[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30806-30807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12372]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Annual 
Wholesale 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 July 28, 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 Bill Abriatis, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 8K081, 
Washington, DC 20233-6500, (301) 763-3686, (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) covers employer firms with 
establishments located in the United States and classified in the 
wholesale trade and/or Manufacturers' Sales Branches and Offices and 
Agents, Brokers, Representatives, and Electronic Markets sectors as 
defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
    Firms are selected for this survey using a stratified random sample 
where strata are defined by industry and annual sales size. The sample, 
consisting of wholesale businesses classified in the Wholesale Trade 
and/or Manufacturers Sales Branches and Offices and Agents, Brokers, 
Representatives and Markets sector as defined by the 2007 North 
American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS), is drawn from the 
Business Register (BR). The BR is the Census Bureau's master business 
list and contains basic economic information for over 7.4 million 
employers businesses and over 22.5 million nonemployer businesses. The 
BR obtains information through direct data collections and 
administrative record information from federal agencies. The sample is 
updated quarterly to reflect employer business ``births'' and 
``deaths'' by 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.
    The survey request firms to provide annual sales, annual e-commerce 
sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States, 
total operating expenses, purchases, and, for selected industries, 
commissions, and sales on their own account. These data are used to 
satisfy a variety of public and business needs such as economic market 
analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demands. Results 
will be available, at the United States summary level, for selected 
wholesale trade, and/or manufacturers' sales branches and offices and 
agents, brokers, representatives and electronic markets, industries 
approximately fifteen months after the end of the reference year.
    Every 5 years, AWTS requests data on detailed operating expenses. 
During the next three years, detailed operating expenses will not be 
collected. The last time AWTS collected detailed operating expenses was 
in 2013 for the 2012 survey year. The plan is to reinstate these 
questions in 2018 as part of the 2017 AWTS data collection.

II. Method of Collection

    We collect this information by Internet, fax, mail, and telephone.

[[Page 30807]]

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0195.
    Form Number(s): SA-42, SA-42A, SA-42(MSBO), SA-42A(MSBO), SA-
42(AGBR), SA-42A(AGBR).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Wholesale firms located in the United States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,200.
    Estimated Time per Response: Varies by form. Average of 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,600.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Respondents: The total cost to 
respondents is estimated to be $114,609.
    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: May 22, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-12372 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P