[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20244-20245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8012]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Annual Retail 
Trade Survey

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 June 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 John Trimble, U.S. Census Bureau, SSSD HQ-8K175, 
4600 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746 at (301) 763-7223 (or via the 
Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) provides a sound statistical 
basis for the formation of policy by other government agencies. It also 
provides continuing and timely national statistics on retail trade and 
accommodation and food services, augmenting the period between economic 
censuses, and is a continuation of similar retail trade surveys 
conducted each year since 1951. The data collected are applicable to a 
variety of public and business needs and include annual sales and other 
operating receipts, e-commerce sales and other operating receipts, 
purchases, end-of-year inventories, accounts receivables, and operating 
expenses. Data items collected for accommodation and food services are 
annual receipts and e-commerce receipts. The estimates of purchased 
merchandise will be used to estimate trade margins on commodities sold 
in calculating the personal consumption portion of the Gross Domestic 
Product (GDP) by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Accounts 
receivable balances are used by the Federal Reserve Board in measuring 
consumer credit. Businesses use these estimates to determine market 
share and to perform other analysis.
    The ARTS sampling frame consists of all firms operating retail or 
accommodations and food service establishments within the U.S. whose 
probability of selection is determined by sales size. Estimates 
developed in the ARTS are used to benchmark the monthly sales and 
inventories series. The firms canvassed in this survey are not required 
to maintain additional records since carefully prepared estimates are 
acceptable if book figures are not available.
    Estimates produced from the ARTS are published on the North 
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis.

[[Page 20245]]

II. Method of Collection

    ARTS data are collected through mail, fax, and telephone follow-up. 
In January 2006, we began offering the option to submit data over the 
Internet using the Census Taker system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0013.
    Form Number: SA-44, SA-44A, SA-44C, SA-44E, SA-44N, SA-44S, SA-45, 
SA-45C, SA-721A, SA-721E, SA-722A, and SA-722E.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,635.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 34 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12,260.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondents Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 United States Code, Section 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: April 10, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-8012 Filed 4-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P