[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 220 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 68986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28912]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: Annual Capital Expenditures Survey.
    Form Number(s): ACE-1(S), ACE-1(M), ACE-1(Long), ACE-2.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0782.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 145,000 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 61,000.
    Avg. Hours Per Response: 2 hours and 23 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: Data on the amount of business expenditures for new 
plant and equipment and measures of the stock of existing facilities 
are critical to evaluate productivity growth, the ability of U.S. 
business to compete with foreign business, changes in industrial 
capacity, and measures of overall economic performance. The ACES is the 
current source of comprehensive statistics on business investment in 
buildings and other structures, machinery, and equipment for private 
non-farm businesses in the United States.
    The plan for the continued survey is a basic annual survey that 
collects fixed assets and depreciation, sales and receipts, and total 
capital expenditures for new and used structures and equipment 
separately, from employer enterprises. This collection is intended to 
represent the capital expenditure activity of all employer firms and 
provide comprehensive control estimates of total capital expenditures 
for structures and equipment by industry. A mail out/mail back survey 
form will be used to collect data. Employer companies will be mailed 
one of three forms based on their diversity of operations and number of 
industries with payroll. Major planned revisions from the previously 
approved collection are the elimination of the separate question on the 
amount of capitalized interest incurred during the year to produce or 
construct assets reported as capital expenditures; and, the addition of 
a request for data on capitalized costs of computer software developed 
or obtained for internal use.
    The ACES is an integral part of the Federal Government statistical 
program to improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs. Federal 
Government agencies, including the Census Bureau, use the data to 
improve and supplement ongoing statistical programs.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 182, 224, and 225.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202) 395-7245) or 
e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: November 8, 2002.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-28912 Filed 11-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-7-P