[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 10, 1996)] [Notices] [Page 36349] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-17543] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of the Census Cost Study for Single-Family Value-in-Place (VIP)
Action
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activity; Comment Request.
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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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
Dates
Written comments must be submitted on or before September 9, 1996.
Addresses
Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 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(s) and instructions should be directed to Masato Asanuma, Bureau of the Census, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Room 2136, FOB 4, Washington, DC 20233-6900, (301) 457-1241.
Supplementary Information
I. Abstract
The Census Bureau produces a monthly data series on the value of private single-family residential construction put in place. Estimates for the series are derived from the Bureau's Survey of Construction (SOC) by using a mathematical model and construction progress patterns. The application of the mathematical model requires us to subtract out nonconstruction costs from sales price or contract value that we collect for the SOC and add construction costs not normally included in the contract value. The factors representing these corrections to the cost need to be updated in order to bring them up to date with today's housing market and recent innovations in construction. The factors currently in use were derived from two studies conducted in the early 1980's. The Census Bureau will conduct a special one-time study to re- estimate these factors based on current single-family construction data.
II. Method of Collection
A subset of the SOC respondents for single-family housing completions will be asked to provide the Census Bureau with up to nine construction cost items. The sample will be drawn from the single family units in the SOC that have been completed. The sample of 7,600 SOC respondents will be spread over a period of 13 months. The study is a mailout/mailback survey with telephone followups for nonresponse and data review. The respondents will be initially contacted within two months of the reported completion of the SOC.
III. Data
OMB Number: Not available. Form Number: C-702(S) and C-702(C). Type of Review: Regular. Affected Public: Business or other for-profit institutions. Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,600. Estimated Time Per Response: 12 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,520. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $12,000.
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.
Dated: July 3, 1996. Linda Engelmeier, Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and Organization. [FR Doc. 96-17543 Filed 7-9-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-07-P