Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property With Foreign Persons, 25959 [2012-10564]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• Bureau of Economic Analysis

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 25959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10564]


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 2, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 25959]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly 
Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property 
With Foreign Persons

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 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 comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 2, 2012.

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 jjessup@doc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information or copies of the survey and instructions to Christopher 
Emond, Chief, Special Surveys Branch, Balance of Payments Division, 
(BE-50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9826; fax: (202) 606-5318; or 
via the Internet at christopher.emond@bea.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Form BE-125, Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services 
and Intellectual Property with Foreign Persons, obtains quarterly data 
from U.S. companies whose sales of covered services or intellectual 
property to foreign persons exceeded $6 million for the previous fiscal 
year or are expected to exceed that amount during the current fiscal 
year, or whose purchases of covered services or intellectual property 
from foreign persons exceeded $4 million for the previous fiscal year 
or are expected to exceed that amount during the current fiscal year. 
The data collected are cut-off sample data. In addition, estimates are 
developed based upon previously reported or estimated data for non-
respondents, including those U.S. persons who fall below the reporting 
threshold for the quarterly survey but reported on a previous benchmark 
survey.
    The data are needed to monitor U.S. international trade in these 
transactions, analyze its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies, 
compile and improve the U.S. economic accounts, support U.S. commercial 
policy on trade in selected services and intellectual property, conduct 
trade promotion, and improve the ability of U.S. businesses to identify 
and evaluate market opportunities.
    Responses will be due within 45 days after the close of each 
calendar quarter, except for the final quarter of the respondents' 
fiscal year, when reports are due within 90 days after the close of the 
quarter. The data from the survey are primarily intended as general 
purpose statistics. They are needed to answer any number of research 
and policy questions related to cross-border trade in services and 
intellectual property.
    The title of the form is being changed to Quarterly Survey of 
Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property with 
Foreign Persons from Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected 
Services and Intangible Assets with Foreign Persons to align with the 
benchmark survey that the BE-125 updates on a quarterly basis. The 
remainder of the form is unchanged from the prior version. No changes 
in the data collected or in exemption levels are proposed.

II. Method of Collection

    The surveys are sent to the respondents by U.S. mail; the surveys 
are also available from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Web site. 
Respondents return the surveys one of four ways: U.S. mail, 
electronically using BEA's electronic collection system (eFile), fax, 
or email.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0067.
    Form Number: BE-125.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approve information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, and 
non-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000 per quarter; 8,000 annually.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours for mandatory responses, and 
1 hour for other responses.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 98,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: The International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended.

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 will 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; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 27, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-10564 Filed 5-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P