Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Small Business Pulse Survey, 72210-72211 [2021-27601]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 21, 2021 / Notices
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within 30 days following the meeting.
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mtrachtenberg@usccr.gov. Persons who
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interested in the work of this advisory
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Agenda
Thursday, January 20, 2022, at
12:00 p.m. (ET)
I. Roll Call
II. Transition of Designated Federal
Official
III. Planning Meeting
IV. Open Comment
V. Adjourn
Dated: December 16, 2021.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2021–27591 Filed 12–20–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6335–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Small Business Pulse Survey
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed, and continuing
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:02 Dec 20, 2021
Jkt 256001
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
via the Federal Register on May 19,
2020 during a 60-day comment period.
This notice allows for an additional 30
days for public comments.
Agency: U. S. Census Bureau,
Commerce.
Title: Small Business Pulse Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0607–1014.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular Submission,
Request for a Revision of a Currently
Approved Collection.
Number of Respondents: 810,000
(22,500 responses per week for up to a
maximum of 36 weeks of collection).
Average Hours per Response: 6
minutes.
Burden Hours: 81,000.
Needs and Uses: Phase 1 of the Small
Business Pulse Survey was launched on
April 26, 2020 as an effort to produce
and disseminate high-frequency,
geographic- and industry-detailed
experimental data about the economic
conditions of small businesses as they
experience the coronavirus pandemic. It
is a rapid response endeavor that
leverages the resources of the federal
statistical system to address emergent
data needs. Given the rapidly changing
dynamics of this situation for American
small businesses, the Small Business
Pulse Survey has been successful in
meeting an acute need for information
on changes in revenues, business
closings, employment and hours
worked, disruptions to supply chains,
and expectations for future operations.
In addition, the Small Business Pulse
Survey provided important estimates of
federal program uptake to key survey
stakeholders.
Due to the ongoing nature of the
pandemic, the Census Bureau
subsequently conducted Phases 2
through 7 of the Small Business Pulse
Survey. The Census Bureau now seeks
approval to conduct Phase 8 of the
Small Business Pulse Survey which will
occur over 9 weeks starting February 14,
2022.
The continuation of the Small
Business Pulse Survey is responsive to
stakeholder requests for high frequency
data that measure the effect of changing
business conditions during the
Coronavirus pandemic on small
businesses. While the ongoing monthly
and quarterly economic indicator
programs provide estimates of dollar
volume outputs for employer businesses
of all size, the Small Business Pulse
Survey captures the effects of the
pandemic on operations and finances of
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Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
small, single location employer
businesses. As the pandemic continues,
the Census Bureau is best poised to
collect this information from a large and
diverse sample of small businesses.
It is hard to predict when a shock will
result in economic activity changing at
a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly
frequency. Early in the pandemic,
federal, state, and local policies were
moving quickly so it made sense to have
a weekly collection. The problem is that
while we are in the moment, we cannot
accurately forecast the likelihood of
policy action. In addition, we are not
able to forecast a change in the
underlying cause of policy actions: the
effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on
the economy. We cannot predict
changes in the severity of the pandemic
(e.g., will it worsen in flu season?) nor
future developments that will alleviate
the pandemic (e.g., vaccines or
treatments). In a period of such high
uncertainty, the impossibility of
forecasting these inflection points
underscores the benefits of having a
weekly survey. For these reasons, the
Census Bureau will proceed with a
weekly collection.
SBPS Phase 8 content continues the
inclusion of core concepts plus relevant
topics to gauge the impact of the
Coronavirus pandemic on small
businesses. There are 20 questions in
total for phase 8. A Phase 4/Phase 5
question inquiring about a businesses’
plans for capital expenditures was
updated to reference period 2021 and
added to the questionnaire. The
business norms questions 14 –17 were
updated to inquire about the last six
months rather than the March 2020
timeframe. The received assistance
question was removed as it referenced
legislature dates greater than a year ago
in December 2020. The remarks field at
the end of the survey still present.
The Census Bureau is seeking formal
approval for Phase 8 one week prior to
starting data collection, by Friday,
February 4, 2022.
