[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 164 (Friday, August 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48118-48119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18531]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Construction Progress Reporting Survey

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed extension of the Construction Progress Reporting Survey, prior 
to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB 
for approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before October 26, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference the Construction 
Progress Reporting Survey in the subject line of your comments. You may 
also submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2021-0022, to 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. All 
comments received are part of the public record. No comments will be 
posted to http://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the 
comment period has closed. Comments will generally be posted without 
change. All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and 
address) voluntarily

[[Page 48119]]

submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit 
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information. You may submit attachments to electronic comments in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Aidan Smith, Assistant Division Chief, Construction Indicator 
Programs, Economic Indicators Division, U.S. Census Bureau, 301-763-
2972 or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request an extension of a currently 
approved collection for forms C-700, C-700(R), C-700(SL), and C-700(F). 
These forms are used to conduct the Construction Progress Reporting 
Surveys (CPRS) and collect information on the dollar value of 
construction put in place. Form C-700, for Private Construction 
Projects, collects construction put in place data for nonresidential 
projects owned by private companies or individuals. Form C-700(R), for 
Multifamily Residential Projects, collects construction put in place 
data for private multifamily residential buildings. Form C-700(SL), for 
State and Local Government Projects, collects construction put in place 
data for state and local government projects. Form C-700(F), for 
Federal Government Projects, collects construction put in place data 
for federal government projects.
    The Census Bureau uses the information from these surveys to 
publish the value of construction put in place for the monthly 
`Construction Spending' principal economic indicator. Published 
estimates are used by a variety of private businesses and trade 
associations to estimate the demand for building materials and to 
schedule production, distribution, and sales efforts. They also provide 
various government agencies with a tool to evaluate economic policy. 
For example, Bureau of Economic Analysis staff use data to develop the 
construction components of gross private domestic investment in the 
gross domestic product. The Federal Reserve Board and the Department of 
the Treasury use the value in place data to predict the gross domestic 
product, which is presented to the Board of Governors and has an impact 
on monetary policy.
    There are currently no planned content changes to the 
questionnaires.

II. Method of Collection

    An independent systematic sample of construction projects is 
selected each month according to predetermined sample rates. Once a 
project is selected, it remains in the sample until completion. For the 
preliminary mailing, preprinted forms are mailed to respondents. After 
the preliminary mailing, respondents have the option to report online. 
Respondents that consistently report electronically, receive email 
notifications and reminders to complete the online survey. 
Nonrespondents are later called by a Census interviewer and are asked 
to report data over the phone. Interviews are scheduled at the 
convenience of the respondent, which further reduces their burden. 
Respondents having their information available from an internal 
database at the time of the interview greatly helps reduce the time 
spent on the phone.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0153.
    Form Number(s): C-700, C-700(R), C-700(SL), C-700(F).
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for an Extension, 
without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals, Businesses or Other for Profit, Not-
for-Profit Institutions, Small Businesses or Organizations, State and 
Local Governments and the Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

C-700 = 6,200
C-700(R) = 2,500
C-700(SL) = 11,800
C-700(F) = 1,500
Total = 22,000

    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes for the first month; 10 
minutes for subsequent months. We estimate, on average, that projects 
remain in sample for 12 months.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 51,333.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 131 and 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-18531 Filed 8-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P