Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS)

Attachment 3

SA-42-L1
(DRAFT)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001

Dear Company Representative,
We are writing to ask for your help with the U.S. Census Bureau's 2011 Annual
Wholesale Trade Report. Summary data from this report gives an up-to-date picture
of the U.S. economic activity in the wholesale trade sector, and provides the Nation's
policymakers and business leaders with measures of this important economic sector.
The Census Bureau is determined to provide the most accurate and useful data
possible. To achieve the standard, we need participation from all types of businesses
such as yours. We appreciate that completing any report takes time and thought. For
this reason, we urge you to view participation not only as a public service, but also as a
sensible long-term investment - an investment that returns benefits to you by laying the
foundation for sound economic policies and successful business decisions.
In order to improve the efficiency of the sample and to redistribute reporting burden for
small and medium sized companies, we have re-designed and re-selected the sample
of firms used for the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey. Please note: We are asking
you to report data for 2011 and 2010, even if you were in the prior sample and
have previously reported for 2010. Providing both years of data will help to properly link
estimates from the prior and new samples and ensure that the published estimates are
reliable and consistent over time. Report forms for future years will request only one
year of data until a new sample is selected.
Reporting instructions are included on the enclosed form, and estimates are acceptable.
You may report via mail, fax, or the Internet. Please see the front page of the form for
pertinent information concerning each of these options.
This report is MANDATORY and must be returned by March 14, 2012. Title 13,
United States Code, Sections 182, 224, and 225 require your participation. Section 9 of
Title 13 requires that the Census Bureau keep this report strictly confidential. Your
information is used only to develop summary data that do not reveal the individual
activities of your company. Under the same law, information cannot be used for
taxation, regulation, or investigation.
If you have any questions or concerns about completing this report, please contact us
at 1-800-327-4389 (select option 3) weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern
time.
THANK YOU in advance for ensuring that the results of the 2011 Annual Wholesale
Trade Report are comprehensive, timely, and reliable.
Sincerely,

Robert M. Groves
Director
Enclosures

census.gov