2010-30271. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The Department of Commerce will submit 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: U.S. Census Bureau.

Title: Annual Capital Expenditures Survey.

Form Number(s): ACE-1(S), ACE-1(M), ACE-1(L), ACE-2.

OMB Control Number: 0607-0782.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Burden Hours: 153,300.

Number of Respondents: 77,250.

Average Hours Per Response: 1.98 hours.

Needs and Uses: A major concern of economic policymakers is the adequacy of investment in plant and equipment. Data on the amount of business expenditures for new plant and equipment and measures of the stock of existing facilities are critical to evaluating productivity growth, the ability of U.S. business to compete with foreign business, changes in industrial capacity, and overall economic performance. The ACES survey is the sole source of detailed comprehensive statistics on investment in buildings and other structures, machinery, and equipment by private nonfarm businesses in the United States.

This request is for a continuation of a currently approved collection and will cover the 2010 through 2012 ACES (conducted in fiscal years 2011 through 2013). Changes from the previous ACES authorization are the elimination of detailed capital expenditures by type of structure and type of equipment. These data, collected every five years, were collected in the 2008 ACES and will not be collected again until the 2013 ACES.

The ACES is an integral part of the Federal Government's effort to improve the quality and usefulness of National economic statistics. Federal agencies, including the Census Bureau, use these data to improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs:

The Census Bureau uses the data to improve the quality of monthly economic indicators of investment. The Bureau's Value of New Construction Put in Place survey currently uses the ACES data to benchmark its industrial buildings data. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) uses the data in refining and evaluating annual estimates of investment in structures and equipment in the national income and product accounts, compiling annual input-output tables, and computing gross domestic product by industry. The Federal Reserve Board uses the data to improve estimates of investment indicators for monetary policy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the data to improve estimates of capital stocks for productivity analysis.

In addition, industry analysts use the data for market analysis, economic forecasting, product development, and business planning.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit Institutions.

Frequency: Annually.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority: The Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 182, 224, and 225.

OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, [phone].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, [phone], Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax [phone]) or e-mail ([e-mail]).

Dated: November 26, 2010.

Glenna Mickelson,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.