business investment in buildings and other structures, machinery, 
and equipment for private nonfarm businesses in the United States.
    Major revisions from the previously approved collection are the 
collection of detailed types of structures and types of equipment data 
from employer businesses.
    The plan for the continued survey is a basic annual survey that 
collects fixed assets and depreciation, sales and receipts, and total 
capital expenditures for new and used structures and equipment 
separately, from employer enterprises. This collection is intended to 
represent the capital expenditure activity of all employer firms and 
provide comprehensive control estimates of total capital expenditures 
for structures and equipment by industry.
    All ACE-1 forms request sales and receipts information to calculate 
industry investment to sales ratios and to assist in verifying that 
consolidated company data are being reported. Assets and depreciation 
information collected assists in measuring changes in the Nation's 
capital stock estimates. As part of the basic survey, we also collect 
data annually from a small sample of nonemployer enterprises. Using 
Form ACE-2, the survey will request that nonemployer companies report 
current year capital expenditures data. This collection is intended to 
better represent total capital expenditures activity of all firms.
    In conjunction with the basic survey is a supplemental survey 
conducted every five years beginning with the 1998 survey. The 
supplement will collect detailed information on expenditures by type of 
structure, and by type of equipment. This supplement is included with 
the basic survey only for employer companies. We collect detailed types 
of structures and equipment data in the same year due to reporting 
inconsistencies when attempting to collect the detailed data in 
separate years. The detailed structures data will provide a 5-year 
benchmark for estimates of value of new construction put in place. The 
detailed equipment will provide a periodic measure of expenditure by 
type of equipment and potentially serve as a benchmark for equipment 
produced and consumed as represented in the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis' (BEA) Input/Output accounts.
    The ACES is an integral part of the Federal Government statistical 
program to improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs. Federal 
Government agencies, including the Census Bureau, use the data to 
improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs.
    The Census Bureau uses the data to improve the quality of monthly 
economic indicators of investment. Specifically, the annual survey data 
and the supplement on types of structures will become a benchmark for 
monthly estimates of value of new construction put in place. The Value 
of New Construction Put in Place survey currently uses the ACES data to

[[Page 7193]]

benchmark its industrial buildings data. Improvements in the economic 
indicators will contribute to improved quarterly estimates of gross 
domestic product from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
    The BEA uses the data to refine annual estimates of investment in 
structures and equipment in the national income and product accounts 
and to improve estimates of capital stocks. The Department of the 
Treasury uses the data in analysis of depreciation. The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics (BLS) uses the data to improve estimates of capital stocks 
for productivity analysis. The Federal Reserve Board (FRB) uses the 
data to improve estimates of investment indicators for monetary policy.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182, 224, & 225.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 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 either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-
mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: February 9, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-3153 Filed 2-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P