[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 1164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00300]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket Number 151216999-5999-01]


Annual Wholesale Trade Survey

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of the 
Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the 
Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the 
2015 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS). The AWTS covers employer 
firms with establishments located in the United States and classified 
in the Wholesale Trade sector as defined by the 2007 North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS). Through this survey, the Census 
Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, e-commerce sales, 
purchases, total operating expenses, year-end inventories held both 
inside and outside the United States, commissions, total operating 
revenue, and gross selling value, for three components of wholesale 
activity: Wholesale distributors; manufacturers' sales branches and 
offices; and agents, brokers, and electronic markets. These data are 
collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of 
policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for 
use for a variety of public and business needs such as economic and 
market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand. 
The Census Bureau conducts the AWTS to provide continuing and timely 
national statistical data on wholesale trade annually.

ADDRESSES: The Census Bureau will provide electronic worksheets to 
businesses included in the survey. Additional copies are available upon 
written request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 
20233-0101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Pozzanghera, Economy Wide 
Statistics Division, at (301) 763-7169 or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 131 and 182 of Title 13 of the 
United States Code (U.S.C.) authorize the Census Bureau to take surveys 
that are necessary to produce current data on the subjects covered by 
the Economic Census. Sections 224 and 225 of Title 13 make response to 
the AWTS mandatory. As part of this authorization, the Census Bureau 
conducts the AWTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical 
data on wholesale trade activity every year for the period between 
economic censuses. The AWTS covers employer firms with establishments 
located in the United States and classified in the Wholesale Trade 
sector as defined by the 2007 NAICS. The 2015 AWTS will collect data 
for three components of wholesale activity: Wholesale distributors; 
manufacturers' sales branches and offices; and agents, brokers, and 
electronic markets. For wholesale distributors, the Census Bureau will 
collect data covering sales, e-commerce sales, year-end inventories 
held inside and outside the United States, purchases, and total 
operating expenses. For manufacturers' sales branches and offices, the 
Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, e-commerce 
sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States 
and total operating expenses. For agents, brokers, and electronic 
markets, the Census Bureau will collect data covering commissions, 
total operating revenue, gross selling value, and total operating 
expenses. The Census Bureau has determined that this survey is 
necessary, as these data are not available publicly on a timely basis 
from non-governmental or other government sources. Public reporting 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 29 
minutes per response.
    Firms were selected for the AWTS survey using a stratified random 
sample based on industry groupings and annual sales size. In an effort 
to streamline operations and conserve taxpayer time and money, the 2015 
AWTS will be a paperless-based collection. We will provide electronic 
reporting instructions to the firms covered by this survey in March 
2016 and will require their response by April 27, 2016. We will 
continue to provide guidance and instructions on reporting without 
forms using the secure Centurion system and secure email. Firms' 
responses to the AWTS are required by law (13 U.S.C. Sections 224 and 
225), and the responses are confidential (13 U.S.C. Section 9). The 
sample of firms selected will provide, with measurable reliability, 
statistics on annual sales, e-commerce sales, purchases, total 
operating expenses, year-end inventories held both inside and outside 
the Unites States, commissions, total operating revenue, and gross 
selling value, for 2015.
    The data collected in this survey will be similar to that collected 
in the past and within the general scope and nature of those inquiries 
covered in the quinquennial economic census, which was most recently 
conducted in 2012. These data are collected to provide a sound 
statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government 
agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and 
business needs such as economic and market analysis, company 
performance, and forecasting future demand.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of 
information displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, 
OMB approved the AWTS under OMB control number 0607-0195.
    Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that the annual survey be 
conducted for the purpose of collecting these data.

    Dated: January 5, 2016.
John H. Thompson,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2016-00300 Filed 1-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P