[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7722-7723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3534]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Current Industrial Reports Surveys--WAVE II (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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 19, 2004.

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.'' One 
wave is resubmitted for clearance each year. Mandatory and voluntary 
surveys historically have been divided into separate clearance 
requests, making two separate clearance requests each year and six 
clearance requests in total for the CIR program. We are now combining 
the mandatory and voluntary surveys of each wave into one clearance 
request, reducing the total number of 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 II for clearance. The surveys in Wave II are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Mandatory surveys                     Voluntary survey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
M311J-Oilseeds, Beans and Nuts (Primary  *M327G-Glass Containers.
 Producers).
M313N-Cotton in Public Storage.........  *M331J-Inventories of Steel
                                          Producing Mills.
M313P-Consumption on the Cotton System   *MQ311A-Flour Milling Products.
 and Stocks.
MQ314X-Bed and Bath Furnishings........  *MQ325A-Inorganic Chemicals.

[[Page 7723]]

 
MQ315A-Apparel.........................  *MQ325C-Industrial Gases
MQ333W-Metalworking Machinery..........  MQ325F-Paint, Varnish, and
                                          Lacquer.
MA313F-Yarn Production.................  MQ335C-Fluorescent Lamp
                                          Ballasts.
MA313K-Knit Fabric Production
MA314Q-Carpet and Rugs
MA316A-Footwear
MA321T-Lumber Production and Mill
 Stocks
MA325G-Pharmaceutical Preparations,
 except Biologicals
MA333L-Internal Combustion Engines
MA333P-Pumps and Compressors
MA334M-Consumer Electronics
MA334Q-Semiconductor, Printed Circuit
 Boards, and Electronic Components
MA334S-Electromedical Irradiation
 Equipment
MA335E-Electric Housewares and Fans
MA335J-Insulated Wire and Cable
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* These voluntary surveys have mandatory annual counterparts.

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: 0607-0395--Mandatory Surveys. 0607-0206--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: 11,408.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.2745.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 14,540 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to respondents for 
all the CIR reports in Wave II for fiscal year 2005 is $238,601.
    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: February 12, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-3534 Filed 2-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P