Annual Integrated Economic Survey, 53452-53453 [2023-16926]

Download as PDF 53452 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 151 / Tuesday, August 8, 2023 / Notices ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments regarding this information collection received by September 7, 2023 will be considered. 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. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Risk Management Agency Title: Subpart U-Ineligibility for Programs under the Federal Crop Insurance Act. OMB Control Number: 0563–0085. Summary of Collection: FCIC is a wholly-owned Government corporation created February 16, 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1501). The program was amended previously, but Public Law 96–365, dated September 26, 1980, provided for nationwide expansion of a comprehensive crop insurance program. The Federal Crop Insurance Act (Act), as amended in later years, further expanded the role of the crop insurance program to be the principal tool for risk management by producers of agricultural commodities. The Act further required that the crop insurance program operate on an actuarially sound basis. To meet these goals, existing crop programs must be improved and expanded, new crop products developed, and new insurance concepts studied for possible implementation. Meeting these goals requires the collection of a wide range of information (data elements). These data elements are used in part to determine insurance coverage, premiums, subsidies, payments, and indemnities. It creates an information database used to support continued development and improvements in crop insurance products available to producers and which meet the goal of a sound insurance program. The Act was again amended on June 20, 2000, by Public Law 106–224 which mandates changes to crop insurance regulations, provides for independent review of crop VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:00 Aug 07, 2023 Jkt 259001 insurance products by persons experienced as actuaries and in underwriting, and gives contracting authority for the development of new products. Need and Use of the Information: The purpose of collecting the information is to ensure persons that are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program are accurately identified as such and do not obtain benefits to which they are not eligible. A person can become ineligible for benefits for three reasons: (1) Debt on unpaid premium or overpaid indemnity (information provided by AIP; (2) Debt on unpaid CAT fee (information provided by AIP); and (3) Debarment/ disqualification/suspension, including but not limited to judgement, civil fines, etc. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and AIPs use the information collected to determine whether a person seeking to obtain Federal crop insurance coverage are ineligible for such coverage according to the statutory/regulatory mandates identified. Failure to collect the applicable information could result in unearned Federal benefits being issued. Description of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits. Number of Respondents: 14. Frequency of Responses: On occasions; Annually. Total Burden Hours: 2,207. Levi S. Harrell, Departmental Information Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2023–16859 Filed 8–7–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–08–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau [Docket Number 230728–0178] RIN 0607–XC070 Annual Integrated Economic Survey Census Bureau, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of determination. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). We have determined that data to be collected in this survey are needed to aid the efficient performance of essential governmental functions and have significant application to the needs of businesses, organizations, and the public. The AIES will provide the only comprehensive national and subnational data on business revenues, SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 expenses, and assets on an annual basis. The data derived from this survey are not publicly available from nongovernmental or other governmental sources. ADDRESSES: The Census Bureau will make available the reporting instructions to the organizations included in the surveys. Additional copies are available upon written request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233–0101. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Orsini, Associate Director for Economic Programs, Telephone: 301–763–1858; Email: Nick.Orsini@census.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an effort to improve measurements of the economy in the United States, the Census Bureau will conduct the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). The AIES is a new survey designed to combine several existing Census Bureau annual survey collections to reduce respondent burden and simultaneously increase data quality and operational efficiencies. The AIES integrates and replaces the following existing annual collections: the Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS) (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0607–0013), the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) (OMB control number 0607–0195), the Service Annual Survey (SAS) (OMB control number 0607–0422), the Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) (OMB control number 0607–0449), the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) (OMB control number 0607–0782), the Manufacturer’s Unfilled Orders Survey (M3UFO) (OMB control number 0607– 0561), and the Report of Organization (OMB control number 0607–0444). The Census Bureau plans to conduct the AIES on an annual basis, beginning with a preparatory 2022 AIES dress rehearsal (collected in calendar year 2023) and the full-scale AIES implementation beginning in survey year 2023 (collected in calendar year 2024). The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal will be a small-scale collection that will mimic the collection instrument and procedures planned for the full-scale 2023 AIES. The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal will allow the Census Bureau to examine patterns of response and to determine what additional support respondents will need in future collections. To minimize the burden imposed on companies already in one or more of the seven annual surveys that the AIES will replace, responses submitted for the 2022 AIES dress rehearsal will fulfill survey year 2022 reporting requirements for the E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM 08AUN1 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 151 / Tuesday, August 8, 2023 / Notices integrated