Based on the SBPS success, the
Census Bureau is pursuing a permanent
program, the Business Pulse Survey.
The Business Pulse Survey will be an
ongoing collection that will allow the
Census Bureau to continuously provide
high frequency, timely, and granular
information about current economic
conditions and trends as well as the
impact of national, subnational, or
sector-level shocks and their impact on
business activity. The proposed
Business Pulse Survey would also allow
the Census Bureau to provide more
detailed, timely data during times of
economic or other emergencies. The
Census Bureau is pursuing parallel
E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM
21DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 21, 2021 / Notices
approval tracks for SBPS phase 8 and
the new Business Pulse Survey. In the
event that a postponement is required
for the Business Pulse Survey, we will
run data collection for phase 8 of the
SBPS.
All results from the Small Business
Pulse Survey will continue to be
disseminated as U.S. Census Bureau
Experimental Data Products (https://
portal.census.gov/pulse/data/). This and
additional information on the Small
Business Pulse Survey are available to
the public on census.gov.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations.
Frequency: Small business will be
selected once to participate in a 6minute survey.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C.,
Sections 131 and 182.
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function and
entering either the title of the collection
or the OMB Control Number 0607–1014.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2021–27601 Filed 12–20–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–07–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Foreign-Trade Zone
Applications
International Trade
Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
request for comment.
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites the general public and
other Federal agencies to comment on
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:02 Dec 20, 2021
Jkt 256001
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 preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration,
comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received
on or before February 22, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments by
email to Juanita Chen, Senior Foreign
Trade Zones Analyst, International
Trade Administration, or by email to
juanita.chen@trade.gov or
PRAcomments@doc.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0625–
0139 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to
Christopher Kemp, Office of ForeignTrade Zones, (202)482–0862 or
Christopher.Kemp@trade.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Foreign-Trade Zone Application
is the vehicle by which individual firms
or organizations apply for foreign-trade
zone (FTZ) status, for subzone status,
production authority, modifications of
existing zones, or for waivers. The FTZ
Act and Regulations (19 U.S.C. 81b and
81f; 15 CFR 400.21–25, 43(f)) set forth
the requirements for applications and
other requests to the FTZ Board. The
Act and Regulations require that
applications for new or modified zones
contain information on facilities,
financing, operational plans, proposed
production operations, need for FTZ
authority, and economic impact, where
applicable. Any request involving
production authority requires specific
information on the foreign status
components and finished products
involved. Applications for production
activity can involve issues related to
domestic industry and trade policy
impact. Such applications must include
specific information on the customstariff related savings that result from
zone procedures and the economic
consequences of permitting such
savings. The FTZ Board needs complete
and accurate information on the
proposed operation and its economic
effects because the Act and Regulations
authorize the Board to restrict or
prohibit operations that are detrimental
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
72211
to the public interest. The Regulations
(15 CFR 400.43(f)) also require specific
information for applications requesting
waivers by parties impacted by
400.43(d). This information is necessary
to assess the likelihood of the proposed
activity resulting in a violation of the
uniform treatment provisions of the FTZ
Act and Regulations.
II. Method of Collection
U.S. firms or organizations submit
applications by email to the office of
Foreign-Trade Zones.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0625–0139.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal
government, or not-for-profit
institutions applying for foreign-trade
zone status, subzone status,
modification of existing zones,
production authority, or waivers.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
288.
Estimated Time per Response: 3.5 to
131.0 hours (dependent on the type of
application).
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 2,521.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $123,000.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: The Foreign-Trade
Zones Act of 1934, as amended (19
U.S.C. 81a–81u), administered through
the FTZ Regulations (15 CFR part 400)
and CBP Regulations (19 CFR part 146).
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
E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM
21DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 21, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72210-72211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27601]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Small Business Pulse Survey
The Department of Commerce will submit the following information
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite 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. Public comments were previously requested via the
Federal Register on May 19, 2020 during a 60-day comment period. This
notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
Agency: U. S. Census Bureau, Commerce.
Title: Small Business Pulse Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0607-1014.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular Submission, Request for a Revision of a
Currently Approved Collection.
Number of Respondents: 810,000 (22,500 responses per week for up to
a maximum of 36 weeks of collection).
