[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34283-34284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13884]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Information and Communication Technology Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0909.
    Form Number(s): ICT-1(S), ICT-1(M), ICT-1(L).
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 79,286.
    Number of Respondents: 45,000.
    Average Hours per Response: 1.76 hours.
    Needs and Uses: Economic policymakers are concerned about the lack 
of available data related to e-business infrastructure investment. Such 
data are critical for evaluating productivity growth, changes in 
industrial capacity, and current economic developments. Rapid advances 
in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment have 
resulted in these assets having short useful lives and being replaced 
faster than other types of equipment. Companies are expensing the full 
cost of such assets during the current annual period rather than 
capitalizing the value of such assets and expensing the cost over two 
or more years. In some cases this is due not only to the short useful 
life of the asset, but also to the fact that companies have varying 
dollar levels for capitalization.
    The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) (OMB Project 0607-
0782) currently collects summary data on business capital expenditures 
annually and detailed data on types of structures and equipment every 
five years. The fact that the ACES program does not include non-
capitalized expenditures for e-business infrastructure and infrequently 
collects detailed data on types of structures and equipment creates 
serious data gaps. To fill these gaps and as a supplement to the ACES 
survey, the Census Bureau created the Information and Communication 
Technology Survey (ICTS). The ICTS uses the ACES sampling, follow-up 
and estimation methodologies including mailing to the same employer 
companies.
    Data users tell us that they need comprehensive and consistent data 
on investment by all private non-farm businesses in capitalized and 
non-capitalized ICT equipment and software. The objectives of the ICTS 
are:
    (a) To provide estimates of capitalized and non-capitalized ICT 
equipment expenditures for all private non-farm sectors of the economy 
at 3-digit and selected 4-digit North American Industry Classification 
System (NAICS) levels;
    (b) to base the survey on a probability sample that yields measures 
of statistical reliability of the survey estimates;
    (c) to produce annual enterprise-level data with the level of 
detail, coverage, and quality which was previously unavailable;
    (d) to provide detailed data on capitalized and non-capitalized ICT 
expenditures for estimating the national income and product accounts, 
estimating the productivity of U.S. industries, evaluating fiscal and 
monetary policy, and conducting research using capitalized and non-
capitalized expenditures data; and
    (e) to provide industry analysts with necessary data for market 
analysis, economic forecasting, product development, and business 
planning.
    This request is for continuation of a currently approved collection 
and will cover the 2013 through 2015 ICTS (conducted in fiscal years 
2014 through 2016). Due to budgetary constraints in 2013, the Census 
Bureau suspended the 2012 ICTS. However, funds were appropriated for 
fiscal year 2014 allowing the Census Bureau to reinstate the ICTS for 
the 2013 survey year.
    We will collect and publish data based on the 2012 NAICS. 
Industries in the survey will comprise 3-digit and selected 4-digit 
2012 NAICS codes.
    The annual ICTS collects data on two categories of non-capitalized 
expenses (purchases; and operating leases and rental payments), for 
four types of information and communication technology equipment and 
software (computers and peripheral equipment; ICT equipment, excluding 
computers and peripherals; electromedical and electrotherapeutic 
apparatus; and computer software, including payroll associated with 
software development). The survey also collects capital expenditures 
data on the four types of ICT equipment and software cited above.
    In prior ICTS data collection, the Census Bureau used mail out/mail 
back survey forms to collect data. Employer companies were able to 
respond via Centurion (the Census Bureau's online reporting system), by 
mail, or by using our toll-free number to reply via secure facsimile 
machine. We asked companies to respond to the survey within 30 days of 
the initial mailing. If companies did not respond by the designated 
time, they received letters and/or telephone calls encouraging 
participation.
    For the 2013 ICTS data collection, the Census Bureau will rely 
primarily on electronic reporting. Employer

[[Page 34284]]

companies will receive a mailed notification letter containing their 
User ID and password, and directed to respond via Centurion through the 
Census Bureau's Business Help Site. The online reporting instrument is 
an electronic version of the paper data collection instrument, and 
based on the company's diversity of operations and number of industries 
with payroll. Companies operating in only one industry will access an 
ICT-1(S) form or electronic instrument. These companies will not be 
asked to report ICT expenditures by industry, this will eliminate the 
need for industry self coding. Companies operating in more than one, 
but less than nine industries will access an ICT-1(M) form or 
electronic instrument. Companies that operate in nine or more 
industries will access an ICT-1(L) form or electronic instrument. 
Companies will be able to print the form through online services or 
request a paper form by mail.
    The Census Bureau will continue to ask companies to respond to the 
survey within 30 days. Reminder letters and/or telephone calls 
encouraging participation will continue to go to all companies that 
have not responded by the designated time.
    For the 2014 and 2015 ICTS data collection, the Census Bureau will 
determine whether to use the same data collection strategy based upon 
the electronic response rate for the 2013 ICTS.
    The ICTS is an important part of the Federal Government's effort to 
improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs. The Bureau of 
Economic Analysis (BEA), Federal Reserve Board, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics and industry analysts use these data to evaluate 
productivity and economic growth prospects. In addition, the ICTS 
provides improved source data significant to BEA's estimate of the 
investment component of Gross Domestic Product, capital stock 
estimates, and capital flow tables. Other Federal agencies, private 
industry organizations, and academic researchers use the survey results 
for analyzing and studying past and current economic performance, 
short-term economic forecasts, productivity, long-term economic growth, 
tax policy, capacity utilization, business fixed capital stocks and 
capital formation, international competitiveness and competitiveness 
and trade policy, market research, and financial analysis.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority: The Census Bureau conducts this survey under 
the authority of Title 13 of the United States Code, Sections 131 
and 182. Sections 224 and 225 make the survey mandatory.

    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce 
collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to www.OIRA [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: June 10, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-13884 Filed 6-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P