[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 54 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13364-13365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6986]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: Bureau of the Census.
    Title: Questionnaire for Building Permit Official.
    Form Number(s): SOC-QBPO.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0125.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 209 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 835.
    Avg. Hours Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Bureau of the Census uses the Questionnaire for 
Building Permit Official in conjunction with the Survey of Housing 
Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), also known as 
the survey of construction (SOC). Data collected in the SOC are used to 
produce statistics on residential construction and are needed by 
economic policy makers to monitor this sector of the economy. Census 
field interviewers use the Questionnaire for Building Permit Official 
to obtain information on the operating procedures of a sample of the 
building permit issuing offices in the United States in order to 
locate, classify, list, and sample building permits for residential 
construction. This information is used to carry out the sampling for 
the SOC and to verify and update the geographic coverage of permit 
offices.
    In July 1997, we plan to convert to an electronic form to collect 
this data. We have been experimenting with Computer Assisted Personal 
Interviewing (CAPI) and have been using this technology on a test basis 
since November 1995. Currently, interviewers use a paper form to record 
respondents' answers. We have improved the CAPI instrument over the 
paper form based on a reassessment of our data capture needs and 
efforts to minimize burden. For example, we have deleted some items 
that are no longer used, added others that enhance the conduct of the 
SOC, and improve the flow of questions and overall survey 
administration.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 USC, Section 182.

[[Page 13365]]

    OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DOC Forms Clearance Officer, 
(202) 482-3272, Department of Commerce, room 5312, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk Officer, room 10201, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: March 14, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-6986 Filed 3-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P