Average Hours per Response: 6 minutes.
Burden Hours: 81,000.
Needs and Uses: Phase 1 of the Small Business Pulse Survey was
launched on April 26, 2020 as an effort to produce and disseminate
high-frequency, geographic- and industry-detailed experimental data
about the economic conditions of small businesses as they experience
the coronavirus pandemic. It is a rapid response endeavor that
leverages the resources of the federal statistical system to address
emergent data needs. Given the rapidly changing dynamics of this
situation for American small businesses, the Small Business Pulse
Survey has been successful in meeting an acute need for information on
changes in revenues, business closings, employment and hours worked,
disruptions to supply chains, and expectations for future operations.
In addition, the Small Business Pulse Survey provided important
estimates of federal program uptake to key survey stakeholders.
Due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic, the Census Bureau
subsequently conducted Phases 2 through 7 of the Small Business Pulse
Survey. The Census Bureau now seeks approval to conduct Phase 8 of the
Small Business Pulse Survey which will occur over 9 weeks starting
February 14, 2022.
The continuation of the Small Business Pulse Survey is responsive
to stakeholder requests for high frequency data that measure the effect
of changing business conditions during the Coronavirus pandemic on
small businesses. While the ongoing monthly and quarterly economic
indicator programs provide estimates of dollar volume outputs for
employer businesses of all size, the Small Business Pulse Survey
captures the effects of the pandemic on operations and finances of
small, single location employer businesses. As the pandemic continues,
the Census Bureau is best poised to collect this information from a
large and diverse sample of small businesses.
It is hard to predict when a shock will result in economic activity
changing at a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly frequency. Early in the
pandemic, federal, state, and local policies were moving quickly so it
made sense to have a weekly collection. The problem is that while we
are in the moment, we cannot accurately forecast the likelihood of
policy action. In addition, we are not able to forecast a change in the
underlying cause of policy actions: the effect of the Coronavirus
pandemic on the economy. We cannot predict changes in the severity of
the pandemic (e.g., will it worsen in flu season?) nor future
developments that will alleviate the pandemic (e.g., vaccines or
treatments). In a period of such high uncertainty, the impossibility of
forecasting these inflection points underscores the benefits of having
a weekly survey. For these reasons, the Census Bureau will proceed with
a weekly collection.
SBPS Phase 8 content continues the inclusion of core concepts plus
relevant topics to gauge the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on
small businesses. There are 20 questions in total for phase 8. A Phase
4/Phase 5 question inquiring about a businesses' plans for capital
expenditures was updated to reference period 2021 and added to the
questionnaire. The business norms questions 14 -17 were updated to
inquire about the last six months rather than the March 2020 timeframe.
The received assistance question was removed as it referenced
legislature dates greater than a year ago in December 2020. The remarks
field at the end of the survey still present.
The Census Bureau is seeking formal approval for Phase 8 one week
prior to starting data collection, by Friday, February 4, 2022.
Based on the SBPS success, the Census Bureau is pursuing a
permanent program, the Business Pulse Survey. The Business Pulse Survey
will be an ongoing collection that will allow the Census Bureau to
continuously provide high frequency, timely, and granular information
about current economic conditions and trends as well as the impact of
national, subnational, or sector-level shocks and their impact on
business activity. The proposed Business Pulse Survey would also allow
the Census Bureau to provide more detailed, timely data during times of
economic or other emergencies. The Census Bureau is pursuing parallel
[[Page 72211]]
approval tracks for SBPS phase 8 and the new Business Pulse Survey. In
the event that a postponement is required for the Business Pulse
Survey, we will run data collection for phase 8 of the SBPS.
All results from the Small Business Pulse Survey will continue to
be disseminated as U.S. Census Bureau Experimental Data Products
(https://portal.census.gov/pulse/data/). This and additional
information on the Small Business Pulse Survey are available to the
public on census.gov.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Frequency: Small business will be selected once to participate in a
6-minute survey.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 182.
This information collection request may be viewed at
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of
this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Find this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently
under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search
function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB
Control Number 0607-1014.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-27601 Filed 12-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P