[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7721-7722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3533]


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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: Census Bureau.
    Title: Information and Communication Technology Survey (ICTS).
    Form Number(s): ICT-1(S), ICT-1(M), and ICT-1(L).
    Agency Approval Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden: 74,900 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 46,000.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 1 hour and 38 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: For several years, economic data users and 
policymakers have been concerned about the lack of available data 
related to e-business infrastructure investment. Such data are critical 
for evaluating productivity growth, changes in industrial capacity, 
measures of economic performance, and current economic developments. 
Rapid changes and advances in Information and Communication Technology 
(ICT) equipment have resulted in these assets having short useful lives 
and a tendency to be replaced much quicker than other types of 
equipment. Companies are expensing the full cost of such assets during 
the current annual period rather than capitalizing the value of such 
assets and expensing the cost over two or more years. In some cases 
this is due to the short useful life of the asset, and in other cases 
this is because companies have varying dollar levels for 
capitalization.
    The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) (OMB  0607-
0782) currently collects annual data on business capital expenditures 
and detailed types of structures and equipment data every five years 
with the next such collection in the 2003 ACES. This infrequent 
collection of types of structures and equipment detail

[[Page 7722]]

and the fact that the ACES does not include non-capitalized 
expenditures for e-business infrastructure investment creates serious 
data gaps.
    As a result of the data gaps cited above, we are requesting 
approval to conduct the Information and Communication Technology Survey 
(ICTS) as a supplement to the ACES. For the ICTS, we plan to use the 
ACES sampling, follow-up and estimation methodologies including mailing 
to the same employer companies as the ACES. This data collection will 
supplement the current source of comprehensive statistics on business 
investment in equipment and software for private nonfarm businesses in 
the United States.
    The proposed ICTS will annually collect industry-level data for two 
categories of non-capitalized expenses (purchases, and operating leases 
and rental payments) for four types of ICT equipment and software 
(computers and peripheral equipment; ICT equipment, excluding computers 
and peripherals; electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus; and, 
computer software, including payroll associated with software 
development). This collection will represent non-capitalized 
expenditure activity of all employer firms and provide comprehensive 
control estimates of total non-capitalized expense for each type of 
equipment and software by industry.
    The ICT survey will be an important part of the Federal Government 
statistical program to improve and supplement ongoing statistical 
programs. The BEA will use this data to refine annual estimates of 
investment in equipment and software in the national income and product 
accounts and to improve estimates of capital stocks. The Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS) will use the data to improve estimates of 
capital stocks for productivity analysis. The Federal Reserve Board 
(FRB) will use 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., Sections 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 12, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-3533 Filed 2-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P