20-3-4235 U.S. purchasers' questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 20-3-4235; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
STEEL CONCRETE REINFORCING BAR FROM MEXICO AND TURKEY
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by June 5, 2020
See last page for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its review of the countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders concerning rebar from Mexico and
Turkey (Inv. No. 701-TA-502 and 731-TA-1227 (Review)). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested
under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. This report is mandatory and failure to reply as directed can result
in a subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or information in your firm’s possession (19 U.S.C. §
1333(a)). Further information on this questionnaire can be obtained from Craig Thomsen (202-205-3226,
craig.thomsen@usitc.gov).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased rebar (as defined on the next page) from any source (domestic or foreign) at any time
since January 1, 2014?

NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire questionnaire to the Commission)

Return questionnaire via the Commission Drop Box by clicking on the following link:
https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: REBAR)
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission. By
means of this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout this proceeding in any other import-injury proceedings or reviews
conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I, the undersigned, acknowledge that information submitted in response to this request for information and throughout this
proceeding or other proceedings may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits,
reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.
Name of Authorized Official

Signature

Title of Authorized Official

Phone

Date

Email address

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.-- On November 6, 2014, the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) issued an
antidumping duty order on imports of rebar from Mexico and a countervailing duty order on imports of
rebar from Turkey. On October 1, 2019, the Commission instituted a review pursuant to section 751(c)
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1675(c)) (the Act) to determine whether revocation of the orders
would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to the domestic industry within a
reasonably foreseeable time. If both the Commission and Commerce make affirmative determinations,
the orders will remain in place. If either the Commission or Commerce makes negative determinations,
Commerce will revoke the orders. Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding
are available at
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2019/steel_concrete_reinforcing_bar_mexico_and_turke
y/first_review_full.htm.
Rebar covered by these reviews is steel concrete reinforcing bar imported in either straight length or
coil form (rebar) regardless of metallurgy, length, diameter, or grade. The subject merchandise is
classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) primarily under item
numbers 7213.10.0000, 7214.20.0000, and 7228.30.8010.
The subject merchandise may also enter under other HTSUS numbers including 7215.90.1000,
7215.90.5000, 7221.00.0015, 7221.00.0030, 7221.00.0045, 7222.11.0001, 7222.11.0057, 7222.11.0059,
7222.30.0001, 7227.20.0080, 7227.90.6085, 7228.20.1000, and 7228.60.6000. Specifically excluded are
plain rounds (i.e., non-deformed or smooth rebar). Also excluded from the scope is deformed steel wire
meeting ASTM A1064/A1064M with no bar markings (e.g., mill mark, size or grade) and without being
subject to an elongation test. HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes;
however, the written description of the scope remains dispositive.
Reporting of information.--If information is not readily available from your records in exactly the form
requested, furnish carefully prepared estimates. If your firm is completing more than one questionnaire
in connection with this proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser questionnaire), you
need not respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires.
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to this questionnaire that
reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by the Commission to the
extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not be disclosed except as may
be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. § 1677f). Such confidential information will not be published in a
manner that will reveal the individual operations of your firm; however, general characterizations of
numerical business proprietary information (such as discussion of trends) will be treated as confidential
business information only at the request of the submitter for good cause shown.
Verification.--The information submitted in this questionnaire is subject to audit and verification by the
Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all of your files, worksheets, and
supporting documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire response. Please also retain a copy
of the final document that you submit.
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to this questionnaire, as
well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to the Commission in
connection with this proceeding, may become subject to, and released under, the administrative

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 3

protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1677f) and section 207.7 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR § 207.7). This means that certain lawyers and
other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the information for use in connection
with this proceeding or other import-injury proceedings conducted by the Commission on the same or
similar merchandise; those individuals would be subject to severe penalties if the information were
divulged to unauthorized individuals.
I-1a.

Establishments covered.--Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this
questionnaire, if different from that listed on the cover page. Firms operating more than one
establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a single response.
“Establishment”--Each facility of a firm involved in the purchase of rebar, including auxiliary
facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.

I-2b.

Stock symbol information.-- If your firm or parent firm is publicly traded, please specify the
stock exchange and trading symbol:
.

I-2c.

