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6. Why did I receive a census form?

We mailed you a census form because we need information about your business for the 2002 Economic Census. We mailed forms to over 5 million U.S. businesses whose information is important and not otherwise available. We chose these businesses because they employ virtually all paid employees, represent every industry, and are diverse geographically. Your answers to each applicable item on the form are important if 2002 Economic Census statistics are to be complete, accurate, and useful.

• Significant businesses. Businesses received a census form if, based on our best available information, they had one or more paid employees and had significant production (of goods or services) within their industry or area during 2002.
  
  
• Need information. We need information for each applicable item on the census form in order to produce high quality census statistics. We need this information because it is not available from other sources, or because other information sources are not adequate.

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7. Why did I receive so many forms?

By January 2003, you should have received one Economic Census form for each business location you operated during part or all of calendar year 2002. We requested information for each location in order to produce high quality census statistics for each industry and locality. If you received more forms than you had locations, please complete and return one form for each location you operated in 2002, and return each "extra" form with a note in the Remarks section (after item 29) stating why you are returning it.

Separately, you may have received a duplicate census mailing, a short form to help with pre-census preparation, or a current business survey form. We send duplicate mailings to businesses that do not answer the census or obtain an extension by February 12, 2003. We sent short forms in 2001 and 2002 to some businesses to update our pre-census information. We also continue to send forms monthly, quarterly and annually to some businesses to produce needed economic indicator and other current statistics.

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8. What if I don't have enough forms?

You should have one Economic Census form for each business location you operated during part or all of calendar year 2002. We need information for each location in order to produce high quality census statistics for each industry and locality. If we didn't send you enough forms or are missing pages, or otherwise need more forms, please visit our Online Requests to request a remail or additional forms, or contact us to request what you need.

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9. What if I received the wrong form?

Please try to use the form(s) you have to answer the 2002 Economic Census. Census forms are designed to be flexible in use. In most cases, answering Items 1-7 and Item 29, plus describing your primary business activity in the "Remarks" section (after Item 29), will satisfy your obligation and allow us to reclassify your business correctly. We will contact you if we need any additional information or have any questions regarding your answers.

Using the forms you have will help you provide timely information. Examples of how you can use the forms you have include:

• Correcting information. You can cross out and correct information that was preprinted on your census label or form, including your name, address, Employer Identification Number (EIN), and physical location.
  
  
• Adding information. You can use the "other" choices in many form items to provide unique business information, including kind of business, class of customer, method of selling, and sales or receipts.
  
  
• Including remarks. You can use the "Remarks" section available in most forms (after Item 29) to describe how you used the form, identify what changes you have made, and provide explanations to help us understand what you have done.
  
  
• Attaching documents. If your form does not have a "Remarks" section, you can provide an attachment that identifies your changes and explains how you used the form. Please include your business name and Census File Number (CFN) on any attachments you provide.

If you prefer to obtain the correct form before filing, please call us and we will refer your case to an analyst. Be prepared to discuss you activities in order to determine your correct NAICS classification and the appropriate questionnaire.

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10. What if I didn't receive a form?

If you did not receive a 2002 Economic Census form it is probably because you are in one of the situations described below:

• It went to another office. If your business has several locations, we may send its forms to one location (such as your headquarters or administrative office). That office will complete and return the census forms, or arrange for the census to be answered.
  
  
• You are a new business. If you were issued a new Employer Identification Number (EIN) after June 2002, we could not include you in the December 2002 mailing. You should receive your census mailing in March 2003.
  
  
• You have no or few employees. If you had no employees in March 2002, or you had very few employees for businesses in your industry, we did not send you a census form. We will rely on information from other sources to represent you in the census.

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