[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23415-23416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10759]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket Number 180415374-8374-01]


Current Mandatory Business Surveys

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) has determined 
that it is conducting the following current mandatory business surveys 
in 2018: Annual Retail Trade Survey, Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, 
Service Annual Survey, Report of Organization, Manufacturers' Unfilled 
Orders Survey, Annual Capital Expenditures Survey, Business Research 
and Development (R&D) Survey, and the Business and Professional 
Classification Report. We have determined that data collected from 
these surveys are needed to aid the efficient performance of essential 
governmental functions and have significant application to the needs of 
the public and industry. The data derived from these surveys, most of 
which have been conducted for many years, are not publicly available 
from nongovernmental or other governmental sources.

ADDRESSES: The Census Bureau will make available the reporting 
instructions to the organizations included in the surveys. Additional 
copies are available upon written request to the Director, 4600 Silver 
Hill Road, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Orsini, Assistant Director for 
Economic Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, 5H160, 
Washington, DC 20233, Telephone: 301-763-2558; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The surveys described herein are authorized 
by Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 131, 182 and 193 and 
are necessary to furnish current data on the subjects covered by the 
major censuses. These surveys are made mandatory under the provisions 
of Sections 224 and 225 of Title 13, U.S.C. These surveys will provide 
continuing and timely national statistical data for the period between 
economic censuses. The data collected in the surveys will be within the 
general scope and nature of those inquiries covered in the economic 
census. The next economic census will be conducted in 2018 for the 
reference year 2017.

Annual Retail Trade Survey

    The Annual Retail Trade Survey collects data on annual sales, sales 
tax, e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the 
United States, total operating expenses, purchases, and accounts 
receivable from a sample of employer firms with establishments 
classified in retail trade as defined by the North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS). These data serve as a benchmark for the 
more frequent estimates compiled from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey. 
During the 2017 survey year that will be collected in 2018, this survey 
will additionally collect detailed operating expenses data. These items 
are collected once every 5 years.

Annual Wholesale Trade Survey

    The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey collects data on annual sales, e-
commerce sales, year-end inventories held both inside and outside of 
the United States, method of inventory valuation, total operating 
expenses, purchases, gross selling value, and commissions from a sample 
of employer firms with establishments classified in wholesale trade as 
defined by the NAICS. These data serve as a benchmark for the more 
frequent estimates compiled from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey. 
During the 2017 survey year that will be collected in 2018, this survey 
will additionally collect detailed operating expenses and sales tax 
data. These items are collected once every five years. These additional 
questions are only applicable to the merchant wholesale establishments, 
excluding manufacturers' sales branches and offices.

Service Annual Survey

    The Service Annual Survey collects annual data on total revenue, 
select detailed revenue, total and detailed expenses, and e-commerce 
revenue for a sample of businesses in the service industries. These 
industries include Utilities; Transportation and Warehousing; 
Information; Finance and Insurance; Real Estate and Rental and Leasing; 
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Administration and 
Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Educational 
Services; Health Care and Social Assistance; Arts, Entertainment, and 
Recreation; Accommodation and Food Services; and Other Services as 
defined by the NAICS. These data serve as a benchmark for the more 
frequent estimates compiled from the Quarterly Services Survey.

Report of Organization

    The Report of Organization collects annual data on ownership or 
control by a domestic or foreign parent and ownership of foreign 
affiliates. This includes research and development, company activities 
such as employees from a professional employer organization, 
operational status, mid-March employment, first-quarter payroll, and 
annual payroll of establishments from a sample of multi-establishment 
enterprises in order to update and maintain a centralized, multipurpose 
business register. For survey year 2017 that will be collected in 2018, 
the Report of Organization will be conducted in conjunction with the 
2017 Economic Census, as has been done for previous economic censuses. 
During this year, the universe of multi-establishment companies will 
receive Report of Organization inquiries.

[[Page 23416]]

Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders Survey

    The Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders Survey collects annual data on 
sales and unfilled orders in order to provide annual benchmarks for 
unfilled orders for the monthly Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, 
and Orders (M3) survey. The Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders Survey data 
are also used to determine whether it is necessary to collect unfilled 
orders data for specific industries on a monthly basis, as some 
industries are not requested to provide unfilled orders data in the M3 
Survey.

Annual Capital Expenditures Survey

    The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey collects annual data on the 
amount of business expenditures for new and used structures and 
equipment from a sample of non-farm, non-governmental companies, 
organizations, and associations. Both employer and nonemployer 
companies are included in the survey. The data are the sole source of 
investment in buildings and other structures, machinery, and equipment 
by all private nonfarm businesses in the United States, by the 
investing industry, and by kind of investment. Every five years, 
detailed data by types of structures and types of equipment are 
collected from companies with employees. These detailed data will be 
collected for the 2017 reference year, which began with data collection 
in March 2018.

Business Research and Development Survey

    The Business Research and Development Survey (BRDS) collects annual 
data on spending for research and development activities by businesses. 
This survey replaced the Survey of Industrial Research and Development 
that had been collected since the 1950s. The BRDS collects global as 
well as domestic spending information, more detailed information about 
the R&D workforce, and information regarding intellectual property from 
U.S. businesses. The Census Bureau collects and compiles this 
information in accordance with a joint project agreement between the 
National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Census Bureau. The NSF posts 
the joint project's information results on its website. Beginning in 
2018, and for the 2017 reference year, the BRDS will no longer collect 
R&D and innovation statistics from micro businesses, or firms with less 
than 5 employees. Additionally, the BRDS will no longer collect data on 
innovation. This information will now be collected through a new 
collection called the Annual Business Survey.

Business and Professional Classification Report

    The Business and Professional Classification Report collects one-
time data on a firm's type of business activity from a sample of newly 
organized employer firms. The data are used to update the sampling 
frames for our current business surveys to reflect these newly opened 
establishments. Additionally, the business classification data will 
help ensure businesses are directed to complete the correct report in 
the economic census.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    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 currently valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 
45, OMB approved the surveys described in this notice under the 
following OMB control numbers: Annual Retail Trade Survey, 0607-0013; 
Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, 0607-0195; Service Annual Survey, 0607-
0422; Report of Organization, 0607-0444; Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders 
Survey, 0607-0561; Annual Capital Expenditures Survey, 0607-0782; 
Business R&D and Innovation Survey, 0607-0912; and Business & 
Professional Classification Report, 0607-0189.
    Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that the current 
mandatory business surveys be conducted for the purpose of collecting 
these data.

    Dated: May 15, 2018.
Ron S. Jarmin,
Associate Director for Economic Programs, performing the non-exclusive 
functions and duties of the Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2018-10759 Filed 5-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P