[Federal Register: October 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 200)]
[Notices]               
[Page 58806-58807]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17oc07-29]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce (DOC) 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.

[[Page 58807]]

    Title: 2007 Survey of Business Owners and Self-Employed Persons 
(SBO).
    Form Number(s): SBO-1.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden Hours: 240,000.
    Number of Respondents: 2,400,000.
    Average Hours Per Response: 12 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The 2007 Survey of Business Owners and Self-
Employed Persons (SBO) will provide the only comprehensive, regularly 
collected source of information on selected economic and demographic 
characteristics for businesses and business owners by gender, Hispanic 
or Latino origin, and race. It is conducted as part of the economic 
census program, which is required by law to be taken every five years.
    The SBO collects data on the gender, Hispanic or Latino origin, and 
race for up to four persons owning the majority of rights, equity, or 
interest in the business. These data are needed to evaluate the extent 
and growth of business ownership by minorities and women in order to 
provide a framework for assessing and directing federal, state, and 
local government programs designed to promote the activities of 
disadvantaged groups.
    Government program officials, industry organization leaders, 
economic and social analysts, and business entrepreneurs routinely use 
the SBO statistics. Examples of data use include those by:
     The Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Minority 
Business Development Agency (DOC/MBDA) to assess business assistance 
needs and allocate available program resources.
     Local government commissions on small and disadvantaged 
businesses to establish and evaluate contract procurement practices.
     Federal, state and local government agencies as a 
framework for planning, directing and assessing programs that promote 
the activities of disadvantaged groups.
     A national women-owned business trade association to 
assess women-owned businesses by industry and area, and educate other 
industry associations, corporations and government entities.
     Consultants and researchers to analyze long-term economic 
and demographic shifts, and differences in ownership and performance 
among geographic areas.
     Individual business owners to analyze their operations in 
comparison to similar firms, compute their market share, and assess 
their growth and future prospects.
    The businesses which reported any business activity on any one of 
the following Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax forms will be eligible 
for survey selection: 1040 (Schedule C), ``Profit or Loss from 
Business'' (Sole Proprietorship); 1065, ``U.S. Return of Partnership 
Income''; 941, ``Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return''; 944 
``Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return;'' or any one of the 1,120 
corporate tax forms.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Frequency: Every 5 years.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 of the United States Code (U.S.C.), 
Sections 131, 193, and 224.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    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 
dHynek@doc.gov).

    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, fax (202-395-7245) or e-mail 
bharrisk@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: October 11, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-20435 Filed 10-16-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-07-P