77 FR 218 pgs. 67331-67332 - Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
Type: NOTICEVolume: 77Number: 218Pages: 67331 - 67332
Docket number: [Docket Number 121010535-2575-01]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2012-27446 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: Bureau of the Census
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
[Docket Number 121010535-2575-01]
Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
AGENCY:
Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.
ACTION:
Notice of determination.
SUMMARY:
The United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the 2012 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS). The AWTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Wholesale Trade sector as defined by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Through this survey, the Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, e-commerce sales, sales taxes, purchases, total and detailed operating expenses, year-end inventories held both inside and outside the United States, commissions, total operating revenue, and gross selling value, for three components of wholesale activity: wholesale distributors; manufacturers' sales branches and offices; and agents, brokers, and electronic markets. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business needs such as economic and market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand. The Census Bureau conducts the AWTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical data on wholesale trade. The 2012 AWTS is a separate collection from and is not part of the 2012 Economic Census.
ADDRESSES:
The Census Bureau will provide report forms to businesses included in the survey. Additional copies are available upon written request to the Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0101.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Randy Moore, Service Sector Statistics Division, at (301) 763-7231 or by email at randy.a.moore@census.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Sections 182, 224, and 225 of Title 13 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) authorize the Census Bureau to take surveys that are necessary to produce current data on the subjects covered by the major censuses. As part of this authorization, the Census Bureau conducts the AWTS to provide continuing and timely national statistical data on wholesale trade activity for the period between economic censuses and, for this year, during the economic census. The AWTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Wholesale Trade sector as defined by the 2007 NAICS. The 2012 AWTS will collect data for three components of wholesale activity: Wholesale distributors; manufacturers' sales branches and offices; and agents, brokers, and electronic markets. For wholesale distributors, the Census Bureau will collect data covering sales, sales taxes, e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside theUnited States, purchases, total and detailed operating expenses. For manufacturers' sales branches and offices, the Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, sales taxes, e-commerce sales, year-end inventories held inside and outside the United States and total operating expenses. For agents, brokers, and electronic markets, the Census Bureau will collect data covering commissions, total operating revenue, gross selling value, and total operating expenses. The Census Bureau has determined that the conduct of this survey is necessary as these data are not available publicly on a timely basis from non-governmental or other government sources.
For the 2012 AWTS, we will request data for wholesale distributors on detailed operating expenses that were previously requested under a separate supplemental mailing (conducted every 5 years). The last supplemental mailing was conducted for the 2007 AWTS under OMB No. 0607-0942. While the wholesale portion of that program will be collapsed into the AWTS, we will continue to only ask the detailed expense questions to wholesale distributors every 5 years. Also for the 2012 AWTS, we will request data on sales taxes, which is asked as a part of the AWTS every 5 to 6 years. The last time we requested sales tax data was for the 2006 AWTS.
Firms were selected for the AWTS using a stratified random sample based on industry groupings and annual sales size. We will provide report forms to the firms covered by this survey in February 2013, and will require their responses within 50 days after receipt. Firms' responses to the AWTS are required by law (Title 13, U.S.C., Sections 182, 224, and 225).
The sample of firms selected will provide, with measurable reliability, statistics on annual sales, e-commerce sales, sales taxes, purchases, total and detailed operating expenses, year-end inventories held both inside and outside the Unites States, commissions, total operating revenue, and gross selling value, for 2012.
The data collected in this survey will be similar to that collected in the past and within the general scope and nature of those inquiries covered in the economic census. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of policy by various government agencies. Results will be available for use for a variety of public and business needs such as economic and market analysis, company performance, and forecasting future demand.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, OMB approved the AWTS under OMB control number 0607-0195.
Based upon the foregoing, I have directed that the annual survey be conducted for the purpose of collecting these data.
Dated: November 2, 2012.
Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Jr.,
Acting Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2012-27446 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P