surveys. The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal and subsequent full-scale AIES collections are authorized by title 13 U.S.C. 131, 182, and 193. Response to the dress rehearsal and the AIES is mandatory per sections 224 and 225 of title 13 U.S.C. All information collected will be kept confidential, consistent with the provisions of title 13 U.S.C. 9. The AIES covers all domestic, private, non-farm employer businesses headquartered in the U.S. as defined by the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Exclusions are most foreign operations of U.S. businesses and most government operations (including the U.S. Postal Service), agricultural production companies, and private households. The AIES sample is selected from a frame of approximately 5.4 million companies constructed from the Business Register (BR), which is the Census Bureau’s master business list. The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal will sample approximately 8,500 employer businesses and the full-scale AIES will sample approximately 385,000 employer businesses. Of the 385,000 employer businesses, the Census Bureau will select approximately 36,500 companies with 100% probability, based on the complexity of their operations. The remaining companies in the frame will be stratified within sector by geographic category within 3-digit industry NAICS classification. This is an unequal probability sample, with company inclusion probabilities accounting for contribution(s) to both national and subnational estimates of annual payroll. The AIES estimates will include data on employment; revenue including sales; shipments; receipts; revenue by class of customer; sources of revenue; taxes, contributions; gifts and grants; products; e-commerce activity; operating expenses including purchased services; payroll; benefits; rental payments; utilities; interest; resales; equipment; materials and supplies; research and development; other detailed operating expenses; and assets which includes capital expenditures; inventories; depreciable assets; and robotics. The AIES will provide continuous and timely national and subnational statistical data on the economy. Government program officials, industry organization leaders, economic and social analysts, business entrepreneurs, and domestic and foreign researchers in academia, business, and government will use statistics from AIES. More details on expected uses of the statistics from the AIES are found in the 30-Day VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:00 Aug 07, 2023 Jkt 259001 Notice for the AIES (88 FR 19906; April 4, 2023). Public Comments: The Census Bureau published a Notice of Consideration in the Federal Register on November 4, 2022 (87 FR 66643) giving notice that it was considering a proposal to conduct the AIES. No comments were received in response to that notice. The Census Bureau subsequently published a Notice in the Federal Register on April 4, 2023 (88 FR 19906), which invited comment on the information collection request associated with the AIES. Census received one comment on that latter notice. The commenter agreed that the AIES should reduce respondent burden, increase data quality, and allow greater operational efficiencies. In addition, the commenter supported situations where the AIES may include new questions each year on policy-relevant topics such as technological advances, management and business practices, exporting practices, and globalization. The commenter also requested that Census be required to carry out additional research to ensure a reduction in NAICS code misclassification among survey respondents. Census Bureau Response to the Public Comment: The Census Bureau supports conducting additional research and identifying opportunities to reduce NAICS misclassification. However, this effort is outside the scope of this action, research should be conducted on a larger-scale and not confined to the AIES. NAICS classification for companies selected in the AIES is driven by the Economic Census and the Census Bureau’s BR. The Census Bureau is participating in discussions that are underway regarding a Federal statistical agency ‘‘data synchronization’’ effort across multiple agencies. The Census Bureau agrees to provide a research plan to address NAICS misclassification issues within one year of ICR approval. OMB Terms of Clearance: OMB approved the 2022 AIES dress rehearsal portion of the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES), including all relevant testing aspects. Prior to conducting the full-scale AIES, the Census Bureau will consult with OMB to determine next steps for clearing the full-scale AIES. In addition, in light of the Census Bureau’s finding in Supporting Statement Part B ‘‘that NAICS classifications can be unnatural or challenging for some businesses,’’ the Census Bureau within 1 year of this clearance shall provide OMB a research plan (and relevant research updates) to address such NAICS classification issues. This research plan will include ways the Census Bureau plans to estimate the percentage of respondents PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 53453 across collections that select an incorrect NAICS code; how the Census Bureau plans to estimate the extent and source of differences in NAICS code assignments by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the same establishments; and possible approaches the Census Bureau could take to reduce NAICS misclassification. Paperwork Reduction Act Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 45, OMB approved the AIES under the OMB control number 0607– 1024. Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that the Annual Integrated Economic Survey be conducted for the purpose of collecting these data. Robert L. Santos, Director, Census Bureau, approved the publication of this Notice in the Federal Register. Dated: August 3, 2023. Shannon Wink, Program Analyst, Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Census Bureau. [FR Doc. 2023–16926 Filed 8–7–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–07–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XC993] Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to a Marine Geophysical Survey in Coastal Waters Off of Texas National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorization; request for comments on proposed authorization and possible renewal. AGENCY: NMFS has received a request from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a marine geophysical survey in coastal waters off of Texas. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM 08AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53452-53453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16926]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau

