83 FR 31362 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Services Surveys: BE-9, Quarterly Survey of Foreign Airline Operators' Revenues and Expenses in the United States

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 129 (July 5, 2018)

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.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 129 (Thursday, July 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31362-31363]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14422]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Services 
Surveys: BE-9, Quarterly Survey of Foreign Airline Operators' Revenues 
and Expenses in the United States

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 4, 
2018.

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 instrument 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 20233; phone: (301) 278-9189; fax: (301) 278-9507; or 
via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Quarterly Survey of Foreign Airline Operators' Revenues and 
Expenses in the United States (BE-9) is a survey that collects data 
from U.S. offices, agents, or other representatives of foreign airline 
operators that transport freight, express, and passengers to or from 
the United States and whose total covered revenues or total covered 
expenses were $5 million or more in the previous year or are expected 
to be $5 million or more during the current year. The covered revenues 
are freight revenue on merchandise exported from, or imported into, the 
United States. The covered expenses are expenses incurred in the United 
States for: (1) Fuel and oil; (2) wages and salaries paid to employees 
in the United States; (3) agents' and brokers' fees and commissions for 
arrangement of freight and passenger transportation; (4) aircraft 
handling and terminal services, (5) aircraft (with crew) leasing 
expenses; and 6) all other expenses incurred in the United States 
except leasing (without crew) expenses.
    Respondents are also asked to report: (1) Shipping weights on which 
freight revenues were earned; (2) the number of passengers transported 
to/from the United States; and (3) revenues associated with these 
passengers.
    The data collected on the survey 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 or 
modifications to the current BE-9 survey. The effort to keep current 
reporting requirements unchanged is intended 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

    BEA contacts potential respondents by mail at the end of each 
calendar quarter. Respondents must file the completed BE-9 forms within 
45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Reports are required 
from offices, agents, or other representatives of foreign airline 
operators that transport freight and express to or from the United 
States and whose total covered revenues or total covered expenses were 
$5 million or more in the previous year or are expected to be $5 
million or more during the current year. Entities required to report 
will be contacted individually by BEA. Entities not

[[Page 31363]]

contacted by BEA have no reporting responsibilities.
    BEA offers electronic filing through its eFile system for use in 
reporting on the BE-9 quarterly survey form. For information about 
eFile, go to www.bea.gov/efile. In addition, BEA posts all its survey 
forms and reporting instructions on its website, www.bea.gov/ssb. These 
may be downloaded, completed, printed, and submitted via fax or mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0068.
    Form Number: BE-9.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 180 annually (45 filed each quarter: 
44 reporting mandatory data, and one that would file an exemption 
claim).
    Estimated Time Per Response: 6 hours is the average for those 
reporting data. One hour is the average for those filing an exemption 
claim. Hours may vary considerably among respondents because of 
differences in the volume and complexity of information on the foreign 
air carriers represented by the reporter.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,060.
    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 collection of 
information is 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 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 included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-14422 Filed 7-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-06-P