[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54614-54615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21804]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c) (2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
revision of the ``The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly 
Interview and the Diary.'' A copy of the proposed information 
collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual 
listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before November 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See ADDRESSES 
section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Consumer Expenditure (CE) Surveys collect data on consumer 
expenditures, demographic information, and related data needed by the 
Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other public and private data users. The 
continuing surveys provide a constant measurement of changes in 
consumer expenditure patterns for economic analysis and to obtain data 
for future CPI revisions. The CE Surveys have been ongoing since 1979.
    The data from the CE Surveys are used (1) for CPI revisions, (2) to 
provide a continuous flow of data on income and expenditure patterns 
for use in economic analysis and policy formulation, and (3) to provide 
a flexible consumer survey vehicle that is available for use by other 
Federal Government agencies. Public and private users of price 
statistics, including Congress and the economic policymaking agencies 
of the Executive branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their 
day-to-day activities. Hence, data users and policymakers widely accept 
the need to improve the process used for revising the CPI. If the CE 
Surveys were not conducted on a continuing basis, current information 
necessary for more timely, as well as more accurate, updating of the 
CPI would not be available. In addition, data would not be available to 
respond to the continuing demand from the public and private sectors 
for current information on consumer spending.
    In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the 
sample is interviewed every three months over five calendar quarters. 
The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs 
being interviewed every three months in the same panel of every 
quarter. The Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data on 
the types of expenditures that respondents can be expected to recall 
for a period of three months or longer. In general the expenses 
reported in the Interview Survey are either relatively large, such as 
property, automobiles, or major appliances, or are expenses which occur 
on a fairly regular basis, such as rent, utility bills, or insurance 
premiums.
    The Diary (or recordkeeping) Survey is completed at home by the 
respondent family for two consecutive one-week periods. The primary 
objective of the Diary Survey is to obtain expenditure data on small, 
frequently purchased items which normally are difficult to recall over 
longer periods of time.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
proposed revision of the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly 
Interview and the Diary.
    The continuing CE Surveys provide a constant measurement of changes 
in consumer expenditure patterns for economic analysis and obtain data 
for future CPI revisions.
    The Consumer Expenditure Quarterly Interview Survey has recently 
undergone a thorough review. The proposed changes from this review fall 
into two major categories: Streamlining the current questions in 
several sections and updating several questions and sections to reflect 
the current marketplace. In the streamlining category, the BLS deleted 
or collapsed obsolete questions. For example, previously clothing 
purchases were asked separately for those over and under two years old. 
These questions were combined into one section for all clothing 
purchases. Sewing products were moved to `Miscellaneous Expenditures' 
after `arts and crafts.'
    To keep the survey current and to fulfill the requirements of the 
Consumer Price Index (CPI), question wording changed and new items were 
added. For example, the questions on who is a member of the CU were 
collapsed from several questions down to one; the number of educational 
categories were reduced; the residential telephone service category was 
collapsed with voice over IP; cell phone service was collapsed with 
prepaid cell phone service; vehicle repair categories were collapsed; 
sewing item expenditures were collapsed from four questions into one; 
some appliance categories (e.g. washer and dryer will now be collected 
together) were collapsed; service contracts were combined with the 
repair and maintenance of items; clothing items were combined. Lastly, 
many questions in the income section were collapsed and reworded.
    There are no changes to the Diary CAPI instrument since clearance 
was last received.
    A full list of the proposed changes to the Quarterly Interview 
Survey and Diary Survey are available upon request.
    In addition, the Consumer Expenditure program is planning several 
tests over the next several years in an effort to improve the CE 
surveys in the areas of both data quality and respondent burden.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:

[[Page 54615]]

     Evaluate 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.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview 
and the Diary.
    OMB Number: 1220-0050.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

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                                                                                   Average time
              Form                     Total         Frequency         Total       per response      Estimated
                                    respondents                      responses       (minutes)     total burden
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CEQ--Interview..................           8,825               4          35,300              55          32,358
CEQ--Reinterview................           3,800               1           3,800              10             633
CED--Diary (recordkeeping)......           7,050               2          14,100             105          24,675
CED--Diary (Interview)..........           7,050               3          21,150              24           8,460
CED--Diary (Reinterview)........           1,400               1           1,400              10             233
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    Totals......................  ..............  ..............          75,750  ..............          66,359
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 28th day of August 2012.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2012-21804 Filed 9-4-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P