80 FR 53278 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Services Surveys: BE-30, Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers, and the BE-37, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and Expenses

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 171 (September 3, 2015)

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 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)).

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53278-53279]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21877]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Services 
Surveys: BE-30, Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign 
Expenses of U.S. Carriers, and the BE-37, Quarterly Survey of U.S. 
Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and Expenses

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 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 November 2, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instruments and instructions 
should be directed to Christopher Stein, Chief, Services Surveys Branch 
(SSB) BE-50, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9850; fax: (202) 606-5318; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses 
of U.S. Carriers (BE-30) is a survey that collects data from U.S. ocean 
freight carriers (owners and operators) whose total covered revenues or 
total covered expenses incurred outside the United States were $500,000 
or more in the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more 
during the current year. The covered revenues are: (1) Revenue on cargo 
outbound from U.S. ports and the associated shipping weight; (2) 
revenue on cargo inbound into the United States and the associated 
shipping weight; (3) revenue on cross-trade cargoes; (4) charter hire 
(with crew) and space leasing revenues from foreign residents. The 
covered expenses are: (1) Fuel expenses in foreign countries; (2) 
expenses in foreign countries other than fuel expenses; and (3) charter 
hire (with crew) and space leasing payments to foreign residents. A 
report is not required from U.S. ocean freight carriers whose total 
annual covered revenues and total annual covered expenses are below 
$500,000.
    The Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues 
and Expenses (BE-37) is a survey that collects data from U.S. airline 
operators engaged in the international transportation of goods and/or 
passengers and whose total covered revenues or total covered expenses 
incurred outside the United States were $500,000 or more in the 
previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more

[[Page 53279]]

during the current year. The covered revenues are: (1) Revenue derived 
from carriage of export freight and express from the United States to 
points outside the United States; (2) revenue derived from carriage of 
freight and express originating from, and destined to, points outside 
the United States; (3) revenue derived from transporting passengers 
originating from, and destined to, points outside the United States; 
(4) revenue from transporting passengers to and from the United States 
and the associated number of passengers; (5) interline settlement 
receipts from foreign airline operators. The covered expenses are: (1) 
Expenses incurred outside the United States for fuel and oil, station 
and maintenance bases, wages, and other goods and services purchased 
abroad (except aircraft leasing expenses); (2) aircraft (with crew) 
leasing expenses; and (3) interline settlement payments to foreign 
airline operators. A report is not required from U.S. airline operators 
whose total annual covered revenues and total annual covered expenses 
are below $500,000.
    The data collected on these surveys are needed to monitor U.S. 
trade in transport services to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the 
U.S. and foreign economies, to compile and improve the U.S. economic 
accounts, to support U.S. commercial policy on trade in transport 
services, to conduct trade promotion, and to improve the ability of 
U.S. businesses to identify and evaluate market opportunities. The data 
are used in estimating the transport component of the U.S. 
international transactions accounts (ITAs) and national income and 
product accounts (NIPAs).
    The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is proposing no additions, 
modifications, or deletions to the current BE-30 survey and minor 
additions and modifications to the current BE-37 survey to minimize 
respondent burden while considering the needs of data users. Existing 
language in the instructions and definitions will be reviewed and 
adjusted as necessary to clarify survey requirements.

II. Method of Collection

    Forms BE-30 and BE-37 are quarterly reports that must be completed 
within 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. BEA contacts 
potential respondents by mail the end of each calendar quarter. 
Entities required to report will be contacted individually by BEA. 
Entities not contacted by BEA have no reporting responsibilities.
    BEA offers electronic filing through its eFile system for use in 
reporting on the BE-30 and BE-37 quarterly survey forms. For 
information about eFile, go to www.bea.gov/efile. In addition, BEA 
posts all its survey forms and reporting instructions on its Web site, 
www.bea.gov/ssb. These may be downloaded, completed, printed, and 
submitted via fax or mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0011.
    Form Number: BE-30 and BE-37.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of BE-30 Responses: 280 annually (70 filed each 
quarter: 62 reporting mandatory data and 8 exemption claims).
    Estimated Number of BE-37 Responses: 128 annually (32 filed each 
quarter: 31 reporting mandatory data and 1 exemption claim).
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours is the average for those 
reporting data. 1 hour is the average for those not reporting data. 
Hours may vary considerably among respondents because of differences in 
company size and complexity.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,524 (1,024 for the BE-30; 
500 for the BE-37).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act (Pub. L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collections 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 
collections 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 included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 28, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-21877 Filed 9-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-06-P