Federal Register: July 14, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 135)
DOCID: FR Doc E6-11085
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Labor Statistics Bureau
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Proposed Collection, Comment Request
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the Addresses section of this notice on or before September 12, 2006.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c) (2)(A)]. This program helps to
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the
proposed revision of the ``Telephone Point of Purchase Survey.'' A copy
of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained [[Page 40161]]
by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of
this notice.
SUMMARY:
Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
I. Background
The purpose of this survey is to develop and maintain a timely list of retail, wholesale, and service establishments where urban consumers shop for specified items. This information is used as the sampling universe for selecting establishments at which prices of specific items are collected and monitored for use in calculating the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The survey has been ongoing since 1980 and also provides expenditure data that allows items that are priced in the CPI to be properly weighted.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the Telephone Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS).
Since 1997, the survey has been administered quarterly via a computerassistedtelephoneinterview. This survey is flexible and creates the possibility of introducing new products into the CPI in a timely manner. The data collected in this survey are necessary for the continuing construction of a current outlet universe from which locations are selected for the price collection needed for calculating the CPI. Furthermore, the TPOPS provides the weights used in selecting the items that are priced at these establishments. This sample design produces an overall CPI market basket that is more reflective of the prices faced and the establishments visited by urban consumers.
For this clearance, the BLS and the Census Bureau have reduced the sample from 86 primary sampling units (PSUs) to 75. While the new sample continues to be introduced, there will be overlap of old and new samples in some areas in which the TPOPS data are collected. In addition, each new PSU will have an increased sample to be able to field a full outlet sample to collect prices for the CPI.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in comments that:
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Telephone Point of Purchase Survey.
OMB Number: 12200044.
Affected Public: Individuals or households.
Total Respondents: 19,374.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Responses: 51,340.
Average Time Per Response: 12 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 10,268 hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they also will become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 6th day of July, 2006. Mark Staniorski,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. E611085 Filed 71306; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 451024P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, telephone number 2026917628. (See ADDRESSES section.)