QSS - Attachment 5: Initial Letter

A message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau

Thank you for your participation in the Quarterly Services Survey. The responses obtained from this survey will provide policy makers and business leaders with an up to date picture of the United States economic condition and are a key element in estimating the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States.

The Census Bureau conducts the survey and requests your voluntary assistance under the authority of Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 182. We estimate this survey to take 15 minutes to complete. On the back of this letter you will find disclosure descriptions regarding Office of Management and Budget number; authority and confidentiality; and burden estimate statement.

Title 13 U.S.C., Section 9 also requires that we keep your answers strictly confidential. The information you provide may be seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information and may be used only for statistical purposes. Further, copies retained in your files are immune from legal process.

Please utilize your business expertise and judgment in completing the survey. If actual data are not available, carefully prepared estimates are acceptable. Use the ‘Remarks’ section to provide any needed explanations. We also encourage you to report online. The Internet address along with your Username and Password can be found in the “Return Via Internet” section on the first page of the enclosed survey form.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have additional questions, please call my staff on 1-800-772-7851 or visit our help site at https://econhelp.census.gov/qss.

Sincerely,

John H. Thompson

Director

Enclosures

OMB Number

You are not required to respond to this collection of information if it does not display a valid approval number from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The eight-digit OMB number is 0607-0907 and appears in the upper right corner of the report form/login screen.

Authority and Confidentiality

Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 131 and 182 authorize the Census Bureau to conduct this collection. By Section 9 of the same law, your report is confidential. It may be seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information, and may be used only for statistical purposes. The law also provides that copies of your report retained in your files are immune from legal process.

Burden Estimate Statement

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: ECON Survey Comments 0607-0907, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Room EMD-8K122, Washington, DC 20233. You may e-mail comments to ECON.Survey.Comments@census.gov. Be sure to use ECON Survey Comments 0607-0907 as the subject.