[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 58805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20428]



[[Page 58805]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit 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: Business and Professional Classification Report.
    Form Number(s): SQ-CLASS.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0189.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 10,835.
    Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Average Hours per Response: 13 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Economic Census represents the primary source 
of facts about the structure and function of the U.S. economy, 
providing essential information to government and business to help 
guide sound decisions. Conducted every five years, the data help build 
the foundation for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other indicators of 
economic performance. Critical to its conduct is the accuracy and 
reliability of the Business Register data which provides the Economic 
Census with its establishment enumeration list. Equally important is 
that the status of these establishments and related industry codes be 
as up-to-date as possible. The primary purpose of the ``Business and 
Professional Classification Report'' or SQ-CLASS is to meet this need 
for the retail, wholesale, and services sectors. Firms will be mailed 
five-year Economic Census forms specifically tailored to their industry 
based on the classification information we collect using the SQ-CLASS.
    In addition, the SQ-CLASS report is used to collect information 
needed to keep the retail, wholesale, and services samples current with 
the business universe. Because of rapid changes in the marketplace 
caused by the emergence of new businesses, the death of others, and 
changes in company organization, the Census Bureau canvasses a sample 
of new Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) obtained from the 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration 
(SSA).
    Each firm selected in this sample is canvassed once for data on the 
establishment(s) associated with the new EIN. The completed SQ-CLASS 
form provides sales, receipts, or revenue; company organization; new or 
refined NAICS codes; and other key information needed for sampling to 
maintain proper coverage of the universe.
    Based on the collected information, EINs meeting the criteria for 
inclusion in the Census Bureau's retail, wholesale, or service surveys 
are subjected to second sampling. The retail and wholesale EINs 
selected in this second sampling are placed on a panel to report in our 
monthly surveys. Additional panels of selected units are included in 
the annual surveys. The selected service EINs report on an annual and/
or quarterly basis.
    Given the Census-related usage of this collection, and the crucial 
need to collect accurate classification information, we are requesting 
mandatory authority to conduct this survey under Title 13, United 
States Code, Sections 131 and 193. Section 193 provides the specific 
authority to collect supplementary statistics related to the conduct of 
the census on a mandatory basis.
    There are only minimal changes to the form and instruction sheet. 
The wording of the questions and instructions for both sales and 
inventory will be reworded to be in line with the Census Bureau's 
monthly and annual surveys. These changes will not increase burden and 
will provide for consistency within the economic surveys at the Census 
Bureau. The letter to respondents, which accompanies the SQ-CLASS has 
been revised to reflect the mandatory nature of the collection.
    The Census Bureau selects a first phase sample of EINs recently 
assigned by the IRS. Selected EINs are mailed a SQ-CLASS form to 
determine a measure of size (based on sales, receipts, or revenue); 
company organization; establishment information; and wholesale 
inventories and type of operation data. Retail, wholesale, or service 
EINs that are not affiliated with previously selected units are 
subjected to second phase sampling, with selected sampling units added 
to a survey panel. This methodology updates the current retail, 
wholesale, and service samples with a sample of new firms entering the 
business sector. The information obtained from the SQ-CLASS form is 
also used for tabulating small businesses in succeeding economic 
censuses (because small businesses are not mailed an economic census 
report form) and for the Census Bureau's Annual County Business 
Patterns Programs.
    Although no statistical tables are prepared or published, the 
operations of this business birth survey directly and critically affect 
the quality of the estimates published for the Current Retail and 
Inventory Surveys (OMB Approval 0607-0717), Advance Monthly Retail 
Trade and Food Services Survey (OMB Approval 0607-0104), Monthly 
Wholesale Trade Survey (OMB 0607-0190), Services Annual Survey (OMB 
Approval 0607-0422), Annual Retail Trade Survey (OMB Approval 0607-
0013), Annual Trade Survey (OMB Approval 0607-0195), and Quarterly 
Service Survey (OMB Approval 0607-0907). Indeed, all of these surveys 
would be seriously deficient without these business birth survey 
operations that keep their sample universe current.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 & 193.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    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 Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: October 11, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-20428 Filed 10-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P