External counsel.-- If your firm or parent firm is represented by external counsel in relation to
this proceeding, please specify the name of the law firm and the lead attorney(s).
Law firm:
Lead attorney(s):

I-2.

Ownership.--Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No
Firm name

I-3.

Yes--List the following information, relating to the ultimate parent/owner.
Country

Extent of ownership
(percent)

Related importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or
foreign, that import rebar into the United States or that export rebar to the United States?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information.
Country

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 4

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
I-4.

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, that
produce rebar?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-5.

Page 5

Country

Affiliation

Business plan.--Does your company or any related firm have a business plan or any internal
documents that describe, discuss, or analyze expected market conditions for rebar?

No

Yes

If yes, please provide these documents. If you are not providing the
requested documents, please explain why not.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 6

PART II.--PURCHASES
Contact information.--Please identify the responsible individual and the manner by which Commission
staff may contact that individual regarding the confidential information submitted in this questionnaire.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
II-1.

Purchases.—
(a)

Please estimate your firm’s total U.S. purchases of rebar in 2019. (Do not include
imports for which your firm was the importer of record; such imports should be
reported in your U.S. importer’s questionnaire.)
Quantity (short tons)

(b)

Estimate the percentage of the quantity of your firm’s purchases of rebar in 2019 that
were produced in each of the specified countries.
rebar produced in:

Share of quantity of 2019 purchases

United States

%

Mexico

%

Turkey

%

All other countries:1

%

Sources unknown

%

Total (should sum to 100.0%)
1

Please identify these countries:

0.0

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
II-2.

Page 7

Purchases before and after order.-(a)

Did your firm purchase rebar from Mexico and/or Turkey before 2014?
No--skip to (c)

(b)

Yes

If yes, has your pattern of purchasing rebar from Mexico and/or Turkey changed since
2014?
No, our pattern of purchasing is essentially unchanged.
Yes, we discontinued purchases from Mexico and/or Turkey because of the
order.
Yes, we reduced purchases from Mexico and/or Turkey because of the order.
Yes, but we changed the pattern of purchases from Mexico and/or Turkey for
reasons other than the order (please explain below).

(c)

Has your pattern of purchasing rebar from nonsubject foreign sources (i.e., countries
other than Mexico and/or Turkey) changed since 2014?
We did not purchase from nonsubject foreign sources before or after the order.
No, our pattern of purchasing is essentially unchanged.
Yes, we increased purchases from nonsubject foreign sources because of the
order.
Yes, but we changed our pattern of purchases from nonsubject foreign sources
for reasons other than the order (please explain below).

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
II-3.

Page 8

Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
rebar from different sources have changed since January 1, 2014.
Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated

Explanation for trend

United
States
Mexico
Turkey
All other
countries
Sources
unknown
II-4.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin with which your firm has
experience or information in the rebar market.
United
States

II-5.

Mexico

Turkey

Other
countries

Other countries (specify)

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for rebar since January 1,
2014. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of rebar that each of
these suppliers accounted for in 2019.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2019 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 9

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of rebar (check all
that apply)?
End user
End user
construction
fabricator
company

Fabricator
and
distributor

Distributor

Other

Describe other

If your firm is a distributor of rebar, please answer questions III-2 and III-3.
III-2.

Competition for sales.--Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or
importers from which you purchase rebar?
No

III-3.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Types of customers.--What are the major types of consumers to which you sell rebar?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 10

If your firm is an end user of rebar, please answer questions III-4 and III-5.
III-4.

End uses.—Have there been any changes in the end uses of rebar since January 1, 2014? Do you
anticipate any future changes?
Changes in end uses

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since
January 1, 2014
Anticipated changes
III-5.

Demand for end-use products.-(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating rebar changed since January
1, 2014?
Increased

(b)

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for rebar?
No

III-6.

No change

Yes

Explain

Substitutes.— Have there been any changes in the number or types of products that can be
substituted for rebar since January 1, 2014? Do you anticipate any future changes?
Changes in substitutes No Yes
Changes since January
1, 2014
Anticipated changes

Explain

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
III-7.

Page 11

Demand trends.--Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United
States (if known) for rebar has changed since January 1, 2014, and how you anticipate demand
will change in the future. Explain any trends and describe the principal factors that have
affected, and that you anticipate will affect, these changes in demand.

