[Federal Register: June 18, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 117)]
[Notices]               
[Page 32844]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jn99-38]                         

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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