99-15570. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 32844]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-15570]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    
    Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
    
        DOC has submitted 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: Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey.
        Form Number(s): B-310.
        Agency Approval Number: 0607-0190.
        Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
        Burden: 5,320 hours.
        Number of Respondents: 3,800.
        Avg Hours Per Response: 7 minutes.
        Needs and Uses: The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (MWTS) provides 
    the only continuous measure of monthly sales, end-of-month inventories, 
    method of inventory valuation, and inventory/sales ratios in the United 
    States by selected kinds of business for merchant wholesalers. The 
    Bureau of Economic Analysis uses this information to improve the 
    inventory valuation adjustments applied to estimates of the Gross 
    Domestic Product (GDP). The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the data as 
    input to its Producer Price Indexes and in developing productivity 
    measurements.
        We currently publish wholesale sales and inventory estimates on the 
    Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis. Starting in the spring 
    of 2001, we will publish on the North American Industry Classification 
    System (NAICS) basis. The SIC definition of wholesale trade and the 
    NAICS definition of wholesale trade are substantially different. The 
    SIC defines wholesalers as establishments engaged in selling 
    merchandise to other businesses. NAICS distinguishes wholesalers from 
    retailers based on what the establishment does rather than to whom the 
    establishment sells. Wholesalers are defined as those establishments 
    that sell from offices or warehouses, usually in large quantities, 
    advertise to businesses rather than to the general public, and 
    generally have no walk-in traffic or formal displays. Businesses, 
    formerly classified in wholesale trade, that sell to the general public 
    are now classified as retail.
        NAICS provides a better way to classify individual businesses, and 
    will be widely adopted throughout both the public and private sectors. 
    NAICS will change the information that is currently available with 
    reclassifications, definitional changes, and movement of activities in 
    or out of wholesale trade. NAICS is more relevant as it identifies more 
    industries that contribute to today's growing economy. NAICS was 
    developed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to produce 
    comparable data among the NAFTA partners.
        In addition, the MWTS will convert its monthly report form to a 
    print-on demand system. This new 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 mail-out packages that contain 
    unique variable data, while improving the look and quality of the 
    products being produced.
        Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
        Frequency: Monthly.
        Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
        Legal Authority: Title 13 USC, Section 182.
        OMB Desk Officer: Linda Hutton, (202) 395-7858.
        Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
    by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DOC Forms Clearance Officer, 
    (202) 482-3272, Department of Commerce, room 5033, 14th and 
    Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
        Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
    collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
    to Linda Hutton, OMB Desk Officer, room 10201, New Executive Office 
    Building, Washington, DC 20503.
    
        Dated: June 15, 1999.
    Madeleine Clayton,
    Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
    [FR Doc. 99-15570 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/18/1999
Department:
Commerce Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
99-15570
Pages:
32844-32844 (1 pages)
PDF File:
99-15570.pdf