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//CENSUS/ECONOMIC |
Saturday
5/17/2008 7:04:50 PM |
LOOKING FORWAD TO THE 2002 Economic Census
The Economic Census profiles the US economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level.
2002 Economic Census forms will be sent to 5 million businesses in December 2002, asking for information about business activity during calendar 2002. The forms will be due back February 12, 2003. Results will be published during 2004 and 2005.
Questions and Answers about the 2002 Economic Census
Why does the government take the Economic Census?
Good public policy depends on accurate information. The Economic Census provides official measures of output for industries and geographic areas. Economic policy makers in federal, state and local governments use Economic Census data to project trends, plan for development, and assess the impact of trade and corporate restructuring on particular industries. Economic Census data also help build the foundation for economic indicators and other statistics.
Can businesses use Economic Census results?
Companies use Economic Census data to study their industries, look for business markets, evaluate investment opportunities. Economic Census data help businesses compare industries and locations, and provide the official information that many investors expect in a business plan.
Why do we need an Economic Census when surveys provide more timely figures?
The Economic Census provides comprehensive detail about the Nation's economic activity, for all geographic areas. Census data about industries, their inputs and outputs, and how they relate to each other, are available nowhere else.
Surveys like Monthly Retail Sales provide the timely information needed by markets and policy makers. Surveys request minimum detail and sample a fraction of the businesses contacted in a census. Census totals serve as benchmarks to keep surveys accurate.
The Economic Census also provides key elements to help update economic indicators like the Gross Domestic Product and the Producer Price Index.
Should a business be concerned about sharing sensitive information with the Census Bureau?
Sections 9 and 214 of the Census law (Title 13 of the U.S. Code) protect the confidentiality of the individual responses. Business answers are seen only by Census employees who--under Title 13--are sworn to secrecy under penalty of fines or imprisonment.
The Census Bureau does not cross-reference or share confidential information with regulatory or other agencies. Census forms are even exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. No business competitors can obtain the responses of another company.
What is the penalty for not responding?
Section 224 of the census law (Title 13, United States Code) provides for penalties of up to $500 for failure to report, and $10,000 for intentionally providing false information.
How do businesses get picked for the Census?
Economic Census forms are sent to all but the smallest businesses in every industry and geographic area of the U.S. Most businesses with five or more paid employees, and a sample of smaller ones, will receive a census form.
What kind of help will be available to assist businesses in responding to the 2002 Economic Census?
A new on-line HelpDesk available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will address most respondent needs, starting in December 2002. A toll-free voice help line will be available 12 hours a day, to provide additional assistance to businesses that need help with their forms.
Will businesses be able to report electronically?
Yes. Businesses will be able to report directly on the Internet, via diskette using menu-driven Windows® compatible software, or using the conventional paper form they get in the mail. In many industries, businesses with many locations can report electronically using spreadsheet-like questionnaires on diskette.
How can a business find out what kind of information they will be required to report?
There will be more than 400 different versions of the census form, one tailored to each industry or group of industries. These forms will be made available at this web site as they are produced in early to mid-2002. To get a rough idea in advance, you can view sample forms used in the 1997 economic census, but the industry groupings, product categories, and some of the questions have changed.
What should a business person do if his or her business does not receive an Economic Census form?
Nothing.
To reduce the burden on American businesses, the Census Bureau does not send Economic Census forms to most very small firms. Forms go to all mid-sized and large businesses, but only to a sample of the smallest.
If a company has more than one location, all forms are sent to the company headquarters. If the headquarters has all the required figures, managers at individual offices may never see a census form.
A few industries are not covered by the Economic Census -- farming, forestry; fisheries, and agricultural services; schools and colleges; and labor, political, and religious organizations.
What is this "NAICS" I keep hearing about?
NAICS (pronounced "nakes") is the new North American Industry Classification System. This new structure for classifying business activity replaces the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. NAICS provides first-ever comparability with industry data for Canada and Mexico, and provides a framework for the business statistics of the 21st century.
NAICS was introduced with the 1997 Economic Census. Revisions to NAICS for 2002 will include new industries in construction and wholesale trade, parts of the information sector, and parts of the retail trade sector.
A new North American Product Classification System (NAPCS), being introduced for 2002, will affect product categories asked on questionnaires in selected service sectors. Like NAICS, the new NAPCS will provide for consistent classifications among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Why do you call it the 2002 Economic Census when you don't collect the data until 2003?
We ask businesses to report data on their activity during calendar years 2002. That's why we wait until the start of 2003 to collect the data.
When and how will people see the results of the 2002 Economic Census?
The first census results will be available in early 2004, with an unprecedented early release of totals for all economic sectors right at the start. All results will be issued on the Internet and on CD-ROM over the following two years. Highlights will be published in printed reports.
What information can I get from Economic Census data that already exist?
www.census-gov/econ97 contains:
complete details about NAICS and other topics
geographic profiles and complete reports from the 1997 Economic Census.
Where can I get more information?
Ask Dr. Census by e-mail or call (301) 457-2547.
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We believe, that when armed with appropriate resources, Native peoples hold the capacity and ingenuity to ensure the sustainable economic, spiritual, and cultural well being of their communities.
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