Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; comment request,

[Federal Register: May 14, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 93)]

[Notices]

[Page 26768-26769]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr14my98-25]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis

Annual Survey of Construction, Engineering, Architectural, and Mining Services Provided by U.S. Firms to Unaffiliated Foreign Persons

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 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 and instructions should be directed to: R. David Belli, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, BE-50(OC), Washington, DC 20230 (Telephone: 202-606- 9800).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Abstract

   The BE-47 Annual Survey of Construction, Engineering, Architectural, and Mining Services Provided by U.S. Firms to Unaffiliated Foreign Persons will obtain data on U.S. sales to unaffiliated foreign persons of construction, engineering, architectural, and mining services. The information gathered is needed, among other purposes, to support U.S. trade policy initiatives and to compile the U.S. international transactions, input-output, and national income and product accounts. BEA is proposing to drop the requirement to report data on Form BE-47 by individual project and instead require reporting only by country. This proposed change will bring the format and design of the survey generally more into line with those of other surveys of international services transactions that BEA conducts. In addition, BEA is proposing a change in the way transactions are coded by type of service. Currently, eight codes are used to classify the data reported on Form BE-47 by type of service. These codes are based on the 1987 U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. BEA proposes to collapse these eight codes into three broad groupings, which will be based on the new North American Industry Classification System that is replacing the SIC. These proposed changes will result in a small reduction in the estimated time per response.

2. Method of Collection

   The survey will be sent each year to potential respondents in January and responses are due by March 31. A U.S.

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   person providing construction, engineering, architectural, or mining services to unaffiliated foreign persons is required to report if the gross value of new contracts received or the gross operating revenues from all existing contracts is $1 million or more during the covered year. A U.S. person that receives a form but is not required to report data must file an exemption claim.

3. Data

   OMB Number: 0608-0015.

   Form Number: BE-47.

   Type of Review: Regular submission.

   Affected Public: U.S. business or other for-profit institutions providing construction, engineering, architectural, and mining services to unaffiliated foreign persons.

   Estimated Number of Responses: 155.

   Estimated Time Per Response: 4.5 hours.

   Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 700.

   Estimated Total Annual Cost: $21,000 (based on an estimated reporting burden of 700 hours and an estimated hourly cost of $30).

4. 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 has 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: May 8, 1998. Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and Organization.

   [FR Doc. 98-12820Filed5-13-98; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 3510-06-P