2011-3693. 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: 2012 Economic Census General Classification Report.

OMB Control Number: 0607-0924.

Form Number(s): NC-99023.

Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of an expired collection.

Burden Hours: 16,667.

Number of Respondents: 100,000.

Average Hours Per Response: 10 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The Economic Census and current business surveys represent the primary source of facts about the structure and function of the U.S. economy, providing essential information to government and the business community in making sound decisions. This information helps build the foundation for the calculation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other economic indicators. Crucial to its success is the accuracy and reliability of the Business Register data, which provides the Economic Census and current business surveys with their establishment lists.

Critical to the quality of data in the Business Register is that establishments are assigned an accurate economic classification, based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The primary purpose of the “2012 Economic Census General Classification Report” or NC-99023, is to meet this need.

New businesses are assigned NAICS codes by the Social Security Administration (SSA); however, many of these businesses cannot be assigned detailed NAICS codes, because insufficient data are provided by respondents on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form SS-4. This report, conducted in fiscal years 2012 and 2013, will mail approximately 100,000 businesses per year that are unclassified or have been partially classified. Businesses selected for the sample will be asked to provide data on primary business activity in order to assign proper industry classification, thus maintaining proper coverage of the business universe.

There are few changes to the NC-99023 form since the last request was submitted for an OMB clearance in 2006. Changes will be made to the wording and organization of existing economic activity descriptions. Also, for the first time, respondents will have the option to report electronically via the Internet.

The NC-99023 form will be used to update the classification codes contained in the Business Register, ensuring establishments will be tabulated in the correct detailed industry for the 2012 Economic Census and in succeeding economic surveys. Information obtained from these establishments will also be included in the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (CBP) publications. CBP publications provide annual data on establishment counts, employment, and payroll for all sectors of the economy at national, State, and county levels. The failure to collect this information will have an adverse effect on the quality and usefulness of economic statistics provided by the Census Bureau.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions.

Frequency: Every 5 years.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 224.

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: February 15, 2011.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.