Businesses: America Needs Your Numbers

      The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today reminded 5 million U.S. businesses that time is running out for returning 2002 Economic Census forms. Businesses that receive forms are required by law to respond. The forms are due by Feb. 12.

      "The quicker businesses respond, the faster we can compile the data and provide the information needed by policymakers and the business community alike," said Charles Louis Kincannon, director of the Census Bureau. "Meeting the deadline will save time and money for both the government and business."

      The Census Bureau also emphasized businesses can use the Internet to file their information electronically. For the first time, businesses can extract data from their own spreadsheets and drop them into electronic Windows®-based census forms, easing the reporting burden for business.

      The Census Bureau has an Internet help site for businesses <www.census.gov/econhelp>. Census Bureau employees are also answering a toll-free "help line" (1-800-233-6136) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

      The economic census, taken every five years, is the primary benchmark for measurement of 96 percent of gross domestic product. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan has said the economic census is “indispensable to understanding America's economy."

      In addition to federal policymakers, state and local governments and businesses use economic census data for planning and market development.

The 2002 Economic Census features many "firsts" including:

• The first official measure of e-commerce for all industries;
• New information on changing business supply-chain functions;
• Information on businesses with “leased employees”;
• Use of the North American Product Classification System codes for products in about 85 service industries;
• Direct comparability with database on the North American Industry Classification System sectors from the 1997 Economic Census; and
• Expanded information on purchased services and customer classes.

      Data on 1,000 industries will be processed during 2003, with the first results expected in early 2004.The economic census will yield more than 1,600 reports and data products for states, counties, places and some ZIP codes. Results of the most recent census are available on the Census Bureau Internet site <www.census.gov>.