[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2633-2634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00514]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Monthly Retail 
Trade Survey

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

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 March 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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 Karla Allen, U.S. Census Bureau, SSSD HQ-8K183A, 
4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233-6500, (301) 763-7208 (or 
via the Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 2634]]

I. Abstract

    The Monthly Retail Trade Survey provides estimates of monthly 
retail sales, end-of-month merchandise inventories, and quarterly e-
commerce sales of retailers in the United States by selected kinds of 
business. Also, it provides monthly sales of food service 
establishments. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) uses this 
information to prepare the National Income and Products Accounts and to 
benchmark the annual input-output tables. Statistics provided from the 
Monthly Retail Trade Survey are used to calculate the gross domestic 
product (GDP).
    Estimates produced from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey are based 
on a probability sample. The sample design consists of one fixed panel 
where all cases are requested to report sales, e-commerce sales, and/or 
inventories each month. The sample is drawn from the Business Register, 
which contains all Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and listed 
establishment locations. There are approximately 10,305 respondents 
contacted each month for the survey. The sample is updated quarterly to 
reflect employer business ``births'' and ``deaths''; adding new 
employer businesses identified in the Business and Professional 
Classification Survey and deleting firms and EINs when it is determined 
they are no longer active.
    Listed below are the series of retail form numbers and a 
description of each form:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Series                            Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SM-44(12)S...........................  Non-Department store, Sales only,
                                        No E-Commerce.
SM-44(12)SE..........................  Non-Department store, Sales only,
                                        w/E-Commerce.
SM-44(12)SS..........................  Non-Department store, Sales only,
                                        w/E-Commerce question.
SM-44(12)B...........................  Non-Department store, Sales &
                                        Inventories.
SM-44(12)BE..........................  Non-Department store, Sales &
                                        Inventories, w/E-Commerce.
SM-44(12)BS..........................  Non-Department store, Sales &
                                        Inventories, w/E-Commerce
                                        question.
SM-45(12)S...........................  Department store with leased
                                        dept., Sales only, No E-
                                        Commerce.
SM-45(12)SE..........................  Department store with leased
                                        dept., Sales only, w/E-Commerce.
SM-45(12)SS..........................  Department store with leased
                                        dept., Sales only, w/E-Commerce
                                        question.
SM-45(12)B...........................  Department store with leased
                                        dept., Sales & Inventory, No E-
                                        Commerce.
SM-45(12)BE..........................  Dept. store with leased dept.,
                                        Sales & Inventory, w/E-Commerce.
SM-45(12)BS..........................  Dept. store with leased dept.,
                                        Sales & Inventory, w/E-Commerce
                                        question.
SM-72(12)S...........................  Food Service, Sales only, No E-
                                        Commerce.
SM-20(12)I...........................  Non-Department and Department
                                        Store, Retail Inventories Only.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Method of Collection

    We will collect this information by mail, FAX, telephone follow-up, 
and Internet.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0717.
    Form Numbers: SM-44(12)S, SM-44(12)SE, SM-44(12)SS, SM-44(12)B, SM-
44(12)BE, SM-44(12)BS, SM-45(12)S, SM-45(12)SE, SM-45(12)SS, SM-
45(12)B, SM-45(12)BE, SM-45(12)BS, SM-72(12)S, and SM-20(12)I.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Retail and Food Services firms in the United 
States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,305.
    Estimated Time per Response: 7 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,427.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondents for fiscal 
year 2013 is estimated to be $440,745.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

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: January 9, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-00514 Filed 1-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P