2014-00501. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey

AGENCY:

U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION:

Notice.

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:

To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before March 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to to William Abriatis, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 8K081, Washington, DC 20233-6500, [phone] (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (MWTS) provides the only continuous measure of monthly sales, end-of-month inventories, and inventories/sales ratios in the United States by selected kinds of business for merchant wholesalers, excluding manufacturers' sales branches and offices. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses this information to improve the inventory valuation adjustments applied to estimates of the Gross Domestic Product. The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the data as input to their Producer Price Indexes and in developing productivity measurements.

Estimates produced from the MWTS are based on a probability sample and are published on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. The sample design consists of small, medium, and large cases requested to report sales and inventories each month. The sample, consisting of about 4,200 wholesale businesses, is drawn from the Business Register, which contains all Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and listed establishment locations. The sample is updated quarterly to reflect employer business “births” and “deaths”; adding new employer businesses identified in the Business and Professional Classification Survey and deleting firms and EINs when it is determined they are no longer active.

The MWTS will continue to generate its monthly report form through a print-on demand system. This system allows us to tailor the survey instrument to a specific industry. For example, it will print an additional instruction for a particular NAICS code. This system also reduces the time and cost of preparing mailout packages that contain unique variable data, while improving the look and quality of the products produced.

II. Method of Collection

We collect this information by Internet, fax, mail, and telephone follow-up.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0607-0190.

Form Number: SM4212-A and SM4212-E.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: U.S. merchant wholesale firms, excluding manufacturers' sales branches

and offices.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,200.

Estimated Time per Response: 7 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,880 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondent for fiscal year 2013 is estimated to be $179,634.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

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.

Dated: January 9, 2014.

Glenna Mickelson,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.