[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 27719-27720] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-13249] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of the Census Title: 1997 Company Organization Survey ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 21, 1997. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Dennis Wagner, Bureau of the Census, Room 2546, Federal Building 3, Washington, DC 20233-6100, telephone (301) 457-2580. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The Census Bureau conducts the annual Company Organization Survey (COS) in order to update and maintain a central, multipurpose business register, known as the Standard Statistical Establishment List (SSEL). In particular, the COS supplies critical information to the SSEL concerning the establishment composition, organizational structure, and operating characteristics of multi establishment enterprises. The SSEL serves two fundamental purposes: --First and most important, it provides sampling populations and enumeration lists for the Census Bureau's economic surveys and censuses, and it serves as an integral part of the statistical foundation underlying those programs. Essential for this purpose is the SSEL's ability to identify all known United States business establishments and their parent enterprises. Further, the SSEL must accurately record basic business attributes needed to control sampling and enumeration. These attributes include industrial and geographic classifications, measures of size and economic activity, ownership characteristics, and contact information (for example, name and address). --Second, it provides establishment data that serve as the basis for the annual County Business Patterns (CBP) statistical series. CBP reports present data on number of establishments, first quarter payroll, annual payroll, and mid-March employment summarized by industry and employment size class for the United States, states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, counties, and county-equivalents. No other annual or more frequent series of industry statistics provides comparable detail, particularly for small geographic areas. II. Method of Collection The Census Bureau will conduct the 1997 COS in conjunction with the 1997 Economic Census and will coordinate these collections so as to minimize response burden. The consolidated COS/census mail canvass will direct inquiries to the entire SSEL universe of multi establishment enterprises, which comprises some 180,000 parent companies and more than 1.5 million establishments. The primary collection medium for the COS and census is paper questionnaire; however, several larger enterprises, which account for about 30 percent of covered establishments, will submit automated/electronic COS reports (many more enterprises will submit automated/electronic census reports). COS data content is identical for all reporting modes. Primary COS inquiries to each of the 180,000 multi establishment enterprises will include questions on ownership or control by a domestic parent, ownership or control by a foreign parent, and ownership of foreign affiliates. Additional COS inquiries will apply to approximately 5,000 enterprises that operate some 25,000 establishments classified in industries that are out-of-scope to the economic census. The additional inquiries will list an inventory of those out-of-scope establishments and request updates to the inventory, including additions; deletions; and changes to Federal employer identification number, name and address, and industrial classification. Further, the additional inquiries will collect the following basic operating data for each listed establishment: End-of-year operating status, mid-March employment, first quarter payroll, and annual payroll. The economic census will collect data for all other establishments of multi establishment enterprises, including those items listed above. In addition, the COS will include inquiries to approximately 1,000 large single establishment enterprises on ownership or control and industry classification. III. Data OMB Number: 0607-0444. Form Number: NC-9901. Type of Review: Regular Submission. Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions. Estimated Number of Respondents: 181,000 enterprises. Estimated Time Per Response: .30 hour. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 90,500. Estimated Total Annual Cost: Included in the total annual cost of the SSEL, which is estimated to be $7.6 million for fiscal year 1997. Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory. Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. sections 131 and 182. IV. Request for Comments Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or [[Page 27720]] included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Dated: May 15, 1997. Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and Organization. (FR Doc. 97-13249 Filed 5-20-97; 8:45 am) BILLING CODE 3510-07-P