[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9541-9542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3693]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


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

[[Page 9542]]

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, (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 6616, 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 Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: February 15, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-3693 Filed 2-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P