[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 204 (Friday, October 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62021-62022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23642]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey

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 December 21, 
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 Nancy Piesto, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2632-FOB 
3, Washington, DC 20223-6500, at (301) 763-2747.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey provides the only continuous 
measure of monthly sales, end-of-month inventories, method of inventory 
valuation, and inventories/sales ratios in the United States by 
selected kinds of business for merchant wholesalers. The Bureau of 
Economic Analysis (BEA) uses this information to improve the inventory 
valuation adjustments applied to estimates of the Gross Domestic 
Product (GDP). The Bureau of Labor

[[Page 62022]]

Statistics (BLS) uses the data as input to their Producer Price Indexes 
and in developing productivity measurements.
    Estimates produced from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey are 
based on a probability sample and are published on the North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. The sample design 
consists of small, medium, and large cases requested to report sales 
and inventories each month. The sample, consisting of about 4,000 
wholesale businesses, is drawn from the Business Register, which 
contains all Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and listed 
establishment locations. The sample is updated quarterly to reflect 
employer business ``births'' and ``deaths''; adding new employer 
businesses identified in the Business and Professional Classification 
Survey and deleting firms and EINs when it is determined they are no 
longer active.
    The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey will continue to generate its 
monthly report form through a print-on demand system. This system 
allows us to tailor the survey instrument to a specific industry. For 
example, it will print an additional instruction for a particular NAICS 
code. This system also reduces the time and cost of preparing mailout 
packages that contain unique variable data, while improving the look 
and quality of the products being produced.

II. Method of Collection

    We collect this information by mail, fax, and telephone follow-up.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0190.
    Form Number: SM-42 (00).
    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Wholesale firms in the United States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 7 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,600 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondents for fiscal 
year 2005 is estimated to be $132,104 based on the annual response 
burden of 5,600 hours and an hourly salary of $23.59 to complete the 
form.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

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 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: October 18, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-23642 Filed 10-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P