[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11478-11479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6148]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed revision of the ``International Price Program--
U.S. Import Price Indexes.''
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before May 12, 1997.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments which:

--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 
submissions of responses.

ADDRESSESS: Send comments to Karin G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212. Ms. Kurz can be 
reached on 202-606-7628 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The U.S. Import Price Indexes, produced continuously by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics' International Price Program (IPP) since 1971, 
measure price change over time for all categories of imported products, 
as well as many services. The Office of Management and Budget has 
listed the Import Price Indexes as a major economic indicator since 
1982.
    The indexes are widely used in both the public and private sectors. 
The primary public sector use is the

[[Page 11479]]

deflation of the U.S. Trade statistics and the Gross Domestic Product; 
the indexes are also used in formulating U.S. trade policy and in trade 
negotiations with other countries. In the private sector, uses of the 
Import Price Indexes include market analysis, inflation forecasting, 
contract escalation, and replacement cost accounting.
    The IPP indexes are closely followed statistics which are viewed as 
sensitive indicators of the economic environment. The Department of 
Commerce uses the monthly statistics to produce monthly and quarterly 
estimates of inflation-adjusted trade flows. Without continuation of 
data collection, it would be extremely difficult to construct accurate 
estimates of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. In addition, Federal 
policy-makers in the Department of the Treasury, the Council of 
Economic Advisors, and the Federal Reserve Board utilize these 
statistics on a regular basis to improve these agencies' formulation 
and evaluation of monetary and fiscal policy, and evaluation of the 
general business environment.

Current Actions

    The IPP continues to modernize data collection and processing to 
permit more timely release of its indexes and to reduce reporting 
burden. The IPP is using the telephone rather than personal visits for 
initiation in limited situations. We believe that initiation by 
telephone reduces reporting burden with no loss in response. Other 
potential initiation techniques to reduce burden being reviewed include 
less frequent sampling of more stable item areas, use of broader item 
areas in certain cases, and retention of items initiated in previous 
samples which reporters still trade. To reduce the time required for 
processing new items, direct entry of initiation data from the field 
will be tested. Also, for repricing, the use of fax telephone lines to 
permit direct collection and entry into our database is being 
considered. In addition, use of the Internet for monthly repricing is 
being reviewed, contingent upon the resolution of questions relating to 
the security of the data.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: International Price Program--U.S. Import Price Indexes.
    OMB Number: 1220-0026.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

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                                                                                                                           Average time      Estimated  
                      Form                            Total                     Frequency                  Total annual    per response    total burden 
                                                   respondents                                               responses        (hrs.)          (hrs.)    
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3007B..........................................           1,725  Annually...............................           1,725           1            1,725   
3008...........................................           1,725  Annually...............................           1,725            .334          576.15
3007D..........................................           3,235  Monthly/Quarterly......................          38,540            .56        21,582.4 
                                                ----------------                                         ----------------                ---------------
    Total......................................           4,960  .......................................          41,990  ..............       23,884   
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 6th day of March, 1997.
W. Stuart Rust, Jr.,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics.
[FR Doc. 97-6148 Filed 3-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M