2012 BE-12 Supporting Statement Part B

Supporting Statement for the BE-12 Benchmark Survey
of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
OMB Control Number 0608-0042
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any
sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities
(e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the
universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation
must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has
been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.
This survey is a benchmark survey, or census. In the benchmark survey, a Form BE-12A, BE12B, or BE-12C is required for all U.S. affiliates whose data are not consolidated or merged into
a BE-12 report filed by another U.S. affiliate. BEA estimates it will mail the survey to
approximately 19,950 U.S. companies. BEA estimates the universe of U.S. affiliates is 18,750
companies and that 1,200 companies that are contacted will not meet the criteria to be in the
universe and will file a BE-12 Claim for Not Filing.
2012 BE-12 Universe and Response Rate
Estimated
Form Type
number of
respondents
Universe
BE-12A
BE-12B
BE-12C
BE-12 Claim for Not Filing

18,750
1,750
2,000
15,000
1,200

Total respondents

19,950

Response rate in terms of assets
of 2007 BE-12 survey

98.8%

This information collection employs statistical methods for the purpose of expanding data
reported on Forms BE-12B and BE-12C to the same level of data reported on Form BE-12A.
The methods, which are described in more detail in B.2 below, are well-established and have
been used in previous surveys of foreign direct investment in the United States.
See B.3 below for a discussion of response rates.
2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for
stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy
needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring

specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data
collection cycles to reduce burden.
For majority-owned U.S. affiliates reporting on Form BE-12B or BE-12C, BEA will estimate the
additional detail that would have been filed on Form BE-12A. For minority-owned U.S.
affiliates reporting on Form BE-12C, BEA will estimate the additional detail that would have
been filed on Form BE-12B. Thus, filing by these affiliates on Form BE-12B or BE-12C will
not affect the amount of detail that can be published for majority-owned and minority-owned
affiliates.
In general, the estimation will be accomplished by prorating reported data, such as total assets,
among subcomponents that are not reported, using the distribution observed in companies filing
on Form BE-12A.
3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse.
The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for
the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be
provided if they will not yield “reliable” data that can be generalized to the universe
studied.
Several steps will be taken to maximize response rates.
For the first time, BEA will make the benchmark survey available early in the calendar year that
it covers – by March 2012 for the 2012 benchmark survey. BEA will mail a letter to respondents
announcing the availability of the survey in eFile, BEA’s electronic filing system. In this way,
respondents will be able to prepare for the survey much earlier in the year, and companies with a
fiscal year ending early in the calendar year will be able to file closer to their fiscal year end.
The letter will be mailed in four waves throughout 2012 according to when a U.S. affiliate’s
fiscal year ends.
In March 2013, BEA will mail BE-12 forms to all companies that have not yet filed using the
early filing option in eFile. Each BE-12 form is preprinted with the name and address of the
U.S. affiliate. Any person specifically contacted by BEA must respond, by filing either a
completed form or a Claim for Not Filing by May 31, 2013. Nonrespondents will be sent
follow-up notices and, in the event of continued nonresponse, will be referred to the Office of the
General Counsel for further action.
Based on responses from the prior benchmark and annual surveys, BEA expects to receive a
response representing 95 percent of the universe data (based on total assets), in time to publish
preliminary estimates in 2014. Past experience shows that because of BEA’s extensive followup efforts during the first year of survey processing, there should be only a small difference in
the responses when final estimates are published in 2015.
4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as
effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB
must give prior approval.

2

No tests were conducted (aside from giving respondents the opportunity to comment on
proposed changes, as described in A.8, above).
5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical
aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other
person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.
The survey is designed and conducted within BEA by the Direct Investment Division (DID). For
further information, contact David H. Galler, Chief, DID via email at David.Galler@bea.gov or
by phone at 202-606-9835.

3