About Reporting

8.  Why should my company fill out this form?

The survey produces revenue statistics for your segment of the economy. In other words, you can receive important economic information regarding your industry quicker than ever before.
It will give you an idea of how your company compares to other businesses in your field.

More broadly, the Quarterly Services Survey will be used to produce a new economic indicator.
An economic indicator is a statistical figure that is used to track growth and decline of economic activity in specific segments of the economy over time.
Government agencies will use it to produce more accurate data. Policy makers will also utilize it.

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9.  How did my company get picked for this survey?

Your firm was chosen from a scientifically selected sample of businesses. Taking a sample is less costly than contacting every business in the country. Smaller firms selected for the sample represent other similar businesses.

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10.  How long will my company be in this survey?

The sample will be revised periodically, approximately every five years, in order to relieve most firms from the burden of continually reporting.
While the largest firms continue to be canvassed, most of the small and medium-sized firms are not reselected.

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11.  How is the privacy of my company protected?

Under title 13 of the United States Code, your responses are completely confidential, only those people sworn to uphold the confidentiality of the Census Bureau will see your responses.
Employees of the Census Bureau who fail to uphold there responsibilites are subject up to $5,000.00 in fines and up to five years in prision.

We will only publish summary statistics that do not identify individual businesses.

Title 13 also provides that copies of your report that have been retained on file are immune from legal process. In addition, reported data are exempt from requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.

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12.  How do I know that no one can access the data from your computers?

Data maintained in the Bureau's computer system is not accessible to anyone outside the Census Bureau. Our computers cannot be accessed through telephone lines - there is no direct dial up.
In addition, the computer area is closed to all personnel, except those with special passes, a Census user identification and a password.

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13.  About how long will it take me to complete this form?

The length of time it will take you to complete this form has been estimated to be 15 minutes.

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