Title 13 of the United States Code requires you to answer this survey, and it also requires us to keep your responses confidential. The data you supply are used solely for developing summary statistics. Further, copies retained in your files are immune from legal process.
This form is sent to a sample of non-farm companies, organizations, and associations operating within the United States. Normally, large companies will be selected in the sample every year. In order to develop statistically reliable estimates representing the U.S. economy, it is important that you respond to this survey.
The ICT survey is mailed out each year during the month of March, and responses are due within 30 days. If you cannot complete the survey by the due date, you may request an extension of time by contacting the Department of Commerce at 1-800-528-3049.
If you are having problems completing this form please refer to the instructions for assistance. If the instructions do not resolve your problem, please contact us at 1-800-227-1735.
The data collected in the expensed Information and Communication Technology supplement to the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey is designed to capture investment figures related to technology that fall below a company’s capitalization threshold. The data will be used to assess future productivity and economic growth prospects as well as provide data to improve capital stock estimates, capital flow tables, and permit the reconciliation of important differences between reported production and consumption of technology.
No. The instructions contain many points to assist in correctly completing the ICT survey. This FAQ section is to be used as a reference to assist you in completing the form.
Yes. In order to produce investment statistics representative of the entire economy, we sample all non-farm businesses, organizations, and associations across all sectors of the US economy regardless of their tax status. Reasonable estimates are acceptable.
Capital items include all expenditures during the year for both new and used structures and equipment chargeable to asset accounts for which depreciation or amortization accounts are ordinarily maintained. Expensed items are immediately written off and charged to expense accounts as incurred. No depreciation or amortization accounts are maintained for expensed item.
This survey collects expensed figures related to information and communication technology. Please report the expensed ICT items for the four categories. Include assets with short useful lives, assets that fall below a firm’s capitalization threshold, and expenses that are directly associated with software development.
No. Purchases made specifically for re-sale should be excluded from this survey.
Not all companies will use the exact breakdowns that appear on the ICT form to classify expenses. To generate accurate estimates of the expensed figures for this survey it may be necessary to gather data from detailed expense accounts or vendor invoices. Reasonable estimates are permissible and should be utilized when exact figures are not available.
If your records are not kept in a way that allows you to break out these categories in a precise manner, reasonable estimates are permissible.
The ICT survey collects information from companies across all non-farm sectors of the economy. Some of the categories in the ICT survey may not be relevant to your business. Do not hesitate to place a zero in the appropriate box and continue with the form.
No. This form only tracks the spending of companies operating in the U.S.
Copy machines with multiple capabilities (i.e. copy, print, fax etc.) should be reported as ICT equipment (depending on the function it performs). If the copy machine only makes copies, please omit it from your figures.
No. The list of items to include on the ICT survey is not all-inclusive and should be viewed as examples. If you have an asset you believe should be included, please report it in your figures.
No. All items should only be reported once on the ICT survey.
Exclude all maintenance/service contracts except software maintenance fees. Maintenance/service contracts should only be included on the ICT form if they pertain to the maintenance of software. In such cases, maintenance/service contracts should be reported in the Licensing and Software Service/Maintenance column.
If a maintenance contract is included in the asset purchase price and cannot be excluded, please try to subtract the value of the maintenance contract from your reported figure. (**Please refer to the previous question for software maintenance contracts**)
An operating lease is an agreement to use an asset without the implied transfer of ownership or the ability to depreciate the asset. By definition most rental agreements are operating leases. Include all operating lease and rental payments relating to equipment. Capital leases presume a sale and purchase of an asset, and are defined by the criteria in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Number 13. Do not include capital leases on the ICT survey.
For multi-year operating leases, report only the amount paid during the survey year.
Loaded payroll for software development consists of the value paid to programmers in salary, wages, benefits, and bonuses. The term payroll has nothing to do with “firm payroll,” “office payroll,” or “payroll software.” Here, payroll refers only to compensation paid to those employees responsible for creating software.
Yes. All software expenses should be included, even if the final product is never used or marketed.
The initial price paid for the operating system should be included in the non-capitalized purchase and payroll for developing software section if it was not capitalized at the time of purchase (only report if purchase was made in the survey year). Any additional licensing fees (whether annual or on a “per seat” basis) should be included in the licensing and software service/maintenance agreements section.
If the original purchase of the software was not capitalized it should be reported on the non-capitalized purchase and payroll for developing software section. Each annual upgrade or payment should be reported in the licensing and software service/maintenance agreements section. If you pay a subscription fee to an online software service, but never pay an actual initial payment, report all payments made during the period covered by this report in the licensing and software service/maintenance agreements section.
Server software should be reported like any other software. If the server is used for multiple industries, please report the software in the industry that uses it a majority of the time (estimates are acceptable).