Advance Letter - Letter 1

We are contacting you to request your help with updating the Consumer Price
Index (CPI). The CPI is the most widely used measure of price change
experienced by consumers such as you. To measure that change, the CPI
monitors prices at the places where you, and other people like you, shop. We
identify those places through the Telephone Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS).
The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the TPOPS for the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and we would like you to participate.
Federal law authorizes the collection of this information (Titles 15 and 29 of the
United States Code), and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical
Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) requires us to keep all information about you and your
household strictly confidential, and to use that information for statistical purposes
only.
Sometime in the next few weeks, a Census Bureau representative will call you to
ask about a few purchases your household may have made recently and the
places where you made these purchases. While you may choose to decline to
answer any particular question, we hope that you will consider the importance of
your answers as you make that decision.
On the back of this letter are answers to questions you may have about this
survey. If you would like more information, please go to the CPI-TPOPS
respondent website at:
http://www.bls.gov/respondents/cpi/tpops/
Thank you for your cooperation in this important survey. We appreciate your
help.
Sincerely,

W. John Layng
Assistant Commissioner for Consumer Prices and Price Indexes

7421-1(L) (6-2010)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE POINT OF PURCHASE SURVEY?
The purpose of the Point of Purchase Survey is to provide information on the
stores and businesses where people shop and the products they buy. This
information is used to update the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the "cost of living
index." This index directly affects almost everyone at one time or another.
The President, the Congress, and the Federal Reserve use trends in the cost of
living to aid in formulating fiscal and monetary policies. Adjustments to wages,
Social Security payments, retirement benefits and other compensation such as
child support and payments received by millions of Americans are based on
changes in the CPI. In addition, businesses, labor organizations and private
citizens use the index as a guide in making economic decisions.
HOW WILL THE INFORMATION BE USED?
In order for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to update the CPI, it is necessary
to maintain an up-to-date list of the stores and businesses where people shop. The
U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Point of Purchase Survey to provide statistical
data needed to update this list.
WHY WAS I SELECTED?
While participation is voluntary and there are no penalties for not answering
questions, it is very important that we have your cooperation in the survey to
ensure the validity and accuracy of the CPI. Your household was selected
randomly from a list of phone numbers. Information that you provide will be used
only to identify the stores and businesses where Americans shop and the products
they buy.
WHAT CONFIDENTIALITY PROTECTION DO I HAVE?
The confidentiality of the information you provide is assured to the full extent
permitted by law in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Confidential
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (Title 5 of Public Law
107-347). The information you provide will only be used for statistical purposes.
WHAT LAWS AUTHORIZE YOU TO CONDUCT THIS SURVEY?
This survey is authorized by the Office of Management and Budget under Project
1220-0044. Title 29, Section 2 of the United States Code authorizes the BLS to
conduct household studies. Title 15 of the United States Code authorizes the
Census Bureau to conduct surveys for other federal agencies.
HOW LONG DOES THIS INTERVIEW TAKE?
The typical interview lasts between 7 and 15 minutes.

7421-1(L) (6-2010)