2017 Economic Census - Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) - Advance Questionnaire

CFSP-L1
(08-28-15)

DC

Attachment A-2
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

This is an official request from the United States
Government. The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval number for this collection is
0607-0921, which expires 12/31/2016.

A Message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau:
The U.S. Census Bureau has selected your business to complete a short survey to help us prepare for the 2017
Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). The CFS will be conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation
In an effort to conduct the survey in a cost-effective manner, we have developed an electronic reporting system for
completing the survey that we are confident you will find easy to use.
The address below is the location for which the CFS will be requesting information:
Company Name

Shipping Address

City, State, Zip Code

Please report online, using the following information:
Website:
User ID:
Password:
Due date:
This report is required by law and confidential. Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 8(b),131, and 193;
and Title 49 U.S.C., Section 6302 authorize this collection. Title 13 U.S.C.,Sections 224 and 225 require businesses
and other organizations that receive this survey to respond. to the Census Bureau. Section 9 of the same law
ensures that your response is confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes. Information collected
cannot be used for taxation, regulation, or investigation and is exempt from release under the Freedom of
Information Act. Public reporting burden for this survey is estimated to average 5 minutes per response. You may
use reasonable estimates if book figures are not readily available. 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.
The CFS provides important statistics about the movement of goods in the United States and how businesses like
yours use transportation to ship these goods. These data are used by policy makers and transportation planners to
make informed decisions for improving the transportation infrastructure.
If you need assistance completing the survey, visit us online at https://econhelp.census.gov/cfs. For further
assistance, please call our customer help line at 1-800-772-7851, option “3” weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. Eastern time.
Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation in completing this important survey. The CFS cannot be
successful without the assistance of businesses like yours.
Sincerely,

John H. Thompson
Director

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 0607-0921
and appears in the upper right corner of the login screen.
Authority and Confidentiality
Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 8(b), 131, and 193; and Title 49 U.S.C., Section 6302 authorizes the Census
Bureau to conduct this collection. Sections 224 and 225 requires businesses and other organizations that
receive this questionnaire to respond. By Section 9 of the same law ensures your report is confidential
and will only be used for statistical purposes. 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 5 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 0607-0921, 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 0607-0921 as the
subject.

CFSP-L1 (08-28-15)