Census Bureau Seeks OMB Clearance for Manufacturers Shipments Inventories and Orders Survey

The Department of Commerce Census Bureau published a notice in the Federal Register on November 5 2026 announcing its submission of an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance. The request concerns the Manufacturers Shipments Inventories and Orders Survey known as the M3 survey. Operating under OMB Control Number 0607-0008, the regular submission seeks an extension without change of a currently approved collection. The public was previously afforded a 60-day comment period beginning on July 20 2026 and this current notice provides an additional 30 days for public comments under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Survey Scope and Methodology

The M3 survey engages approximately 5,000 respondents who provide responses twelve times per year. The average burden hours per response is calculated at 20 minutes resulting in a total annual burden of 20000 hours. The legal authority for this mandatory or voluntary framework is derived from Title 13 of the United States Code in sections 131 182 and 193. Respondents include domestic manufacturers whose data helps the federal government measure current industrial activity and gauge future production commitments across the domestic manufacturing sector.

Data points collected through form M-3SD encompass the value of shipments new orders unfilled orders and total inventories. The value of shipments measures goods delivered during the month by domestic manufacturers. Estimates of new orders act as a leading indicator representing the current sales value of new orders received net of cancellations. Unfilled orders measure excess or deficient demand for manufactured products while inventory levels relative to shipments assist economists and officials in monitoring the broader business cycle.

Economic Significance and Interagency Utility

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Management and Budget has designated the M3 survey as a principal federal economic indicator. Federal agencies rely heavily on these metrics for policy formulation and economic accounting. The Bureau of Economic Analysis utilizes shipments and inventories data as essential inputs for national income and product accounts including annual and quarterly Gross Domestic Product calculations. The Council of Economic Advisers reports these manufacturing metrics to the White House to appraise current economic conditions and track real economic growth.

Other key federal stakeholders include the Bureau of Labor Statistics which incorporates the data into Producer Price Indexes and productivity measurements. The Federal Reserve Board uses the estimates to anticipate economic trends and calculate monthly industrial production indexes. Outside of the federal government private entities such as The Conference Board utilize M3 new orders data as a foundational element for its Leading Economic Index which monitors business cycle fluctuations.

Public Participation and Compliance

The submission complies with information quality guidelines established by the Census Bureau and the Paperwork Reduction Act clearance process. Written comments and recommendations regarding the proposed information collection must be submitted within 30 days of the notice publication. Submissions are processed through the reginfo website by locating the collection under the 30-day review section or searching by the designated OMB control number. Sheleen Dumas serving as the Departmental PRA Compliance Officer for the Commerce Department authenticated the administrative filing.

Conclusion

The renewal of the Manufacturers Shipments Inventories and Orders Survey highlights the ongoing federal reliance on granular manufacturing data to navigate economic policy and market analysis. As stakeholders review the information collection request during the 30-day window the debate over administrative burden versus statistical necessity remains central to federal reporting standards. The continued operation of the M3 survey ensures that policymakers and private analysts retain access to timely economic indicators necessary for assessing the trajectory of the United States economy.