Business Trends and Outlook Survey

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form BTOS Instrument wi BTOS Instrument with Final AI supplement Questions	Form	Modified	Available
Form BTOS WFH Question BTOS WFH Question	Form	Modified	Available
BTOS_30dayfrn_published_090926.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-09-09	Available
Attachment B (Core Instrument Cycles 1,3,4).docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-09-03	Available
Attachment A (Core and AI Instrument - Cycle 2).docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-09-03	Available
BTOS Instrument Login Screen.docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-31	Available
Business Trends and Outlook Survey Supporting Statement B.docx	Supporting Statement B	Uploaded 2026-08-31	Available
Business Trends and Outlook Survey Supporting Statement A.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-09-03	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
251680	Business Trends and Outlook Survey	Form	Modified	BTOS Instrument with Final AI supplement Questions
251680	Business Trends and Outlook Survey	Form	Modified	BTOS WFH Question
251680	Business Trends and Outlook Survey	Other-Respondent Letter	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0607-1022	ICR Reference No: 202608-0607-006
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202507-0607-004
Agency/Subagency: DOC/CENSUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Business Trends and Outlook Survey
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 09/10/2026

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2028	05/31/2028
Responses	660,000	795,000
Time Burden (Hours)	110,000	132,500
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) will be a new experimental survey with bi-weekly data collection and publication. This continuous near real time data publication will provide a baseline of the U.S. economy and will measure change as a result of current and future economic shocks. The ongoing nature of the BTOS is in response to stakeholder feedback on the Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS), which was that economic baseline or ‘norms’ data would have been helpful to have in comparison to the SBPS data on pandemic impact.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 13 USC 131, 182
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 102854	12/18/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 57314	09/09/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Business Trends and Outlook Survey	BTOS WFH Question, BTOS Instrument with Final AI supplement Questions	BTOS WFH Question ,   BTOS Instrument with Final AI supplement Questions

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	660,000	795,000	0	-135,000	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	110,000	132,500	0	-22,500	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: The previously submitted estimate included a higher expected number of responses, resulting in an annual burden estimate of 132,500 hours. A smaller number of responses has led to a reduction in the overall burden estimate.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $2,230,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 09/10/2026

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