Supervisory and Regulatory Survey

Potential Sample Topics for the
Supervisory and Regulatory Survey
(FR 3052; OMB No. 7100-0322)
The Board utilizes the survey process, as needed, to collect information on specific issues
that affect its decision making. The principal value of the FR 3052 is the flexibility it provides
the Federal Reserve to respond quickly to the need for data due to unanticipated economic,
financial, supervisory, or regulatory developments. The Board cannot predict what specific
information will be needed, but such needs are generally very time sensitive. Because the
relevant questions may change with each survey, there is no fixed reporting form.
Written qualitative questions or questionnaires may include categorical questions, yes-no
questions, ordinal questions, and open-ended questions. Written quantitative surveys may
include dollar amounts, percentages, numbers of items, interest rates, and other such information.
Institutions may also be required to provide copies of existing documents (for example,
pertaining to practices and performances for a particular business activity). Before conducting a
survey, the Board reviews any information to be collected to determine if the information is
available by other means.
Surveys are generally conducted by the staff at the Board and Reserve Banks as part of
ongoing supervisory activities. The decision to conduct a particular survey takes into
consideration resource requirements. In most cases, the Federal Reserve uses examination staff
to conduct the survey, leveraging existing contacts and work assignments.
The Board welcomes feedback from firms on surveys conducted under the FR 3052, both
formally, through frequently asked questions, and informally via outreach sessions, ad-hoc
discussions, and e-mails. As a general matter, the Board is unable to guarantee the release of
surveys under the FR 3052 for notice and comment because of the quick turnarounds sometimes
required. However, when a survey template is available in advance of the planned distribution
date, the Board works to distribute the template to respondents early for information purposes,
and when time allows, to obtain feedback.