[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 52 (Friday, March 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 13166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5425]


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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: Current Retail Sales & Inventory Survey.
    Form Number(s): SM-44(00)S, SM-44(00)SE, SM-44(00)SS, SM-44(00)B, 
SM-44(00)BE, SM-44(00)BS, SM-44(00)L, SM-44(00)LE, SM-44(00)LS, SM-
45(00)S, SM-45(00)SE, SM-45(00)SS, SM-45(00)B, SM-45(00)BE, SM-
45(00)BS, SM-72(00)S, SM-20(00)I.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0717.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 13,364 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 8,706.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 7.7 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests an extension of the 
OMB approval of the Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey. The 
Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey provides estimates of monthly 
retail sales, end-of-month merchandise inventories, and quarterly e-
commerce sales of retailers in the United States by selected kinds of 
business. Also, it provides monthly sales of food service 
establishments.
    Sales and inventory data provide a current statistical picture of 
the retail portion of consumer activity. The sales and inventory 
estimates in the Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey measure 
current trends of economic activity that occur in the United States. 
Also, the estimates compiled from the survey provide valuable 
information for economic policy decisions and actions by the government 
and are widely used by private businesses, trade organizations, 
professional associations, and others for market research and analysis. 
Sales are used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in determining 
the consumption portion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
    Retail and Food Services Sales during 2004 amounted to $4.1 
trillion. The estimates produced in the Current Retail Sales and 
Inventory Survey are critical to the accurate measurement of total 
economic activity. The estimates of retail sales represent all 
operating receipts, including receipts from wholesale sales made at 
retail locations and services rendered as part of the sale of the 
goods, by businesses that primarily sell at retail. The sales estimates 
include sales made on credit as well on a cash basis, but exclude 
receipts from sales taxes and interest charges from credit sales. Also 
excluded is non-operating income from such services as investments and 
real estate.
    The estimates of merchandise inventories owned by retailers 
represent all merchandise located in retail stores, warehouses, 
offices, or in transit for distribution to retail establishments. The 
estimates of merchandise inventories exclude fixtures and supplies not 
held for sale, as well as merchandise held on consignment owned by 
others. Inventories are used by the BEA in determining the investment 
portion of the GDP.
    Retail e-commerce sales are estimated from the same sample used in 
the Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey to estimate preliminary 
and final U.S. retail sales. The Current Retail Sales and Inventory 
sample is updated on an ongoing basis to account for new retail 
employer businesses (including those selling via the Internet), 
business deaths, and other changes to the retail business universe. 
Research was conducted to ensure that retail firms selected in the 
Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey sample and engaged in e-
commerce are representative of the universe of e-commerce retailers. 
Total e-commerce sales for 2003 were estimated at $56 billion.
    We publish retail sales and inventory estimates based on the North 
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which has been widely 
adopted throughout both the public and private sectors.
    The BEA is the primary Federal user of data collected in the 
Current Retail Sales and Inventory Survey. BEA uses the information in 
its preparation of the National Income and Products Accounts, and its 
benchmark and annual input-output tables. Statistics provided from 
retail sales and inventory estimates are used in the calculation of the 
GDP. If the survey were not conducted, BEA would lack comprehensive 
data from the retail sector. This would adversely affect the 
reliability of the National Income and Products Accounts and the GDP.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the data as input to its 
Producer Price Indexes and in developing productivity measurements. The 
data are also used for gauging current economic trends of the economy. 
Private businesses use the retail sales and inventory data to compute 
business activity indexes. The private sector also uses retail sales as 
a reliable indicator of consumer activity.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 182.
    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: March 15, 2005.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-5425 Filed 3-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P