Download:
pdf |
pdfINSTRUCTION BOOKLET
GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION QUESTIONNAIRES
Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-463 and 731-TA-1159 (Final)
Further information.--If you have any questions concerning the enclosed
questionnaire(s) or other matters related to these investigations, you may contact
the following members of the Commission=s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):
Fred Ruggles, investigator (202-205-3187; E-mail FRED.RUGGLES@USITC.GOV)
regarding general questions and trade and related information;
Mary Klir, auditor (202-205-3247; E-mail MARY.KLIR@USITC.GOV)
regarding financial information; and
Ioana Mic, economist (202-205-3196; E-mail IOANA.MIC@USITC.GOV)
regarding pricing, market, and related information.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--These investigations were instituted in response to a petition filed on April 8, 2009
by Maverick Tube Corporation, Houston, TX; United States Steel Corporation, Dallas, TX;
V&M Star LP, Houston, TX; V&M Tubular Corporation of America, Houston, TX; TMK IPSCO,
Camanche, IA; Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel, Pueblo, CO; Wheatland Tube Corp., Wheatland, PA;
and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and
Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO-CLC, Pittsburgh, PA. Countervailing and
antidumping duties may be assessed on the subject imports as a result of the investigations if the
Commission makes an affirmative determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and if the
U.S. Department of Commerce makes an affirmative determination of subsidization and/or
dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to these investigations are available at:
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2009/octg/finalphase.htm.
Address all correspondence to the United States International Trade Commission, Washington, DC
20436. Hearing-impaired individuals can obtain information regarding these investigations via
the Commission=s TDD terminal (202-205-1810).
Due date of questionnaire(s).--Return the completed questionnaire(s) to the United States
International Trade Commission by no later than October 15, 2009. Although the enclosed
postpaid envelope may be used to return the completed questionnaire, use of an overnight mail
service may be necessary to ensure that your response actually reaches the Commission by October
15, 2009. If you do not use the enclosed envelope, please make sure the completed questionnaire
is sent to the attention of Fred Ruggles. Return only one copy of the completed questionnaire(s),
but please keep a copy for your records so that you can refer to it if the Commission staff
contacts you with any questions during the course of the investigations.
Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to these investigations,
you are required to serve a copy of the questionnaire(s), once completed, on parties to the
proceeding that are subject to administrative protective order (see 19 CFR ' 207.7). A list of such
parties is maintained by the Commission=s Secretary and may be obtained by calling 202-205-1803.
A certificate of service must accompany the copy of the completed questionnaire(s) you submit
(see 19 CFR ' 207.7).
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to the enclosed
questionnaire(s) that reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by
the Commission to the extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not
be disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. ' 1677f). Such confidential
information will not be published in a manner that will reveal the individual operations of your firm;
however, nonnumerical characterizations of numerical business proprietary information (such as
discussion of trends) will be treated as confidential business information only at the request of the
submitter for good cause shown.
2
GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
Verification.--The information submitted in the enclosed questionnaire(s) is subject to audit
and verification by the Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all
your workpapers and supporting documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire
response(s).
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to the
questionnaire(s), as well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to
the Commission in connection with the investigations, may become subject to, and released under,
the administrative protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. ' 1677f) and
section 207.7 of the Commission=s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR ' 207.7). This means
that certain lawyers and other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the
information for use in connection with these investigations or other import-injury investigations
conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise; those individuals would be
subject to severe penalties if the information were divulged to unauthorized individuals. In
addition, if your firm is a U.S. producer, the information you provide on your production and
imports of certain oil country tubular goods and your responses to the questions in Part I of the
producer questionnaire will be provided to the U.S. Department of Commerce, upon its request, for
use in connection with (and only in connection with) its requirement pursuant to section 702(c)(4)
and732(c)(4) of the Act (19 U.S.C. ' 1671a(c)(4) and1673a(c)(4)) to make a determination
concerning the extent of industry support for the petition requesting these investigations. Any
information provided to Commerce will be transmitted under the confidentiality and release
guidelines set forth above. Your response to these questions constitutes your consent that such
information be provided to Commerce under the conditions described above.
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.--Do not leave any question or section blank unless a questionnaire expressly
directs you to skip over certain questions or sections. If the answer to any question is Anone,@ write
Anone.@ If information is not readily available from your records in exactly the form
requested, furnish carefully prepared estimates--designated as such by the letter AE@--and
explain the basis of your estimates. Answers to questions and any necessary comments or
explanations should be supplied in the space provided or on separate sheets attached to the
appropriate page of the questionnaire(s). If your firm is completing more than one questionnaire in
connection with these investigations (i.e., a producer and importer questionnaire), you need not
respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires.
