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Due Date:
30 days after receipt
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About Reporting
1. Is this survey mandatory?
Yes, your response is required by law. Title 13 of the U.S. Code requires businesses that receive the questionnaire to answer the questions and submit the survey answers to the Census Bureau. The law also provides that copies retained in your files are confidential and immune from legal process. In addition, reported data are exempt from requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.
2. Are my responses to this survey confidential?
Your responses are completely confidential under Title 13, United States Code, and are seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information. Data provided will be used only to publish summary statistics that do not identify individual firms. Title 13 also provides that copies of reports retained in your files are immune from legal process. In addition, reported data are exempt from requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.
3. Why should my company fill out this form?
Decision makers in both the public and private sectors make better decisions about R&D policies when they have better information about business R&D. This form was developed with the input of many company leaders with the goal of making the data useful to the executives of the companies providing the data as well as policy-makers in Washington, D.C.
4. When can I report?
We mailed the Business R&D Survey in January 2013 and your answers are due 30 days past receipt of the survey. You may report online or by mail.
5. How long will it take to complete this survey?
The length of time to complete this survey will vary depending on the size of your company and the complexity of your company's R&D operations and records. The average burden is estimated to be 1.5 hours for the BRDI-1(S).
6. How was my company chosen to receive this survey?
Only 43,000 out of the estimated 2 million companies operating in the United States will receive this survey in 2012. Companies known to have significant R&D activity are included in the survey automatically and remaining companies are statistically sampled so that we can produce R&D estimates for different industries and geographic locations.
7. Are estimates acceptable?
Yes, reasonable estimates are acceptable if exact figures are not available.
8. My company does not keep track of some of the detailed data you are requesting. What should I do?
Provide your best estimate if exact values are not available. Because every company tracks and manages their R&D differently, we expect companies may have to provide estimates for some questions on the form. Due to the unique nature of R&D, your best estimates will still provide useful information to the people who use these data.
9. What if I lost my form?
If you lost your form, call 1-800-772-7851 (Option "5") or select Online Services to request that we resend your form.
10. What if I need more time?
If you cannot complete the form by the due date, request an extension by either calling 1-800-772-7851 (Option "5") or select Online Services
11. How should I respond if a question or item isn't applicable to my company?
Respond with "0" if there is a space that requests an amount and you do not have the activity. It is not necessary to add zeroes for the questions that you are instructed to skip.
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