The Census
Bureau has supplied as part of this package the questionnaires and
forms that will be used with this collection for the 2017 reference
year. The Census Bureau will submit the 2018-19 reference years
questionnaires and forms to OMB through a non-substantive change
request to this package prior to the use of those questionnaires
and forms in reference years 2018-19 collection.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2021
36 Months From Approved
03/31/2018
20,067
0
20,557
30,531
0
11,426
0
0
0
The Annual Retail Trade Survey
provides the only continuing official measure of annual sales,
purchases, end-of-year inventories, sales/inventory ratios, and
accounts receivable balances for the retail sector. The sales and
inventories estimates are used as benchmarks for the monthly
series. These data, along with purchases, are also used by the
Bureau of Economic Analysis in the computation of the GDP. The
accounts receivable balances are used by the Federal Reserve Board.
Private businesses use the estimates in computing business activity
indexes for market research, product development, and business
planning to gauge the current trends of the economy. Responses are
a sample of retail establishments in the U.S.
The burden hour estimate is
19,105 hours more than the previously approved ARTS. This increase
is due to incorporating the detailed operating expense questions
for the 2017 ARTS. This collection did not occur during the last
three-year cycle of OMB approval.
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.