Consolidate all U.S. establishments.--Report the requested data for your establishment(s) located
in the United States. Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data
for all establishments into a single report.
Filing instructions.—Questionnaires may be filed either in paper form or electronically.
3
INSTRUCTIONS--Continued
OPTIONS FOR FILING IN PAPER FORM
• Overnight mail service.—Mail to the following address:
United States International Trade Commission
Office of Investigations, Room 615-B
500 E Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
• Fax.—Fax to 202.205.3205.
• U.S. mail.—Mail to the address above, but use zip code 20436. This option is not recommended.
U.S. mail sent to government offices undergoes additional processing to screen for hazardous
materials; this additional processing results in substantial delays in delivery.
OPTIONS FOR FILING ELECTRONICALLY
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the Commission’s
website at:
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2009/octg/finalphase.htm.
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire document. You
may complete the questionnaire electronically, print it out, and submit it in paper form as described
above, or you may submit it electronically through one of the following means:
• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your questionnaire onto a CD, include a signed certification page
(page 1) (either in paper form or scanned PDF copied onto CD), and mail to the address above. It
is strongly recommended that you use an overnight mail service. U.S. mail sent to government
offices undergoes additional processing which not only results in substantial delays in delivery but
may also damage CDs.
• E-mail.—E-mail your questionnaire to the investigator identified on page 1 of the Instruction
Booklet; include a scanned PDF of the signed certification page (page 1). Type the following in the
e-mail subject line: BPI Questionnaire, INV. NO. 1159. Please note that submitting your
questionnaire by e-mail may subject your firm’s business proprietary information to transmission
over an unsecure environment and to possible disclosure. If you choose this option, the
Commission warns you that any risk involving possible disclosure of such information is assumed
by the submitter and not by the Commission.
Note: If you are a party to the investigations, and service of the questionnaire is required,
such service should be made in paper form.
4
DEFINITIONS
“Certain” oil country tubular goods (“OCTG”).--Certain oil country tubular goods comprise
hollow steel products of circular cross-section, including oil well casing and tubing, of iron (other
than cast iron) or steel (both carbon and alloy), whether seamless or welded, regardless of end
finish (e.g., whether or not plain end, threaded, or threaded and coupled) whether or not
conforming to American Petroleum Institute (“API”) or non-API specifications, whether finished
(including limited service OCTG products) or unfinished (including green tubes and limited
service OCTG products), whether or not thread protectors are attached. This definition also covers
OCTG coupling stock. Casing or tubing containing 10.5 percent or more by weight of chromium;
drill pipe; unattached couplings; and unattached thread protectors are excluded from this
definition.
The merchandise covered by this proceeding is currently imported under the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) under statistical reporting numbers: 7304.29.10.10,
7304.29.10.20, 7304.29.10.30, 7304.29.10.40, 7304.29.10.50, 7304.29.10.60, 7304.29.10.80,
7304.29.20.10, 7304.29.20.20, 7304.29.20.30, 7304.29.20.40, 7304.29.20.50, 7304.29.20.60,
7304.29.20.80, 7304.29.31.10, 7304.29.31.20, 7304.29.31.30, 7304.29.31.40, 7304.29.31.50,
7304.29.31.60, 7304.29.31.80, 7304.29.41.10, 7304.29.41.20, 7304.29.41.30, 7304.29.41.40,
7304.29.41.50, 7304.29.41.60, 7304.29.41.80, 7304.29.50.15, 7304.29.50.30, 7304.29.50.45,
7304.29.50.60, 7304.29.50.75, 7304.29.61.15, 7304.29.61.30, 7304.29.61.45, 7304.29.61.60,
7304.29.61.75, 7305.20.20.00, 7305.20.40.00, 7305.20.60.00, 7305.20.80.00, 7306.29.10.30,
7306.29.10.90, 7306.29.20.00, 7306.29.31.00, 7306.29.41.00, 7306.29.60.10, 7306.29.60.50,
7306.29.81.10, and 7306.29.81.50.
The OCTG coupling stock covered by this proceeding may also enter under the following
HTSUS item numbers: 7304.39.00.24, 7304.39.00.28, 7304.39.00.32, 7304.39.00.36,
7304.39.00.40, 7304.39.00.44, 7304.39.00.48, 7304.39.00.52, 7304.39.00.56, 7304.39.00.62,
7304.39.00.68, 7304.39.00.72, 7304.39.00.76, 7304.39.00.80, 7304.59.60.00, 7304.59.80.15,
7304.59.80.20, 7304.59.80.25, 7304.59.80.30, 7304.59.80.35, 7304.59.80.40, 7304.59.80.45,
7304.59.80.50, 7304.59.80.55, 7304.59.80.60, 7304.59.80.65, 7304.59.80.70, and 7304.59.80.80.