Overall
increase

Market

No
change

Overall
decrease

Fluctuate
with no
clear trend

Explanation and factors

Demand since January 1, 2014
Within the United States
Outside the United States
Anticipated future demand
Within the United States
Outside the United States
III-8.

Market studies.--Please provide as a separate attachment to this request any studies, surveys,
etc. that you are aware of that quantify and/or otherwise discuss rebar supply (including
production capacity and capacity utilization) and demand in (1) the United States, (2) each of
the other major producing/consuming countries, including Mexico and/or Turkey, and (3) the
world as a whole. Of particular interest is such data from 2014 to the present and forecasts for
the future.

III-9.

Country preferences.--Do you or your customers ever specifically order rebar from one country
in particular over other possible sources of supply?
No

Yes

If yes, identify the countries and explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 12

III-10. Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2019 purchases of rebar that required rebar produced in the
United States.

Purchases that did not require domestic product
Purchases that were required by law or regulation to be domestic
product (e.g., government purchases under “Buy American” provisions)
Purchases that were not required by law or regulation, but were
required by your customers to be domestic product
Purchases that were required to be domestic product for other reasons
(explain:
)
Total (should sum to 100.0%)

Estimated percentage of
your firm’s total 2019
purchases of rebar
%
%
%
%
0.0 %

III-11. Conditions of competition.-(a) Is the rebar market subject to business cycles (other than general economy-wide conditions)
and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to rebar?
Check all that apply.

Please describe.

No

Skip to question III-12.

Yes-Business cycles (e.g.
seasonal business)
Yes-Other distinctive
conditions of competition
(b) If yes, have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition for
rebar since January 1, 2014?
No

Yes

If yes, describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 13

III-12. Decisions based on producer and country of origin.--How often does your firm, and if you
know, do your customers, make purchasing decisions involving rebar based on its producer or
country of origin?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, explain.

Decision based on producer
Your firm
Your
customers
Decision based on country of origin
Your firm
Your
customers
III-13. Availability of supply.--Has the availability of rebar in the U.S. market changed since January 1,
2014? Do you anticipate any future changes?
Availability in the U.S.
market

Please explain, noting the countries and reasons for the
No Yes changes.

Changes since January 1, 2014:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from Mexico
and/or Turkey
Imports from all other
countries
Anticipated changes:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from Mexico
and/or Turkey
Imports from all other
countries

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 14

III-15. Availability of specific product types.--Are certain grades/types/sizes of rebar only available
from certain country sources?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the countries and the grade/type/size.

III-16. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
rebar since January 1, 2014 (examples include placing customers on allocation or “controlled
order entry,” declining to accept new customers or renew existing customers, delivering less
than the quantity promised, being unable to meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-17. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases of rebar (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Do you expect this purchasing frequency to change in the next two years?
No

Yes

If yes, explain.

III-18. Raw material prices.—
(a)

Is your firm familiar with the prices for raw materials used in the production of rebar?
No

(b)

Yes – please answer (b)

Has information on raw material prices affected your firm’s negotiations or contracts to
purchase rebar since 2014?
No

Yes Explain

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 15

III-19. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a
purchase? Between
and
firms.
III-20. Supplier negotiations.--Do your firm’s purchases of rebar usually involve negotiations between
supplier and purchaser?

No

Yes

If yes, explain the factors you generally negotiate and note whether your
firm quotes competing prices during negotiations.

III-21. Change in suppliers.--Has your firm changed suppliers since January 1, 2014?

No

Yes

If yes, please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or dropped,
and the reasons for the change.

III-22. New suppliers.-(a)

Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the
market since January 1, 2014?
No

(b)

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms.

Do you expect new rebar suppliers to enter the U.S. market?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 16

III-23. Supplier qualification.—
(a) Do you require your suppliers to be or to become ASTM certified to sell rebar to your firm?
No

Yes

Please explain.

(b) Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified (other than ASTM) to
sell rebar to your firm?
If yes, provide the following information.
• The number of days to qualify a new supplier.
• A general description of the certification or qualification process. Also, a brief
description of the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality
of product, reliability of supplier, etc.).

No

Yes

Number
of days Process and factors

III-24. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2014, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their rebar with your firm or have any producers lost their
approved status?

