[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 135 (Monday, July 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32677-32678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14871]


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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.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before September 15, 2017.

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 Susan Pozzanghera, Economy-Wide Statistics 
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, (301) 763-7169 or via email 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 wholesale 
trade sector as defined by the North American Industry Classification 
System (NAICS). This sector include distributors, manufacturers' sales 
branches and offices, as well as agents and brokers.
    Firms are selected for this survey using a stratified random sample 
where strata are defined by type of operation, industry, and annual 
sales size. The sample is drawn from the Business Register (BR), which 
is the Census Bureau's master business list containing basic economic 
information for over 7.4 million employer businesses and over 22.5 
million nonemployer businesses.
    The BR obtains information using direct data collections and 
administrative record information from federal agencies. The AWTS 
sample is updated quarterly to reflect business ``births'' and 
``deaths'' by adding newly established employer businesses and deleting 
companies when it is determined they are no longer active.
    The AWTS introduced a new sample for 2016. The Census Bureau 
requested two years of data from all sample firms in order to link the 
old and new samples, ensuring that the published estimates continue to 
be reliable and accurate. The 2017 AWTS and subsequent years will 
request one year of data until a new sample is selected again in five 
years. The 2017 AWTS will also collect detailed business expenditure 
items and sales tax data, in response to a request for this data from 
the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). These data items are collected 
on the AWTS survey in years ending in 2 and 7, which coincide with the 
economic census collection.
    The AWTS data is collected electronically using the Census Bureau's 
secure online reporting instrument (Centurion). This electronic system 
of reporting is designed to allow

[[Page 32678]]

respondents easier access, convenience and flexibility. In the few 
cases of companies that have no access to the Internet, the Census 
Bureau can arrange for the companies to provide data to an analyst via 
telephone.
    The AWTS survey collects data on annual sales, e-commerce sales, 
operating expenses, purchases, commissions, and year-end inventories. 
There are five electronic form types based on the specific type of 
operation and structure of the sampled firm. Each form asks a different 
subset of the items listed above based on relevance to their type of 
operation. These data are used to satisfy a variety of public and 
business needs such as economic market analysis, company performance, 
and forecasting future demands. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses 
the data in developing the Nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 
estimates and the national accounts' input-output tables. The Bureau of 
Labor Statistics uses the data as an input to its producer price 
indices and in developing productivity measurements.
    Results will be available by type of operation and item collected 
at the United States summary level approximately fifteen months after 
the end of the reference year.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau primarily collects this information via the 
Internet and, in rare cases when respondents have no access to the 
Internet, by telephone.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0195.
    Form Number(s): SA-42, SA-42A, 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: 8,900.
    Estimated Time per Response: 93.6 minutes (2017 survey year--
additional items collected); 28.8 minutes (2018 and 2019 survey years).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 13,884 hours (2017 survey 
year--additional items collected); 4,272 hours (2018 and 2019 survey 
years).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondents Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131 and 
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, and will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-14871 Filed 7-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P