82 FR 31786 - Proposed Collection, Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 130 (July 10, 2017)

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed new collection of the ``Quick Business Survey Operations Test.'' A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 130 (Monday, July 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31786-31787]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14358]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95). This program helps to ensure that requested data 
can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and 
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly 
understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents 
can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed new collection of the 
``Quick Business Survey Operations Test.'' A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before September 8, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, at 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) intends to conduct an 
operations test of a Quick Business Survey (QBS). The BLS will conduct 
the test to evaluate QBS survey processes and operations in a possible 
production environment. If successful, a QBS would permit BLS to 
collect information about the U.S. economy more efficiently than is 
currently possible. This would allow data users to be able to 
understand the impact of specific events on the economy in a timely 
manner. Relevancy is one of BLS's main missions, and a QBS would allow 
BLS to provide information to the public in a more timely way that 
would be far more relevant to data users.
    Each year, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) 
Program conducts the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) by reaching out to 
approximately 1.2 million establishments requesting verification of 
their main business activity, and their mailing and physical location 
addresses. The fully web-based ARS provides a low-cost platform for 
conducting the QBS. The QBSs accompanying the ARS would have little 
data collection overhead, leveraging the address refinement, printing, 
and mailing efforts that are undertaken as part of the production ARS. 
Respondents already logged into the ARS secure Web site could be 
directed to a QBS and asked to answer a limited number of additional 
survey questions after completing the ARS.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
Quick Business Survey (QBS) Operations Test.

[[Page 31787]]

    A QBS would allow BLS to leverage the multitude of information 
already known about the sample units to allow for targeted sampling. 
Samples could be selected based on different characteristics such as 
monthly employment, quarterly wages, industry codes, non-profit vs for 
profit status, etc. A QBS would permit BLS to target only the units 
meeting the specific set of characteristics desired allowing BLS to 
delve into specific areas of economic interest without burdening 
establishments which do not meet the specific targeted features. The 
QBS is designed to encourage a fast response and minimize respondent 
burden. In this manner, BLS can provide information that is needed 
quickly and is not collected elsewhere.
    The goals of the test are to develop and evaluate a QBS system, to 
understand the extent to which ARS respondents have access to different 
types of information in order to provide parameters for future QBS, and 
to estimate response rates.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Quick Business Survey Operations Test.
    OMB Number: 1220--NEW.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit institutions, not-
for-profit institutions, and farms.
    Total Respondents: 10,520.
    Frequency: One time.
    Total Responses: 10,520.
    Average Time per Response: Five minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 877 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 3rd day of July 2017.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2017-14358 Filed 7-7-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P