05-3077. Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

February 9, 2005.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has submitted the following public information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting Darrin King on 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or e-mail: [e-mail].

Comments should be sent to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, 202-395-7316 (this is not a toll-free number), within 30 days from the date of this publication in the Federal Register.

The OMB 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 submission of responses.

Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Title: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.

OMB Number: 1220-0050.

Frequency: Quarterly and weekly.

Type of Response: Reporting and recordkeeping.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Collection of Information	Total respondents	Annual responses	Average response time (hours)	Annual burden hours
Quarterly Interview Survey:
Interview	10,157	40,628	1.17	47,400
Re-interview	3,283	3,283	0.25	821
Incentives test questions	6,500	6,500	0.01	55
Diary Survey (CE-801):
Interview	7,530	22,590	0.42	9,413
Re-interview	954	954	0.25	239
Weekly Diary (Recordkeeping)	7,530	15,060	1.75	26,355
Total	*17,687	**82,515		84,283
*Re-interview and incentive test question respondents are a subset of the original number of respondents for each survey. Also, for the Diary, the “Record of Your Daily Expenses” respondents are the same as the “Household Questionnaire” respondents. Therefore, they are not counted again in the total number of respondents.
**The incentive test questions are part of the “Quarterly Interview Survey” for the test group; therefore, they are not counted in the total number of annual responses.

Total Annualized Capital/Startup Costs: $0.

Total Annual Costs (Operating/Maintaining Systems or Purchasing Services): $0.

Description: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys are used to gather information on expenditures, income, and other related subjects. These data are used to periodically update the national Consumer Price Index. In addition the data are used by a variety of researchers in academia, government agencies, and the private sector. The data are collected from a national probability sample of households designed to represent the total civilian non-institutional population.

This information collection request includes the BLS' plans to conduct a one year incentives experiment for the Quarterly Interview Survey from November 2005 through October 2006. This incentives experiment was not referenced in the 60-day notice.

Ira L. Mills,

Departmental Clearance Officer.