Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 51570-51571 [E6-14369]

Download as PDF jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 51570 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 30, 2006 / Notices provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Agency: U.S. Census Bureau. Title: Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization. Form Number(s): MQ–C1, MQ–C2. Agency Approval Number: 0607– 0175. Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection. Burden: 74,250 hours. Number of Respondents: MQ–C1— 17,000; MQ–C2—6,000. Avg. Hours per Response: MQ–C1— 2.25 hours; MQ–C2—1.5 hours. Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests a revision of approval for the Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (SPC). The current survey is conducted annually and collects fourth quarter production data. The survey provides information on use of industrial capacity in manufacturing and publishing plants as defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). It is the only source of capacity rates at the 6-digit NAICS industry levels. Changes in capacity utilization are considered important indicators of investment demand and inflationary pressure. For these reasons, the estimates of capacity utilization are closely monitored by government and private policy makers. The annual survey (MQ–C1) collects the value of fourth quarter production and the value of production that could have been achieved if operating under ‘‘full production’’ and ‘‘emergency production’’ levels. The ratios of the actual to the full and emergency production levels are the basis of the estimates of capacity utilization. The survey also collects information by shift, on work patterns at actual production and full production levels. With support from the Federal Reserve Board (FRB), the Census Bureau is requesting approval to collect capacity utilization data on a quarterly basis in addition to the annual collection. Response to the quarterly survey (MQ–C2) would be voluntary. Response to the annual survey is mandatory. The quarterly survey would collect a subset of the data collected on the annual survey. The FRB is the primary user of the current SPC data and have expressed the need for these quarterly data. The FRB publishes measures of industrial production (IP) that are either estimated from physical product data or estimated from monthly data on inputs to the production process, specifically production worker hours and an indicator of capital input. For many years, data on electric power use was VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:39 Aug 29, 2006 Jkt 208001 used as the indicator of industry capital input. The deregulation of electricity markets led to the deterioration in the coverage and quality of the electricity data. As a result, in November 2005, the FRB discontinued its use of the industrial electric power data in the current estimates of IP. In order to maintain the quality of the IP index, the collection of these quarterly utilization data, such as the workweek of capital, become critical indicators of capital input use and industry output. The FRB will use these data in several ways. First, the capital workweek data will be used as an indicator of capital use in the estimation of monthly output (IP). Second, the workweek data will also be used to improve the projections of labor productivity that are used to align IP with comprehensive benchmark information in the Economic Census covering the Manufacturing sector and Annual Survey of Manufactures. Third, the utilization rate data will assist in the assessment of recent changes in IP, as most of the high-frequency movement in utilization rates reflect production changes rather than capacity changes. The Defense Logistics Agency uses the data to assess readiness to meet demand for goods under selected national emergency scenarios. Affected Public: Business or other forprofit. Frequency: MQ–C1—Annually; MQ– C2—Quarterly. Respondent’s Obligation: MQ–C1— Mandatory; MQ–C2—Voluntary. Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 182 and 225. OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395–5103. Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dhynek@doc.gov). Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202–395–7245) or e-mail (susan_schechter@omb.eop.gov). Dated: August 24, 2006. Madeleine Clayton, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6–14359 Filed 8–29–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–07–P PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request DOC will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Agency: U.S. Census Bureau. Title: Quarterly Services Survey (QSS). Form Number(s): QSS–1(A), QSS– 1(E), QSS–2(A), QSS–2(E), QSS–3(A), QSS–3(E), QSS–4(A), QSS–4(E), QSS– 5(A), QSS–5(E). Agency Approval Number: 0607– 0907. Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection. Burden: 11,922 hours. Number of Respondents: 13,000. Avg. Hours per Response: 13.75 minutes. Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests an extension with revision of the current OMB approval of the Quarterly Services Survey (QSS). The QSS currently canvasses and collects data from employer businesses in select service industries. These industries include information; professional, scientific and technical services; hospitals; nursing and residential care facilities; and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services industries. The QSS provides the most current reliable measures of total operating revenue and percentage of revenue by class of customer on a quarterly basis. In addition, the QSS provides the only current quarterly measure of total operating expenses from tax-exempt firms in industries that have a large not-for-profit component. All respondent data are received by mail, fax, telephone, or Internet reporting. Before the QSS economic indicator existed for the service sector, which accounts for nearly 55 percent of all economic activity, the only data available were from the Service Annual Survey (SAS) and 5-year economic census. The QSS was developed to address and provide more up-to-date estimates of services output. Based on this effort, the QSS is a major source for the development of quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an indicator of short-term economic change. The total operating revenue estimates produced from the QSS provide current trends of economic service industry activity