[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32932-32933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14166]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2015-2017 
Business Research and Development and Innovation Surveys

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 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 or on-line comments must be 
submitted on or before August 10, 2015.

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 Richard Hough, U.S. Census Bureau, HQ-7K149, 4600 
Silver Hill Rd., Suitland, MD 20746, (301) 763-4823 (or via the 
internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Census Bureau, with support from the National Science 
Foundation (NSF), plans to conduct the Business R&D and Innovation 
Survey (BRDIS) for the 2015-2017 survey years. The BRDIS covers all 
domestic for-profit businesses that have 5 or more paid employees and 
are classified in certain industries. The BRDIS provides the only 
comprehensive data on R&D costs and detailed expenses by type and 
industry.
    The Census Bureau has conducted an R&D survey since 1957 (the 
Survey of Industrial Research and Development (SIRD) from 1957-2007 and 
BRDIS from 2008-present), collecting primarily financial information on 
the systematic work companies undertake to discover new knowledge or 
use existing knowledge to develop new or improved goods and services. 
The 2015-2017 BRDIS will continue to collect the following types of 
information:
     R&D expense based on accepted accounting standards.
     Worldwide R&D of domestic companies.
     Business segment detail.
     R&D-related capital expenditures.
     Detailed data about the R&D workforce.
     R&D strategy and data on the potential impact of R&D on 
the market.
     R&D directed to application areas of particular national 
interest.
     Data measuring innovation, intellectual property 
protection activities and technology transfer.
    The BRDIS utilizes a booklet instrument that facilitates the 
collection of information from various contacts within each company who 
have the best understanding of the concepts and definitions being 
presented as well as access to the information necessary to provide the 
most accurate response. The sections of the booklet correspond to areas 
within the company and currently include: A company information section 
that includes detailed innovation questions; a financial section 
focused on company R&D expenses; a human resources section; an R&D 
strategy and management section; an IP and technology transfer section; 
and a section focused on R&D that is funded or paid for by third 
parties. A web instrument is also available to respondents. The web 
instrument incorporates Excel spreadsheets that are provided to 
facilitate the electronic collection of information from various areas 
of the companies. Respondents have the capability to download the

[[Page 32933]]

spreadsheets from the Census Bureau's Web site. Also provided is a 
spreadsheet programmed to consolidate the information from the various 
areas of the company so it can be simply uploaded into the web 
instrument.
    Research, development and innovation are important to 
competitiveness in today's economy, and domestic and foreign 
researchers in academia, business, and government analyze and cite data 
from the BRDIS. Among the federal government users are the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis (BEA) and the White House's Office of Science and 
Technology Policy (OSTP). BEA includes R&D in the system of national 
accounts that measures the economic well-being of the country. BRDIS 
data are key inputs into these accounts, which feed into the 
calculation of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The White House, 
in 2006, issued the American Competitiveness Initiative to ``increase 
investments in research and development, strengthen education, and 
encourage entrepreneurship.'' In support of this initiative and in 
response to legislative mandates, data on R&D are delivered to OSTP, 
primarily in the biennial National Science Board report Science and 
Engineering Indicators. Also, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
produces a series of publications containing R&D data including the 
National Patterns of R&D Resources series, the S&E State Profile 
series, and the annual Business R&D and Innovation series. Special 
reports and other publications are also prepared.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau will use a paperless strategy for the standard 
form (BRDI-1). Respondents will be mailed a letter referring them to 
the Census Bureau's Business Help Site where they can complete the 
questionnaire online. They can also obtain a PDF version of the 
questionnaire or they can request a paper form be mailed to them. The 
screener is a mail out/mail back survey form (BRDI-1(S)); a Web-based 
collection option also will be available. Companies will be asked to 
respond within 60 days of the initial mail out.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0912.
    Form Number: BRDI-1 & BRDI-1S.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: All for-profit (public or private), domestic 
businesses that have 5 or more paid employees and are classified in 
certain industries.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

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BRDI-1--(Long Form).....................................           7,000
BRD-1(S)--(Short Form)..................................          38,000
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    Total...............................................          45,000
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    Estimated Time per Response:

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BRDI-1--(Long Form).....................................       14.85 hrs
BRD-1(S)--(Short Form)..................................         .59 hrs
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 126,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 131, 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: June 5, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-14166 Filed 6-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P