[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 81 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18373-18375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10115]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


1997 Economic Census Covering Construction Industry Sector

ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activity; comment 
request.

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SUMMARY: 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)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 24, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Patricia L. Horning, Bureau of the Census, Room 
2125, Building 4, Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-4680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of 
timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the 
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program 
commitment during nondecennial census years. The economic census, 
conducted under authority of Title 13 U.S.C., is the primary source of 
facts about the structure and functioning of the Nation's economy and 
features unique industry and geographic detail. Economic census 
statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and 
provide essential information for government, business and the general 
public. The 1997 Economic Census will cover virtually every sector of 
the U.S. economy including more than 2.3 million construction 
establishments.

II. Method of Collection

    The construction industry sector of the economic census will select 
establishments for their mail canvasses from a frame given by the 
Census Bureau's Standard Statistical Establishment List. To be eligible 
for selection, an establishment will be required to satisfy the 
following conditions: (i) It must be classified in the construction 
industry sector; (ii) it must be an active operating establishment of a 
multi-establishment firm, or it must be a single-establishment firm 
with payroll; and (iii) it must be located in one of the 50 states or 
the District of Columbia. Mail selection procedures will distinguish 
the following groups of establishments:

A. Establishments of Multi-Establishment Firms

    Selection procedures will assign all active construction 
establishments of multi-establishment firms to the mail component of 
the potential respondent universe. We estimate that the census mail 
canvass for 1997 will include approximately 11,000 construction 
establishment firms.

B. Single-Establishment Firms With Payroll

    As an initial step in the selection process, we will conduct a 
study of the potential respondent universe for construction industries. 
The study of potential respondents will produce payroll cutoffs that we 
will use to distinguish large versus small single-establishment firms 
within each industry or kind of business. This payroll size distinction 
will affect selection as follows:
1. Large Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign large single-establishment firms 
having annualized payroll (from Federal administrative records) that 
equals or exceeds the cutoff for their industry to the mail component 
of the potential respondent universe. We estimate that the census mail 
canvass for 1997 will include approximately 20,000 construction firms 
in this category.
2. Small Single-Establishment Firms
    Selection procedures will assign a sample of small single-
establishment firms having annualized payroll below the cutoff for 
their industry to the mail component of the potential respondent 
universe. Sampling strata and corresponding probabilities of selection 
will be determined by a study of the potential respondent universe 
conducted shortly before mail selection operations begin. We estimate 
that the census mail canvass for 1997 will include approximately 99,000 
construction firms in this category.

C. Establishments With No Payroll

    All establishments with no payroll will be represented in the 
census by data from Federal administrative records.

III. Data

    The information collected from businesses in these sectors of the 
economic census will produce basic statistics by industry for number of 
establishments, value of construction work done, payroll, employment, 
selected costs, depreciable assets, and capital expenditures. It also 
will yield a variety of subject statistics, including estimates of type 
of construction work done, kind of business activity and other 
industry-specific measures.
    OMB Number: Not Available.
    Form Number: The forms used to collect information from businesses 
in this sector of the economic census are tailored to specific business 
practices and are too numerous to list separately in this notice. You 
can obtain information on the proposed content of the forms by calling 
Patricia L. Horning on (301) 457-4680.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Businesses or Other for Profit, Non-profit 
Institutions, Small Businesses or Organizations, and State or Local 
Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 130,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2.2 hrs.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 286,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this 
work is included in the total cost of the 1997 Economic Census, 
estimated to be $224 million.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.


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    Dated: April 18, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-10115 Filed 4-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P