0608-0011 (BE-30 & 37) supporting statement- part B

Supporting Statement

U.S. Department of Commerce

Bureau of Economic Analysis

Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign

Expenses of United States Carriers (Form BE-30) and U.S. Airline Operators’ Foreign Revenues and Expenses (Form BE-37)

OMB Control Number: 0608-0011

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.

The potential respondent universe for the BE-30 survey is all U.S. ocean freight carriers (owners and operators) that had total covered revenues or total covered expenses of $500,000 or more during the previous year, or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year. The covered revenues are (a) revenue on cargo outbound from U.S. ports and the associated shipping weight; (b) revenue on cargo inbound into the United States and the associated shipping weight; (c) revenue on cross-trade cargoes; and (d) charter hire (with crew) and space leasing revenues from foreign residents. The covered expenses are (a) expenses in foreign countries; and (b) charter hire (with crew) and space leasing payments to foreign residents.

The potential respondent universe for the BE-37 survey is all U.S. airline operators engaged in the international transportation of goods and/or passengers whose total covered revenues or total covered expenses were $500,000 or more during the previous year, or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year. The covered revenues are (a) revenue derived from carriage of export freight and express from the United States to points outside the United States; (b) revenue derived from carriage of freight and express originating from, and destined to, points outside the United States; (c) revenue derived from transporting passengers originating from, and destined to, points outside the United States; (d) revenue from transporting passengers to and from the United States and the associated number of passengers; and (e) interline settlement receipts from foreign airline operators. The covered expenses are (a) expenses incurred outside the United States for fuel and oil, station and maintenance bases, wages, and other goods and services purchased abroad [except aircraft (without crew) leasing expenses]; (b) aircraft (with crew) leasing expenses; and (c) interline settlement payments to foreign airline operators.

BEA intends to mail the BE-30 survey forms to approximately 32 U.S. companies. Response rates among those companies required to file this quarterly survey in past years have been high, with a response rate of approximately 80 percent. BEA expects that these high response rates will continue for the survey, providing information of sufficient accuracy and reliability for its intended purposes.

BEA intends to mail the BE-37 survey forms to approximately 23 U.S. companies. Response rates among those companies required to file this quarterly survey in past years have been high, with a response rate of approximately 85 percent. BEA expects that these high response rates will continue for the survey, providing information of sufficient accuracy and reliability for its intended purposes.

BEA estimates data for non-respondents, including those U.S. persons who fall below the reporting threshold. Estimates will be based on prior reports and on growth in the value of transactions from a matched sample of respondents. Thus, estimates will cover virtually the entire universe of transactions.

When planning the initial quarterly survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign

Expenses of United States Carriers (Form BE-30), BEA compared the percentage of the universe to be covered using several reporting thresholds. Using the current threshold of $500,000, coverage of revenues and expenses for all U.S. ocean freight carriers was approximately 80 percent. Though BEA cannot precisely measure the coverage of the universe for the BE-30 survey, based on this analysis, BEA is confident that the reporting threshold proposed for the BE-30 survey will provide sufficient coverage.

When planning the initial quarterly survey of U.S. Airline Operators’ Foreign Revenues and Expenses (Form BE-37), BEA compared the percentage of the universe to be covered using several reporting thresholds. Using the current threshold of $500,000, coverage of revenues and expenses for all U.S. airlines was approximately 90 percent. Though BEA cannot precisely measure the coverage of the universe for the BE-37 survey, based on this analysis, BEA is confident that the reporting threshold proposed for the BE-37 survey will provide sufficient coverage.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

The BE-30 survey will be administered to U.S. owners and operators of ocean freight carriers operating outside the United States. The BE-37 survey will be administered to U.S. airline operators engaged in the international transportation of goods and/or passengers. BEA expects most of the potential respondents to file the surveys on a timely basis. In cases where a survey is not filed, or is filed too late to be used for the current estimate, BEA will generate an estimate based on data previously reported or estimated for the non-respondent, in conjunction with information on changes in the reported data for companies that did respond. No unusual problems have been identified that would require the use of specialized sampling procedures. BEA expects to collect data from a cutoff sample of firms meeting the reporting criteria.

The list of respondents will be derived from public and private sources, including business directories and establishment lists. Mandatory reporting on the BE-30 is required from U.S. carriers (owners and operators) that had total covered revenues or total covered expenses of $500,000 or more during the previous year or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year. Mandatory reporting on the BE-37 is required from U.S. airline operators whose total covered revenues or total covered expenses were $500,000 or more during the previous year, or are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year. Some data are expected to be provided voluntarily by persons not meeting these thresholds.

A high degree of accuracy is needed for the purposes stated in the justification.

3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided if they will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

Any company specifically contacted by BEA must respond in writing, by filing a completed form BE-30 or BE-37, or a valid exemption claim. Non-respondents will be contacted by BEA staff and, in the event of continued non-response, will be referred to the Office of General Counsel for further action. For the BE-30, BEA expects that at the time of the final revised estimates, reports will be received from approximately 80 percent of companies required to report. For the BE-37, BEA expects that at the time of the final revised estimates, reports will be received from approximately 85 percent of companies required to report. To facilitate response, a notice will be sent to each company on a quarterly basis notifying the company of the requirement to file the survey and providing links to eFile, BEA’s electronic filing system, and a PDF version of the survey.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB must give prior approval.

No tests were conducted; however, the survey has been conducted in previous years.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

The surveys are designed and conducted within BEA by the Balance of Payments Division (BPD). For further information, contact Damon Battaglia via email at Damon.Battaglia@bea.gov or by phone at 202-606-9837.