[Federal Register: October 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 193)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57663]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc03-28]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 
Submission For OMB Review; Comment Request

    DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Advance Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services Survey.
    Form Number(s): SM-44(00)A, SM-44(00)AS, AM-44(00)AE, and SM-
72(00)A.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0104.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 4,500 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 4,500.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Advance Monthly Retail Sales and Food Services 
Survey (MARTS) was developed in response to requests by government, 
business, and other users to provide an early indication of current 
retail trade activity at the United States level. Policymakers such as 
the Federal Reserve board need to have the most timely estimates in 
order to anticipate economic trends and act accordingly. The U. S. 
Census Bureau tabulates the collected data to provide, with measured 
reliability, statistics on United States retail sales. MARTS also 
provides monthly sales estimates of food service establishments and 
drinking places. These sales estimates are used by the Council of 
Economic Advisers, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Federal Reserve 
Board, and other government agencies as well as business users in 
formulating economic decisions. Sales estimates from this survey 
provide the earliest possible look at consumer spending and are 
necessary for the calculation of the personal consumption portion of 
the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These estimates have a high priority 
because of their timeliness. Without the Advance Monthly Retail Sales 
and Food Services Survey, the Census Bureau's earliest measure of 
retail sales is the ``preliminary'' estimate from the full monthly 
sample released about 40 days after the reference period.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dhynek@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-mail (susan_schechter@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: September 30, 2003.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-25196 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-07-P