[Docket Number 230728-0178]
RIN 0607-XC070


Annual Integrated Economic Survey

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of the Census (Census 
Bureau) is conducting the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). We 
have determined that data to be collected in this survey are needed to 
aid the efficient performance of essential governmental functions and 
have significant application to the needs of businesses, organizations, 
and the public. The AIES will provide the only comprehensive national 
and subnational data on business revenues, expenses, and assets on an 
annual basis. The data derived from this survey are not publicly 
available from nongovernmental or other governmental sources.

ADDRESSES: The Census Bureau will make available the reporting 
instructions to the organizations included in the surveys. Additional 
copies are available upon written request to the Director, U.S. Census 
Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233-0101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Orsini, Associate Director for 
Economic Programs, Telephone: 301-763-1858; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an effort to improve measurements of the 
economy in the United States, the Census Bureau will conduct the Annual 
Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). The AIES is a new survey designed to 
combine several existing Census Bureau annual survey collections to 
reduce respondent burden and simultaneously increase data quality and 
operational efficiencies. The AIES integrates and replaces the 
following existing annual collections: the Annual Retail Trade Survey 
(ARTS) (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0607-
0013), the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) (OMB control number 
0607-0195), the Service Annual Survey (SAS) (OMB control number 0607-
0422), the Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) (OMB control number 
0607-0449), the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) (OMB control 
number 0607-0782), the Manufacturer's Unfilled Orders Survey (M3UFO) 
(OMB control number 0607-0561), and the Report of Organization (OMB 
control number 0607-0444).
    The Census Bureau plans to conduct the AIES on an annual basis, 
beginning with a preparatory 2022 AIES dress rehearsal (collected in 
calendar year 2023) and the full-scale AIES implementation beginning in 
survey year 2023 (collected in calendar year 2024). The 2022 AIES dress 
rehearsal will be a small-scale collection that will mimic the 
collection instrument and procedures planned for the full-scale 2023 
AIES. The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal will allow the Census Bureau to 
examine patterns of response and to determine what additional support 
respondents will need in future collections. To minimize the burden 
imposed on companies already in one or more of the seven annual surveys 
that the AIES will replace, responses submitted for the 2022 AIES dress 
rehearsal will fulfill survey year 2022 reporting requirements for the

[[Page 53453]]