in the United States from service providers with paid employees. E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1 jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 30, 2006 / Notices In addition to revenue, we also collect total operating expenses from taxexempt firms in industries that have a large not-for-profit component. Operating expenses provide a better measure of the economic activity of these firms. Expense estimates produced by the QSS, in addition to inpatient days and discharges for the hospital industry, are used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to project and study hospital regulation, Medicare payment adequacy, and other related projects. Beginning in January 2007, the Census Bureau will expand the QSS to include coverage of truck transportation; couriers and messengers; warehousing and storage; rental and leasing; ambulatory healthcare services; social assistance; arts, entertainment, and recreation; repair and maintenance; personal and laundry services; grant making, civic, professional, and similar organizations from employer businesses. The QSS expansion will be based on data collection from four new forms: QSS–4(A); QSS–4(E); QSS–5(A); and QSS–5(E). The QSS–4(A/E) will only ask for quarterly revenue. The QSS–5(A/ E) will ask for quarterly revenue and the percentage of admissions revenue. In year 2007, for select questionnaires, we may replace select questions with industry specific variable content. This questionnaire adjustment was proposed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). According to the BEA, an implementation of such proposed changes would assist them in making better use of the QSS data and lead to improved estimates of Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) services. The BEA is the primary Federal user of data collected in the QSS. The BEA utilizes this timely data to make improvements to the national accounts for service industries. In the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA), the quarterly data allow more accurate estimates of both PCE and private fixed investment. For example, recently published revisions to the quarterly NIPA estimates resulted from the incorporation of new source data from the QSS. Revenue data from the QSS are also used to produce estimates of gross output by industry that allow BEA to produce a much earlier version of the gross domestic product by industry estimates. Estimates produced from the QSS are used by the BEA as a component of quarterly GDP estimates. The estimates also provide the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) and Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) with timely information on current economic performance. All VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:39 Aug 29, 2006 Jkt 208001 estimates collected from this survey are used extensively by various government agencies and departments on economic policy decisions; private businesses; trade organizations; professional associations; academia; and other various business research and analysis organizations The CMS uses the QSS data to develop hospital spending estimates in the National Accounts. In addition, the QSS data improve their ability to analyze hospital spending trends. They also use the data in their healthcare indicator analysis publication; ten-year health spending forecast estimates; and studies in hospital regulation and Medicare policy, procedures, and trends. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) utilizes the QSS data to assess payment adequacy in the current Medicare program. The FRB and the CEA use the QSS information to better assess current economic performance. In addition, other government agencies, businesses, and investors use the QSS data for market research, industry growth, business planning and forecasting. Affected Public: Business or other forprofit, non-profit institutions. Frequency: Quarterly. Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182. OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395–5103. Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dhynek@doc.gov). Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202–395–7245) or e-mail (susan_schechter@omb.eop.gov). Dated: August 24, 2006. Madeleine Clayton, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6–14369 Filed 8–29–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–07–P PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51571 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau 2007 Census Bilingual Form Study ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request. 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, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(C)(2)(A)). Written comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 2006. DATES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at Dhynek@doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instruments and instructions should be directed to Kathleen Styles, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 3H075, Washington, DC 20233–9200, 301–763–3460 (or via the Internet at Kathleen.M.Styles@census.gov). ADDRESSES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract In September 2005, the Census Bureau conducted the 2005 National Census Test (NCT) to evaluate a variety of short form questionnaire content and design modification, and the effect of a bilingual questionnaire on response rates and data quality. For more information on the 2005 NCT, see Federal Register: November 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 210). For the 2005 NCT, the bilingual questionnaire had a ‘‘swim lane’’ design that provided two response columns, one in English and one in Spanish, each containing the same questions and response categories. This form was mailed to a randomly selected set of 10,000 housing units across the United States. Based on the results from the 2005 NCT concerning the effects of the bilingual census form, the Census Bureau is conducting the 2007 Census Bilingual Form Study (CBiFS). Results from the 2005 NCT show that the bilingual form significantly increased the self response rate nationally (by 2.2 percentage points for paper response, E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51570-51571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14369]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    DOC will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Quarterly Services Survey (QSS).
