Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview and Diary, 34949-34950 [2019-15363]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 139 (Friday, July 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34949-34950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15363]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly 
Interview and Diary

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) 
revision titled, ``Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview 
and Diary,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before August 19, 2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov website at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201903-1220-001 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Frederick Licari by telephone at 202-693-8073, TTY 202-693-8064, (these 
are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to 
[email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-BLS, 
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor--OASAM, Office of 
the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information 
Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frederick Licari by telephone at 202-
693-8073, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or 
sending an email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for 
revisions to the Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly Interview and 
Diary. The Consumer Expenditure Surveys are used to gather information 
on expenditures, income, and other related subjects. These data are 
used to periodically update the national Consumer Price Index. In 
addition the data are used by a variety of researchers in academia, 
government agencies, and the private sector. The data are collected 
from a national probability sample of households designed to represent 
the total civilian non-institutional population. In order to 
accommodate Large Scale Feasibility Online Diary test, several 
modifications will be made to production procedures and collection 
including the addition of two question relating to internet access, 
implementation of an online Diary, and the addition of debriefing 
questions. The study will obtain an expected 1,200 completed cases. The 
large sample size is needed in order to perform statistically 
significant analysis of any differences in data quality between the 
online diaries and production (paper) diaries prior to full production 
implementation. The study sample will be further divided into two 
groups, with one group receiving a $5 incentive. The CPI program is 
changing its source of outlet frame information from the Telephone 
Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS) to the CEQ and CED surveys. As a 
result, the sample size for the CE surveys will increase. The BLS 
conducts the CE Surveys under the authority of Title 29, Section 2 of 
the United States Code.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless the OMB, under the PRA, approves it and displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1220-0050. The current approval is scheduled to 
expire on December 31, 2021; however, the DOL notes that existing 
information collection requirements submitted to the OMB will receive a 
month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements 
would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive 
information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the 
Federal Register on March 14, 2019 (84 FR 9383).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1220-0050. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate 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.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-BLS.

[[Page 34950]]

    Title of Collection: Consumer Expenditure Surveys: Quarterly 
Interview and Diary.
    OMB Control Number: 1220-0050.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 13,801.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 59,536.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 52,337 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

    Dated: July 12, 2019.
Frederick Licari,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-15363 Filed 7-18-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-24-P