integrated surveys. The 2022 AIES dress rehearsal and subsequent full-
scale AIES collections are authorized by title 13 U.S.C. 131, 182, and 
193. Response to the dress rehearsal and the AIES is mandatory per 
sections 224 and 225 of title 13 U.S.C. All information collected will 
be kept confidential, consistent with the provisions of title 13 U.S.C. 
9.
    The AIES covers all domestic, private, non-farm employer businesses 
headquartered in the U.S. as defined by the 2017 North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS). Exclusions are most foreign 
operations of U.S. businesses and most government operations (including 
the U.S. Postal Service), agricultural production companies, and 
private households. The AIES sample is selected from a frame of 
approximately 5.4 million companies constructed from the Business 
Register (BR), which is the Census Bureau's master business list. The 
2022 AIES dress rehearsal will sample approximately 8,500 employer 
businesses and the full-scale AIES will sample approximately 385,000 
employer businesses. Of the 385,000 employer businesses, the Census 
Bureau will select approximately 36,500 companies with 100% 
probability, based on the complexity of their operations. The remaining 
companies in the frame will be stratified within sector by geographic 
category within 3-digit industry NAICS classification. This is an 
unequal probability sample, with company inclusion probabilities 
accounting for contribution(s) to both national and subnational 
estimates of annual payroll.
    The AIES estimates will include data on employment; revenue 
including sales; shipments; receipts; revenue by class of customer; 
sources of revenue; taxes, contributions; gifts and grants; products; 
e-commerce activity; operating expenses including purchased services; 
payroll; benefits; rental payments; utilities; interest; resales; 
equipment; materials and supplies; research and development; other 
detailed operating expenses; and assets which includes capital 
expenditures; inventories; depreciable assets; and robotics.
    The AIES will provide continuous and timely national and 
subnational statistical data on the economy. Government program 
officials, industry organization leaders, economic and social analysts, 
business entrepreneurs, and domestic and foreign researchers in 
academia, business, and government will use statistics from AIES. More 
details on expected uses of the statistics from the AIES are found in 
the 30-Day Notice for the AIES (88 FR 19906; April 4, 2023).
    Public Comments: The Census Bureau published a Notice of 
Consideration in the Federal Register on November 4, 2022 (87 FR 66643) 
giving notice that it was considering a proposal to conduct the AIES. 
No comments were received in response to that notice. The Census Bureau 
subsequently published a Notice in the Federal Register on April 4, 
2023 (88 FR 19906), which invited comment on the information collection 
request associated with the AIES. Census received one comment on that 
latter notice. The commenter agreed that the AIES should reduce 
respondent burden, increase data quality, and allow greater operational 
efficiencies. In addition, the commenter supported situations where the 
AIES may include new questions each year on policy-relevant topics such 
as technological advances, management and business practices, exporting 
practices, and globalization. The commenter also requested that Census 
be required to carry out additional research to ensure a reduction in 
NAICS code misclassification among survey respondents.
    Census Bureau Response to the Public Comment: The Census Bureau 
supports conducting additional research and identifying opportunities 
to reduce NAICS misclassification. However, this effort is outside the 
scope of this action, research should be conducted on a larger-scale 
and not confined to the AIES. NAICS classification for companies 
selected in the AIES is driven by the Economic Census and the Census 
Bureau's BR. The Census Bureau is participating in discussions that are 
underway regarding a Federal statistical agency ``data 
synchronization'' effort across multiple agencies. The Census Bureau 
agrees to provide a research plan to address NAICS misclassification 
issues within one year of ICR approval.
    OMB Terms of Clearance: OMB approved the 2022 AIES dress rehearsal 
portion of the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES), including all 
relevant testing aspects. Prior to conducting the full-scale AIES, the 
Census Bureau will consult with OMB to determine next steps for 
clearing the full-scale AIES. In addition, in light of the Census 
Bureau's finding in Supporting Statement Part B ``that NAICS 
classifications can be unnatural or challenging for some businesses,'' 
the Census Bureau within 1 year of this clearance shall provide OMB a 
research plan (and relevant research updates) to address such NAICS 
classification issues. This research plan will include ways the Census 
Bureau plans to estimate the percentage of respondents across 
collections that select an incorrect NAICS code; how the Census Bureau 
plans to estimate the extent and source of differences in NAICS code 
assignments by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 
the same establishments; and possible approaches the Census Bureau 
could take to reduce NAICS misclassification.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of 
information displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 
45, OMB approved the AIES under the OMB control number 0607-1024.
    Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that the Annual 
Integrated Economic Survey be conducted for the purpose of collecting 
these data.
    Robert L. Santos, Director, Census Bureau, approved the publication 
of this Notice in the Federal Register.

    Dated: August 3, 2023.
Shannon Wink,
Program Analyst, Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Census Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2023-16926 Filed 8-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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