    Form Number(s): QSS-1(A), QSS-1(E), QSS-2(A), QSS-2(E), QSS-3(A), 
QSS-3(E), QSS-4(A), QSS-4(E), QSS-5(A), QSS-5(E).
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0907.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 11,922 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 13,000.
    Avg. Hours per Response: 13.75 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests an extension with 
revision of the current OMB approval of the Quarterly Services Survey 
(QSS). The QSS currently canvasses and collects data from employer 
businesses in select service industries. These industries include 
information; professional, scientific and technical services; 
hospitals; nursing and residential care facilities; and administrative 
and support and waste management and remediation services industries. 
The QSS provides the most current reliable measures of total operating 
revenue and percentage of revenue by class of customer on a quarterly 
basis. In addition, the QSS provides the only current quarterly measure 
of total operating expenses from tax-exempt firms in industries that 
have a large not-for-profit component. All respondent data are received 
by mail, fax, telephone, or Internet reporting.
    Before the QSS economic indicator existed for the service sector, 
which accounts for nearly 55 percent of all economic activity, the only 
data available were from the Service Annual Survey (SAS) and 5-year 
economic census. The QSS was developed to address and provide more up-
to-date estimates of services output. Based on this effort, the QSS is 
a major source for the development of quarterly Gross Domestic Product 
(GDP) and an indicator of short-term economic change.
    The total operating revenue estimates produced from the QSS provide 
current trends of economic service industry activity in the United 
States from service providers with paid employees.

[[Page 51571]]

    In addition to revenue, we also collect total operating expenses 
from tax-exempt firms in industries that have a large not-for-profit 
component. Operating expenses provide a better measure of the economic 
activity of these firms. Expense estimates produced by the QSS, in 
addition to inpatient days and discharges for the hospital industry, 
are used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to 
project and study hospital regulation, Medicare payment adequacy, and 
other related projects.
    Beginning in January 2007, the Census Bureau will expand the QSS to 
include coverage of truck transportation; couriers and messengers; 
warehousing and storage; rental and leasing; ambulatory healthcare 
services; social assistance; arts, entertainment, and recreation; 
repair and maintenance; personal and laundry services; grant making, 
civic, professional, and similar organizations from employer 
businesses.
    The QSS expansion will be based on data collection from four new 
forms: QSS-4(A); QSS-4(E); QSS-5(A); and QSS-5(E). The QSS-4(A/E) will 
only ask for quarterly revenue. The QSS-5(A/E) will ask for quarterly 
revenue and the percentage of admissions revenue.
    In year 2007, for select questionnaires, we may replace select 
questions with industry specific variable content. This questionnaire 
adjustment was proposed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). 
According to the BEA, an implementation of such proposed changes would 
assist them in making better use of the QSS data and lead to improved 
estimates of Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) services.
    The BEA is the primary Federal user of data collected in the QSS. 
The BEA utilizes this timely data to make improvements to the national 
accounts for service industries. In the National Income and Product 
Accounts (NIPA), the quarterly data allow more accurate estimates of 
both PCE and private fixed investment. For example, recently published 
revisions to the quarterly NIPA estimates resulted from the 
incorporation of new source data from the QSS. Revenue data from the 
QSS are also used to produce estimates of gross output by industry that 
allow BEA to produce a much earlier version of the gross domestic 
product by industry estimates.
    Estimates produced from the QSS are used by the BEA as a component 
of quarterly GDP estimates. The estimates also provide the Federal 
Reserve Board (FRB) and Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) with timely 
information on current economic performance. All estimates collected 
from this survey are used extensively by various government agencies 
and departments on economic policy decisions; private businesses; trade 
organizations; professional associations; academia; and other various 
business research and analysis organizations
    The CMS uses the QSS data to develop hospital spending estimates in 
the National Accounts. In addition, the QSS data improve their ability 
to analyze hospital spending trends. They also use the data in their 
healthcare indicator analysis publication; ten-year health spending 
forecast estimates; and studies in hospital regulation and Medicare 
policy, procedures, and trends.
    The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) utilizes the QSS 
data to assess payment adequacy in the current Medicare program.
    The FRB and the CEA use the QSS information to better assess 
current economic performance. In addition, other government agencies, 
businesses, and investors use the QSS data for market research, 
industry growth, business planning and forecasting.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, non-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
dhynek@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-
mail (susan_schechter@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: August 24, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-14369 Filed 8-29-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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