[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 136 (Friday, July 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 34712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16964]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly 
Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intangible Assets With 
Foreign Persons

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 comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before 5 p.m. September 
15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via the Internet 
at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information or copies of the survey and instructions to Christopher 
Emond, Chief, Special Surveys Branch, Balance of Payments Division, 
(BE-50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9826; fax: (202) 606-5318; or 
via the Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Form BE-125, Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services 
and Intangible Assets with Foreign Persons, obtains quarterly data from 
U.S. companies whose sales of covered services or intangible assets to 
foreign persons exceeded $6 million for the previous fiscal year or are 
expected to exceed that amount during the current fiscal year, or whose 
purchases of covered services or intangible assets from foreign persons 
exceeded $4 million for the previous fiscal year or are expected to 
exceed that amount during the current fiscal year. The data collected 
are cut-off sample data. In addition, estimates are developed based 
upon previously reported or estimated data for non-respondents, 
including those U.S. persons who fall below the reporting threshold for 
the quarterly survey but reported on a previous benchmark survey.
    The data are needed to monitor U.S. international trade in these 
transactions, analyze its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies, 
compile and improve the U.S. economic accounts, support U.S. commercial 
policy on trade in selected services and intangible assets, conduct 
trade promotion, and improve the ability of U.S. businesses to identify 
and evaluate market opportunities.
    Responses will be due within 45 days after the close of each 
calendar quarter, except for the final quarter of the respondents' 
fiscal year, when reports are due within 90 days after the close of the 
quarter. The data from the survey are primarily intended as general 
purpose statistics. They are needed to answer any number of research 
and policy questions related to cross-border trade in services and 
intangible assets.
    The BE-125 Form remains the same. No changes in the data collected 
or in exemption levels are proposed.

II. Method of Collection

    The surveys are sent to the respondents by U.S. mail; the surveys 
are also available from our Web site. Respondents return the surveys 
one of four ways: U.S. mail, electronically using BEA's electronic 
collection system (eFile), fax, or e-mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0067.
    Form Number: BE-125.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,800.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 16 hours per mandatory response; and 1 
hour per other responses.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 98,800.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: The International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended.

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 will 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: July 13, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-16964 Filed 7-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P