[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 242 (Friday, December 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75507-75508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27585]


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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: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Information and Communication Technology Survey.
    Form Number(s): ICT-1(S), ICT-1(M), ICT-1(Long).
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0909.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 79,903 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 46,000.
    Average Hours Per Response: ICT-1(S)--1 hour and 4 minutes, ICT-
1(M)--2 hours and 8 minutes, ICT-1(Long)--21 hours.
    Needs and Uses: A concern for economic policymakers is the lack of 
available data related to e-business infrastructure investment. Such 
data is 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 Project 0607-
0782) currently collects annual data on business capital expenditures 
and detailed types of structures and equipment data every five years. 
This infrequent collection of types of structures and equipment detail 
and the fact that the ACES does not include non-capitalized 
expenditures for e-business infrastructure investment creates serious 
data gaps.
    As a result, the Information and Communication Technology Survey 
(ICTS) was developed as a supplement to the ACES. For the ICTS, we use 
the ACES sampling, follow-up and estimation methodologies including 
mailing to the same employer companies as the ACES. This data 
collection supplements the current source of comprehensive statistics 
on business investment in equipment and software for private nonfarm 
businesses in the United States. The ICTS is an important part of the 
Federal Government statistical program to improve and supplement 
ongoing statistical programs.
    This request is for a revision of a currently approved collection 
and covers the 2004 through 2006 Information and Communication 
Technology Survey. Major revisions from the previous ICTS are the 
collection of capital expenditures data for the four types of ICT 
equipment and software cited below, and the incorporation of the 2002 
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) into the ICTS. 
Capital expenditures data will only be collected for computers and 
peripheral equipment; ICT equipment, excluding computers and 
peripherals; electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus; and, 
computer software, including payroll associated with software 
development. These capitalized data will be collected annually on the 
ICTS, except when collected in the ACES once every five years. 
Beginning with the 2004 ICTS, we will publish data based on the 2002 
NAICS. We will collect and publish data for approximately 136 
industries. This is an increase of four industries from the 1997 NAICS.
    The plan for the continued survey is to collect industry-level 
capital expenditures and non-capitalized expenses (purchases, and 
operating leases and rental payments) for the four types of ICT 
equipment and software mentioned above. This collection is intended to 
represent total business spending for ICT equipment by all employer 
firms and provide comprehensive control estimates for each type of 
equipment and software by industry. Companies that operate in only one 
industry receive an ICT-1(S) form. These companies are not asked to 
report ICT expenditures by industry which eliminates the need for 
respondent industry coding. Companies that operate in more than one but 
less than nine industries receive an ICT-1(M) form. And, companies that 
operate in nine or more industries receive an ICT-1(L) form.
    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, and 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]).

[[Page 75508]]

    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: December 13, 2004.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-27585 Filed 12-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P