[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10472-10473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2822]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Current Industrial Reports Surveys--WAVE I (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 May 1, 2006.

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: Mendel D. Gayle, Assistant Chief for Census and 
Related Programs, (301) 763-4587, Census Bureau, Manufacturing and 
Construction Division, Room 2102A, Building 4, Washington, DC 
20233 (or via the Internet at: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request a revision of the currently 
approved Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the Current 
Industrial Reports (CIR) for Wave I. 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. 
Individual firms, trade associations, and market analysts use the 
results of these surveys extensively 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. This year the Census 
Bureau plans to submit mandatory and voluntary surveys of Wave I for 
clearance. The surveys included in Wave I are:

                            Voluntary survey
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MA311D--Confectionery
MA325F--Paint and Allied Products
MA327C--Refractories
MA331B--Steel Mill Products
MA332Q--Antifriction Bearings
MA333A--Farm Machinery
MA333M--Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
MA333N--Fluid Power Products
MA335F--Major Household Appliances
MA335K--Wiring Devices and Supplies
*MQ325B--Fertilizer Materials
*MQ327D--Clay Construction Products
*MQ315B--Socks
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* 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

[[Page 10473]]

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: 0607-0392.
    Form Number: See Chart Above.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Businesses, or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,650.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.3497 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 6,276 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to respondents for 
all the CIR reports in Wave I for fiscal year 2007 is $115,667.
    Respondent's Obligation: The CIR program includes both mandatory 
and voluntary surveys.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 61, 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 23, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-2822 Filed 2-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P