The Census
Bureau is strongly encouraged to pursue response improvement
strategies. These strategies should include developing various
letters to convert refusals, obtaining endorsements from trade
associations, and experimenting with different mailing or faxing
options. Census shall report to OMB annually the response rates
achieved. This report should be provided no later than June 30 of
each year for the prior calendar year response rates.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
05/31/2011
36 Months From Approved
05/31/2008
54,000
0
48,000
6,300
0
5,600
0
0
0
The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey
provides the only continuous measure of monthly wholesale sales,
end-of-month inventories, and inventories/sales ratios in the
United States by selected kinds of business for merchant
wholesalers, excluding manufacturers' sales branches and offices.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses this information to improve
the inventory valuation adjustments applied to estimates of the
Gross Domestic Product. The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the
data as input to their Producer Price Indexes and in developing
productivity measurements.
There is an increase in burden
of 700 hours due to increasing the size of the sample. The sample
size increase occurred to improve the quality of estimates by
lowering the maximum sampling weight from 800 to 500 and lowering
the target sampling variance constraint on the wholesale total. The
change in maximum sampling weight helps avoid smaller companies
with large weights from having an unusually large effect on
estimates for a particular industry, and minimizes a possible
reason for large preliminary to final shifts.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.