No

Yes

If yes, please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and
the reasons why they failed the certification/qualification.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 17

III-25. Independent Steel Alliance.—
(a) Are you a member of the Independent Steel Alliance?
Are you a member of the Independent Steel If yes, have you purchased rebar using the
Alliance?
Independent Steel Alliance?
No

Yes

No

Yes

(b) If you purchased rebar as a member of the Independent Steel Alliance, did the price or
conditions of these purchases differ from your other purchases?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

(c) Please explain how your firm makes purchases through the Independent Steel Alliance.

(d) Has the Independent Steel Alliance affected prices or purchase patterns in the rebar
market?
No

Yes

If yes, please list factors that have changed and explain why changes
occurred.

(e) Please describe the benefits of membership in the Independent Steel Alliance.

(f) Please estimate the percentage of your total purchases in 2019 that were through the
Independent Steel Alliance.
%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 18

III-26. Purchases from related producers/suppliers.—
(a) Has your firm purchased rebar from related producers/suppliers?
No (if No please go to question III-27)

Yes (If yes, please reply to parts b-e.)

(b) Does your purchase process differ between related and unrelated producers/suppliers?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

(c) Does the method of determining prices differ between related and unrelated producers/
suppliers?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

(d) Do terms (e.g., delivery, payment, etc.) differ between related and unrelated producers/
suppliers?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

(e) Are any supply preferences given from related producers/suppliers that are not given from
unrelated producers/suppliers (i.e., do related producers/suppliers allocated a quantity to your
firm before sales are made to unrelated purchasers)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 19

III-27. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors your
firm considers in deciding from whom to purchase rebar (examples include availability,
extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range of supplier’s product line, traditional supplier,
etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:
III-28. Purchasing factors.--Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for rebar.

Factor

Very
important

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Payment terms
Price
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
III-29. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of rebar?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 20

III-30. Minimum quality.--How often does rebar from the following countries meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Source

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

Don’t
know

United States
Mexico
Turkey
Other:
III-31. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the rebar that is
offered at the lowest price?
Always

Frequently

Sometimes

Infrequently

Never

III-32. Price leaders.--A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that initiate a price change,
either upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or more firms that have a
significant impact on prices. A price leader is not necessarily the lowest-priced supplier.
Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the rebar market since January
1, 2014.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

III-33. Vertical integration.— Have the relationships between U.S. producers of rebar and their
affiliated scrap suppliers, fabricators, or distributors affected prices, purchase patterns, or
competition in the rebar market?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 21

III-34. Changes in U.S. industry.-(a)

Please identify and discuss any improvements/changes in the U.S. rebar industry since
January 1, 2014 and explain the factors, including the order(s) under review, that were
responsible for each improvement/change.

(b)

Please discuss any improvements/changes that you anticipate in the future in the U.S.
rebar industry. Identify the time period and causes for these improvements/changes.

For questions III-35 and III-36, if your response differs for particular orders, please indicate and explain
the particular effect of imposition and/or revocation of specific orders.
III-35. Effect of orders.--Describe the significance of the existing countervailing and antidumping duty
orders covering imports of rebar Mexico and Turkey in terms of their effect on your firm’s
purchasing operations. You may wish to compare your firm’s operations before and after the
imposition of the orders.

III-36. Likely impact of revocation.--Would your firm anticipate any changes in your firm’s purchasing
operations in the future if the countervailing and antidumping duty orders on rebar Mexico and
Turkey were to be revoked?

No

Yes

If yes, supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of
such changes.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 22

III-37. Impact of the Section 232 tariffs.—
(a)

Did the imposition of tariffs on imported steel/aluminum products under Section 232
have an impact on the rebar market in the United States?

Yes— Please indicate the
impact in the table below.

No

Overall
No
Overall
increase change decrease

Factor

Don’t know

Fluctuate Explain, noting how the imposition
with no of tariffs under Section 232 affected
clear
each factor of the rebar market in
trend
the United States.

Supply of U.S.produced rebar
Supply of imported
rebar
Prices for rebar
Overall U.S. demand
for rebar
Raw material costs for
rebar
(b)

Did the subsequent agreement between the United States and Mexico to eliminate all
tariffs imposed under Section 232 on imports of steel products from Mexico have an
impact on imports of rebar from Mexico?

