Consultations with Federal Agencies, Trade Groups, and Trade Publications, Letter to Persons and Organizations

EC-G-LGA
(DRAFT)

DC

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

The U.S. Census Bureau is creating the 2017 Economic Census questionnaires for 100 percent Internet
collection and would like your comments regarding its content. Please help us as we review the Census
content to ensure we are properly reflecting the changing economy and capturing data relevant to your
industry. We are interested in any comments on the usefulness of existing inquiries for inclusion and in
suggestions for new measures that would be appropriate to include in a benchmark survey.
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Do the survey questionnaires and instructions use terms/definitions that are common for your industry?
Does the questionnaire accurately reflect what is occurring in your industry?
What do your data users need that we are not asking?
What questions are no longer relevant and could be eliminated?
Are certain questions difficult to complete? Why?
Are instructions clear and helpful?
Are there any other comments or opinions with regard to your industry questionnaire?

Please review the previous Economic Census forms: https://bhs.econ.census.gov/ec12/php/census-form.php
Under "Forms," please select the specific forms relevant to your organization. (Note that there may be more
than one form or industry relevant to you.) For more information about individual industries, please select the
tab "Information by Industry." Please note that Item 26, Special Inquiries may be of particular interest to you.
While general questions are asked of all establishments, these inquiries allow special data to be collected that
measure important changes in our economy and support the needs of individual industries.
Products identified in the North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) were collected for most
sectors in the prior Economic Census. For the 2017 Economic Census, additional products were developed
for Mining, Utilities, and Construction. In addition, a comprehensive product system was finalized which will
provide the basis of the detail of sales, shipments, receipts, or revenue categories in question 22.
See additional information here: http://www.census.gov/eos/www/napcs/faqs.html
Please submit your comments via email to ec17association@census.gov by October 31, 2015 and be
advised that your comments may become a matter of public record.
Thank you in advance for your assistance. If you have any questions or would like to discuss any matter of
interest to you, you may call at (301) 763-4791.
Sincerely,

Jack B. Moody
Assistant Survey Director, Economic Census
Economy-Wide Statistics Division
U.S. Census Bureau