[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 52 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 14203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5214]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Annual Survey 
of Manufactures

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION: Notice.

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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: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before May 16, 2008.

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, Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill 
Rd., Rm. 7K055, Washington, DC 20233, (301) 763-4587 or via the 
Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau has conducted the Annual Survey of Manufactures 
(ASM) since 1949 to provide key measures of manufacturing activity 
during intercensal periods. In census years ending in ``2'' and ``7'', 
the ASM is mailed and collected as part of the Economic Census covering 
the Manufacturing Sector. This survey is an integral part of the 
Government's statistical program. The ASM furnishes up-to-date 
estimates of employment and payroll, hours and wages of production 
workers, value added by manufacture, cost of materials, value of 
shipments by product class, inventories, and expenditures for both 
plant and equipment and structures. The survey provides data for most 
of these items for each of the 5-digit and selected 6-digit industries 
as defined in the North American Industry Classification System 
(NAICS). It also provides geographic data by state at a more aggregated 
industry level.
    The survey also provides valuable information to private companies, 
research organizations, and trade associations. Industry makes 
extensive use of the annual figures on product class shipments at the 
U.S. level in its market analysis, product planning, and investment 
planning. The ASM data are used to benchmark and reconcile monthly and 
quarterly data on manufacturing production and inventories. This ASM 
clearance request will be for the year 2008. There will be no changes 
to the information requested from respondents.

II. Method of Collection

    The ASM statistics are based on a survey that includes both a mail 
and nonmail components. Previously, the mail portion of the survey was 
comprised of a probability sample of approximately 53,000 manufacturing 
establishments from a frame of approximately 225,000 establishments. 
These 225,000 establishments were all manufacturing establishments of 
multiunit companies (companies with operations at more than one 
location) and all single-location manufacturing companies that were 
mailed in the 2002 Census of Manufacturing. The nonmail component was 
comprised of the remaining small single-location companies; 
approximately 155,000 companies. No data has been collected from 
companies in the nonmail component. Rather, data has been directly 
obtained from the administrative records of the Internal Revenue 
Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics (BLS). Although the nonmail companies account for 
over half of the population, they have accounted for less than 2 
percent of the manufacturing output.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0449.
    Form Number: MA-10000(L), MA-10000(S).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for-profit institutions; State or local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 3.7 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 187,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to the respondents 
is $5,454,790.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 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: March 11, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-5214 Filed 3-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P