83 FR 5242 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 25 (February 6, 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 take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5242-5243]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02307]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly 
Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, 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 take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before April 9, 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 the internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Mary Susan Bucci, U.S.

[[Page 5243]]

Census Bureau, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division, Room 6H047, 
Washington, DC 20233, (301) 763-4639 (or via the internet at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request an extension of the current OMB 
clearance for the Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (SPC). 
The SPC is conducted quarterly, collecting from manufacturing plants 
and publishers, the value of actual production, the value of production 
that could have been achieved if operating at ``full production'' 
levels, and the value of production that could have been achieved if 
operating at ``national emergency'' levels. The survey also collects 
data on work patterns by shift. These data include hours in operations, 
production workers, and plant hours worked.
    The primary sponsors of this collection and users of these data are 
the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). 
The FRB uses these data in several ways. First, the capital workweek 
data is used as an indicator of capital use in the estimation of 
monthly output (industrial production). Second, the workweek data is 
used to improve the projections of labor productivity that are used to 
align industrial production (IP) with comprehensive benchmark 
information in the Manufacturing Sector of the Economic Census and the 
Annual Survey of Manufactures. Third, the utilization rate data assists 
in the assessment of recent changes in IP, as most of the high-
frequency movement in utilization rates reflect production changes 
rather than capacity changes. Fourth, the time series of utilization 
rate data for each industry, in combination with the FRB IP data, is 
used to estimate current and historical measures of capacity consistent 
with the FRB production measures. The DLA uses these data to assess 
readiness to meet demand for goods under selected national emergency 
scenarios.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau mails letters to respondents instructing them how 
to report electronically. Companies are asked to respond within 20 days 
of the initial mailing. The due date will be imprinted at the top of 
the letter. A reminder email is sent a week before the due date to 
delinquent respondents. Letters encouraging participation are mailed to 
companies that have not responded by the designated due date. A final 
email is sent to delinquent respondents with information for reporting 
online. Lastly, we conduct a telephone follow-up.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0175.
    Form Number(s): MQ-C2.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Manufacturing and publishing plants.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,500 per quarter.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours and 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 62,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 8(b);50 U.S.C. Section 98, 
et seq; 12 U.S.C. Section 244.

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 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 the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-02307 Filed 2-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P