[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 78 (Monday, April 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20981-20982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6045]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


2007 Economic Census Covering the Information; Professional, 
Scientific, and Technical Services; Management of Companies and 
Enterprises; Administrative and Support and Waste Management and 
Remediation Services; Educational Services; Health Care and Social 
Assistance; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; and Other Services 
(Except Public Administration) Sectors

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 June 23, 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 Jack Moody, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2784, 
Building 3, Washington, DC 20233-0001 on (301) 763-5181 or via the 
Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The economic census, conducted under the authority of Title 13, 
United States Code (U.S.C.), is the primary source of facts about the 
structure and functioning of the Nation's economy. Economic statistics 
serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and provide 
essential information for government, business, and the general public. 
Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program commitment during 
nondecennial census years. The 2007 Economic Census covering the 
Information; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; 
Management of Companies and Enterprises; Administrative and Support and 
Waste Management and Remediation Services; Educational Services; Health 
Care and Social Assistance; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; and 
Other Services (Except Public Administration) sectors (as defined by 
the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) will measure 
the economic activity of 2.9 million establishments. The information 
collected will produce basic statistics by kind of business on the 
number of establishments, receipts/revenue, expenses, payroll, and 
employment. It will also yield a variety of subject statistics, 
including receipts/revenue by product line, receipts/revenue by class 
of customer, and other industry-specific measures. Primary strategies 
for reducing burden in Census Bureau economic data collections are to 
increase reporting through standardized questionnaires and broader 
electronic data collection methods.

II. Method of Collection

Mail Selection Procedures

    Establishments for the mail canvass will be selected from the 
Census Bureau's Business Register. To be eligible for selection, an 
establishment will be required to satisfy the following conditions: (i) 
It must be classified in the information; professional, scientific, and 
technical services; management of companies and enterprises; 
administrative and support and waste management and remediation 
services; educational services; health care and social assistance; 
arts, entertainment, and recreation; or other services (except public 
administration) sector; (ii) it must be an active operating 
establishment of a multi-establishment firm (i.e., a firm that operates 
at more than one physical location), or it must be a single-
establishment firm with payroll (i.e., a firm that operates at only one 
physical location); and (iii) it must be located in one of the 50 
states or the District of Columbia. Mail selection procedures will 
distinguish the following groups of establishments:

[[Page 20982]]

1. Establishments of Multi-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign all active operating 
establishments of multi-establishing firms to the mail component of the 
potential respondent universe. We estimate that the 2007 Economic 
Census mail canvasses will include approximately 467,000 establishments 
of multi-establishment firms.
2. Single-Establishment Firms With Payroll
    As an initial step in the selection process, we will conduct a 
study of the potential respondent universe. This study will produce a 
set of industry-specific payroll cutoffs that we will use to 
distinguish large versus small single-establishment firms within each 
industry or kind of business. This payroll size distinction will affect 
selection as follows:
a. Large Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign single-establishment firms having 
annualized payroll (from Federal administrative records) that equals or 
exceeds the cutoff for their industry to the mail component of the 
potential respondent universe. We estimate that the 2007 Economic 
Census mail canvasses will include approximately 769,000 large single-
establishment firms.
b. Small Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures also will assign a sample of single-
establishment firms having annualized payroll below the cutoff for 
their industry to the mail component of the potential respondent 
universe. Sampling strata and corresponding probabilities of selection 
will be determined by a study of the potential respondent universe 
conducted shortly before mail selection operations begin. We estimate 
that the 2007 Economic Census mail canvasses will include approximately 
79,000 small single-establishment firms selected in this sample.
    All remaining single-establishment firms with payroll will be 
represented in the census by data from Federal administrative records. 
Generally, we will not include these small employers in the census mail 
canvass. However, administrative records sometimes have fundamental 
industry classification deficiencies that make them unsuitable for use 
in producing detailed industry statistics by geographic area. When we 
find such a deficiency, we will mail the firm a census classification 
form to collect basic information needed to resolve the problem. We 
estimate that the 2007 Economic Census mail canvasses for the sectors 
covered by this submission will include approximately 472,000 small 
single-establishment firms that receive these classification forms.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Number: The 78 standard forms, 19 classification forms, and 6 
ownership or control flyers used to collect information from businesses 
in these sectors of the economic census are tailored to specific 
business practices and are too numerous to list separately in the 
notice. Requests for information on the proposed content of the forms 
should be directed to Jack Moody, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2784, 
Building 3, Washington, DC 20233-0001 on (301) 763-5181 or via the 
Internet at [email protected].
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Affected Public: State or local governments, businesses or other 
for profit, non-profit institutions, and small businesses or 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

Information:
    Standard Form--101,197.
    Classification Form--none.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services:
    Standard Form--258,276.
    Classification Form--117,844.
Management of Companies and Enterprises
    Standard Form--66,020.
    Classification Form--none.
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation 
Services:
    Standard Form--152,050.
    Classification Form--117,844.
Educational Services:
    Standard Form--24,740.
    Classification Form--14,141.
Health Care and Social Assistance:
    Standard Form--366,097.
    Classification Form--89,561.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation:
    Standard Form--65,320.
    Classification Form--18,855.
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
    Standard Form--280,957.
    Classification Form--113,130.
Total: 1,786,032.

    Estimated Time Per Response:

Information:
    Standard Form--1.2 hours.
    Classification Form--none.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services:
    Standard Form--1.6 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.
Management of Companies and Enterprises
    Standard Form--.8 hours.
    Classification Form--none.
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation 
Services:
    Standard Form--1.2 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.
Educational Services:
    Standard Form--.9 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.
Health Care and Social Assistance:
    Standard Form--1.1 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation:
    Standard Form--1.2 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
    Standard Form--1.0 hours.
    Classification Form--.1 hours.

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,601,405 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $39,506,661.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, U.S.C., 131 and 224.

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: April 18, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-6045 Filed 4-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P