5
DEFINITIONS--Continued
Firm.--An individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation (including
any subsidiary corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or receiver under
decree of any court.
Related firm.--A firm that your firm solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled; a
firm that solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm; and/or a firm that
was solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by a firm that also solely or jointly
owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm.
Establishment.--Each facility of a firm in the United States involved in the production, importation,
and/or purchase of certain oil country tubular goods (as defined above), including auxiliary
facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.
United States.--For purposes of these investigations, the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin
Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Importer.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in importing certain oil country tubular goods (as defined above) into the United States from a
foreign manufacturer or through its selling agent.
Imports.--Those products identified for Customs purposes as imports for consumption for which
your firm was the importer of record (i.e., was responsible for paying any import duty) or
consignee (i.e., to which the merchandise was first delivered).
Import quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Import values.--Values reported should be landed, duty-paid values at the U.S. port of
entry, including ocean freight and insurance costs, brokerage charges, and import duties (i.e., all
charges except inland freight in the United States).
6
DEFINITIONS--Continued
Purchaser.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in purchasing certain oil country tubular goods (as defined above) from another firm that produces,
imports, or otherwise distributes certain oil country tubular goods. A retail firm that is the importer
of record may be considered a purchaser.
Purchases.--Purchases from all sources, NOT including direct imports from foreign producers
(which should be reported in an importer questionnaire).
Purchase quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Purchase values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross purchase values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, and the value of returned goods), delivered to your U.S.
receiving point.
Shipments.--Shipments of products produced in or imported by your U.S. establishment(s).
Include shipments to the contracting firm of product produced by your firm under a toll agreement.
Shipment quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Shipment values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross sales values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods), f.o.b. your
U.S. point of shipment. The value of domestic shipments to the contracting firm under a
toll agreement is the conversion fee (including profit).
Types of shipments:
U.S. shipments.--Commercial shipments, internal consumption, and transfers to related
firms within the United States.
Commercial shipments.--Shipments, other than internal consumption and transfers
to related firms, within the United States.
Internal consumption.--Product consumed internally by your firm.
Transfers to related firms.--Shipments made to related domestic firms.
Export shipments.--Shipments to destinations outside the United States, including
shipments to related firms.
Inventories.--Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.
7
DEFINITIONS--Continued
The following definitions apply only to the PRODUCER QUESTIONNAIRE.
Average production capacity.--The level of production that your establishment(s) could
reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods. Assume normal operating
conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to operate; normal operating
levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime, maintenance, repair, and cleanup;
and a typical or representative product mix).
Toll agreement.--Agreement between two firms whereby the first firm furnishes some or all of the
raw materials and the second firm uses these raw materials to produce a product that it then returns
to the first firm with a charge for processing costs, overhead, etc.
Production.--All production in your U.S. establishment(s), including production consumed
internally within your firm and production for another firm under a toll agreement.
PRWs.--Production and related workers, including working supervisors and all nonsupervisory
workers (including group leaders and trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling,
inspecting, receiving, storage, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, trucking, hauling,
maintenance, repair, janitorial and guard services, product development, auxiliary production for
plant=s own use (e.g., power plant), recordkeeping, and other services closely associated with the
above production operations.
Average number employed.--Add the number of employees, both full-time and part-time, for the
12 pay periods ending closest to the 15th of the month and divide that total by 12. For the
January-September periods, calculate similarly and divide by 9.
Hours worked.--Include time paid for sick leave, holidays, and vacation time. Include overtime
hours actually worked; do not convert overtime pay to its equivalent in straight-time hours.
Wages paid.--Total wages paid before deductions of any kind (e.g., withholding taxes, old-age and
unemployment insurance, group insurance, union dues, bonds, etc.). Include wages paid directly
by your firm for overtime, holidays, vacations, and sick leave.
Fiscal year.--The 12-month period between settlement of your firm=s financial accounts.
Purchases other than direct imports.--Purchases from U.S. producers, U.S. importers, and other
U.S. sources.
8
File Type | application/pdf |
File Title | Microsoft Word - US Instructions - Final.doc |
Author | fred.ruggles |
File Modified | 2009-09-28 |
File Created | 2009-09-28 |