No

Yes

If yes, please discuss any impacts (e.g. supply, demand, price) on imports of
rebar from Mexico.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 23

PART IV.--PRODUCT COMPARISIONS
IV-1.

Interchangeability.--Is rebar produced in the United States and in other countries
interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable
F = the products are frequently interchangeable
S = the products are sometimes interchangeable
N = the products are never interchangeable
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

Mexico

Turkey (other than Habas)

Other sources

United States
Mexico
Turkey (other than
Habas)
For any country-pair producing rebar which is sometimes or never interchangeable, please
identify the country-pair and explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
IV-2.

Page 24

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between rebar produced in the
United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases of the
products?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = such differences are always significant
F = such differences are frequently significant
S = such differences are sometimes significant
N = such differences are never significant
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

Mexico

Turkey (other than Habas)

Other sources

United States
Mexico
Turkey (other than
Habas)
For any country-pair for which factors other than price sometimes, frequently, or always are a
significant factor in your firm’s purchases of rebar, identify the country-pair and report the
advantages or disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
IV-3.

Page 25

Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how rebar produced in
each country you identified in your response to question II-4 compares with rebar produced in
each of the other countries you identified.

If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
Mexico compared
to product from
Turkey

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Turkey

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Mexico

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Payment terms
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1
A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has lower
prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
IV-3.

Page 26

Continued.

If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Payment terms
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1
A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has lower
prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.
1

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
Turkey compared
to product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
Mexico compared
to product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
IV-4.

Page 27

Change in price.-(a)

Since January 1, 2014, has there been a change in the price of rebar?
Source

Yes (also respond to
question part (b))

No (If “No” for all countries,
skip to next question)

United States
Mexico
Turkey
(b)

If your firm responded “yes” to any of the above countries, please describe how the
price of U.S.-produced rebar has changed relative to the price of imported rebar from
Mexico and/or Turkey.

Country

Prices changed by
the same percent

Price of U.S.-produced
rebar is now relatively
higher

Price of U.S.-produced
rebar is now relatively
lower

Mexico
Turkey
PART V.—ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
V-1.

Other explanations.--If your firm would like to further explain a response to any question that
for which a narrative response box was not provided, please note the question number and the
explanation in the space provided below.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)
V-2.

Page 28

OMB statistics.--Please report the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of
completing this questionnaire.
Hours

Dollars

The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that
issues of concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful,
and as limited as possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average
40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering data, and
completing and reviewing the questionnaire.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for
reducing the burden, and any suggestions for improving this questionnaire. Please attach such
comments to your response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW,
Washington, DC 20436.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Rebar (Review)

Page 29

HOW TO FILE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at:
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2019/steel_concrete_reinforcing_bar_me
xico_and_turkey/first_review_full.htm
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire
document. Please submit the completed questionnaire using one of the methods noted
below. If your firm is unable to complete the MS Word questionnaire or cannot use one
of the electronic methods of submission, please contact the Commission for further
instructions.
• Upload via Secure Drop Box.—Upload the MS Word questionnaire along with a scanned copy of the
signed certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure upload facility:
Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/

Pin: REBAR

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word questionnaire to craig.thomsen@usitc.gov; include a scanned copy of
the signed certification page (page 1). Submitters are strongly encouraged to encrypt nonpublic
documents that are electronically transmitted to the Commission to protect your sensitive information
from unauthorized disclosure. The USITC secure drop-box system and the Electronic Document
Information System (EDIS) use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 cryptographic
algorithms to encrypt data in transit. Submitting your nonpublic documents by a means that does not
use these encryption algorithms (such as by email) may subject your firm’s nonpublic information to
unauthorized disclosure during transmission. If you choose a non-encrypted method of electronic
transmission, the Commission warns you that the risk of such possible unauthorized disclosure is
assumed by you and not by the Commission.
If your firm does not purchase this product, please fill out page 1, print, sign, and submit a scanned
copy to the Commission.
Parties to this proceeding.—If your firm is a party to this proceeding, it is required to serve a copy of the
completed questionnaire on parties to the proceeding that are subject to administrative protective
order (see 19 CFR § 207.7). A list of such parties may be obtained from the Commission’s Secretary (202205-1803). A certificate of service must accompany the completed questionnaire you submit (see 19 CFR
§ 207.7). Service of the questionnaire must be made in paper form.