Bureau of the Census 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the 2013 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS). The AWTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Wholesale Trade sector as defined by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Through this survey, the Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, e- commerce sales, purchases, total operating expenses, year-end inventories held both inside and outside the United States, commissions, total operating revenue, and gross selling value, for three components of wholesale activity: wholesale distributors; manufacturers' sales branches and offices; and agents, brokers, and electronic markets. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business needs such as economic and market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand. The Census Bureau conducts the AWTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical data on wholesale trade annually.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is announcing the delay of the effective date of the final rule published March 14, 2013, scheduled to take effect on January 8, 2014, until April 5, 2014. This rule also announces the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of modifications to an existing information collection and the collection of two new data elements in the Automated Export System (AES) under control number 0607-0152.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is giving notice of a meeting, the National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other Populations (NAC). The committee will address census policies, research and methodology, tests, operations, communications/messaging and other activities to ascertain needs and best practices to improve censuses, surveys, operations and programs. The NAC will meet in a plenary session on December 5-6, 2013. Last-minute changes to the schedule are possible, which could prevent giving advance public notice of schedule adjustments.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the 2013 Company Organization Survey. The survey's data are needed, in part, to update the multilocation companies in the Business Register. The survey, which has been conducted annually since 1974, is designed to collect information on the number of employees, payroll, geographic location, current operational status, and kind of business for each establishment of companies with more than one location. We have determined that annual data collected from this survey are needed to aid the efficient performance of essential governmental functions, and that these data have significant application to the needs of the public and industry. The data derived from this survey are not available from any other source.

The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is giving notice of a meeting of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee (C-SAC). The C-SAC will meet in a plenary session from September 19-20, 2013. The Committee will address policy, research, and technical issues relating to a full range of Census Bureau programs and activities, including communications, decennial, demographic, economic, field operations, geographic, information technology, and statistics. Last minute changes to the agenda are possible, which could prevent giving advance public notice of schedule adjustments.

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 take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is giving notice of a virtual meeting of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee (CSAC). The CSAC will provide scientific and technical expertise from the following disciplines: Statistical sciences, demography, economics, geography, psychology, survey methodology, social and behavioral sciences, information technology, and other fields of expertise, as appropriate. Last minute changes to the agenda are possible, which could prevent giving advance public notice of schedule adjustments.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is amending its regulations to reflect new export reporting requirements. Specifically, the Census Bureau is requiring mandatory filing of export information through the Automated Export System (AES) or through AESDirect for all shipments of used self-propelled vehicles and temporary exports. In addition to adopting new export reporting requirements and modifying the postdeparture filing program, the Census Bureau is making remedial changes to the FTR to improve clarity and to correct errors.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the 2013 Annual Surveys in the Manufacturing Area. The 2013 Annual Surveys consist of the Annual Survey of Manufactures, the Business R&D and Innovation Survey, and the Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders Survey. We have determined that annual data collected from these surveys are needed to aid the efficient performance of essential governmental functions, and have significant application to the needs of the public and industry. The data derived from these surveys, most of which have been conducted for many years, are not publicly available from nongovernmental or other governmental sources. For more information on these surveys (e.g. forms and reporting instructions, due dates, etc.), visit the Census Bureau's Business Help Site and select the survey name.