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]

Download as PDF 72210 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 21, 2021 / Notices not refund any incurred charges. Individuals who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. may also follow the proceedings by first calling the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and providing the Service with the call-in number found through registering at the web link provided for these meetings. Members of the public are entitled to make comments during the open period at the end of the meetings. Members of the public may also submit written comments; the comments must be received in the Regional Programs Unit within 30 days following the meeting. Written comments may be emailed to Mallory Trachtenberg at mtrachtenberg@usccr.gov. Persons who desire additional information may contact the Regional Programs Unit at (202) 539–8246. Records and documents discussed during the meetings will be available for public viewing as they become available at www.facadatabase.gov. Persons interested in the work of this advisory committee are advised to go to the Commission’s website, www.usccr.gov, or to contact the Regional Programs Unit at the above phone number or email address. 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 PO 00000 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]


=======================================================================
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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; 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
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