U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

EC07-00R-HIST

History of the 

2007 Economic Census

2007 Economic Census

Issued September 2011
Acknowledgments

This history was prepared by Jason G. Gauthier, under the 

direction of William Maury, Chief, History Staff.

Completion of the History of the 2007 Economic Census would not 

have been possible without the valuable assistance and/or reviews 

provided by Shirin A. Ahmed, Edward D. Walker, Ashley H. 

Robinson, Kathleen V. Friedman, and staff in the U.S. Census 

Bureau's Economic Planning and Coordination, Company Statistics, 

Economic Statistical Methods and Programming, Manufacturing 

and Construction, and Service Sector Statistics Divisions.

Donna Gillis and Jan Sweeney of the Administrative and 

Customer Services Division, Francis Grailand Hall, Chief, 

provided publication management, layout, design, and editorial 

review. General direction and production management were 

provided by Claudette Bennett, Assistant Division Chief, 

Publications Services Branch.
EC07-00R-HIST

History of the 

2007 Economic Census Issued September 2011

2007 Economic Census

U.S. Department of Commerce

Rebecca M. Blank,

Acting Secretary

Vacant,

Deputy Secretary

Economics and Statistics 

Administration

Rebecca M. Blank,

Under Secretary for Economic Affairs

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Robert M. Groves,

Director
ECONOMICS

AND STATISTICS

ADMINISTRATION

Economics 

and Statistics

Administration

Rebecca M. Blank,

Under Secretary for 

Economic Affairs

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Robert M. Groves,

Director

Thomas L. Mesenbourg,

Deputy Director and 

Chief Operating Officer

William G. Bostic, Jr.,

Associate Director for Economic Programs

Shirin A. Ahmed

Chief, Economic Planning and 

Coordination Division
Dedication

Bernard J. “B.J.” Fitzpatrick

August 7, 1947–May 8, 2008

Many of the innovations and cost-saving measures 

described in this History of the 2007 Economic Census

are directly attributable to the leadership and initiative of

Bernard J. “B.J.” Fitzpatrick, Assistant Division Chief of 

Collection Activities in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Economic 

Planning and Coordination Division. B.J.’s unique 

combination of expertise, diligence, and creativity instilled 

confidence and admiration throughout all corners of the 

agency’s Economic Directorate as he continually strove for 

smart, practical solutions to challenging problems. The 

data collection methods, techniques, and infrastructure 

used to conduct the census were, in essence, a product 

of B.J.’s vision, planning, and tireless drive. Although his 

guidance and commanding presence will certainly be 

missed, B.J.’s many contributions have undoubtedly 

created a foundation upon which the success of future 

economic censuses may be based.

CONTENTS

Chapters

1. Introduction ........................................ 1

2. Industrial and Product Classification ..................... 13

3. Questionnaire Development and Design .................. 19

4. Promoting the Census and Product Awareness.............. 27

5. Preparations for Data Collection......................... 39

6. Data Collection and Processing ......................... 47

7. 2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas ................ 55

8. The 2007 Survey of Business Owners .................... 59

9. The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey ...................... 63

10. Data Dissemination .................................. 69

Appendixes

A. Provisions of Title 13, United States Code,

 Relating to the 2007 Economic Census ................. A-1

B. Historical Development of the Economic Census

 in the United States ................................ B-1

C. Definitions and Descriptions of Geographic Areas ........... C-1

D. Glossary of Terms ................................... D-1

E. 2007 Economic Census Questionnaires—By NAICS Sector ....... E-1

History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 1

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 1: 

Introduction

THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Background Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Legal Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

History of the Economic Census. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

INDUSTRY AND PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Background Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2007 Industry and Product Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The North American Product Classification System (NAPCS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CONSULTATION ON THE CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Trade Associations and Federal Agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Census Advisory Committee of Professional Associations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

MAJOR USES AND USERS OF ECONOMIC CENSUS DATA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

SCOPE AND COVERAGE OF THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CHANGES TO THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Content Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Addition of relevant content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

More standardized product detail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Program Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Additional follow-up mailing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Electronic dissemination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Local area data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

DATA COLLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

RELATED SURVEYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Survey of Business Owners (SBO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Business Expenses Supplement (BES). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

OTHER ECONOMIC STATISTICS PROGRAMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Business Register Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Current Survey Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

County Business Patterns (CBP) Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Nonemployer Statistics Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Center for Economic Studies (CES) Research Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Census of Governments Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Census of Agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

EXPENDITURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

Background Information

The 2007 Economic Census used direct data collection and administrative records to compile statistics on 

approximately 29 million business establishments in 

industries defined by the 2007 North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS). In addition to 

the general enumeration of businesses, the 2007 

census program included surveys of business owners 

and commodity flows.

Legal Authority

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the economic census 

under the authority of Title 13, U.S. Code (sections 

131, 191, and 224). Section 131 states that: 

The Secretary [of Commerce] shall take, compile, 

and publish censuses of manufactures, of mineral 

industries, and of other businesses, including the 

distributive trades, service establishments, and 

transportation (exclusive of means of transportation 

for which statistics are required by law to be filed 

with, and are compiled and published by, a designated regulatory body), in the year 1964, then in the 

year 1968, and every fifth year thereafter, and each 

such census shall relate to the year immediately 

preceding the taking thereof.

Title 13, Chapter 1 (Administration) covers the collection and handling of census and survey data and the 

qualifications and duties of census supervisors and 

other employees. Section 5 of the chapter assigns 

to the Secretary of Commerce the responsibility for 

preparing census questionnaires and determining the 

number and type of inquiries included (the Secretary 

typically delegates this authority to the Director of the 

Census Bureau). Section 9 sets confidentiality requirements for census data and forbids the “use of information furnished . . . for any purpose other than the 

statistical purposes for which it was supplied. . . .” The 

section also restricts access to census questionnaires to 

persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality provisions 

of Title 13 and forbids publication of any information 

from the census or any survey that could be used to 

identify a specific person or business enterprise.

Chapter 5 (Censuses), section 131, directs the 

Census Bureau to carry out an economic census every 

5 years, for years ending in “2” and “7.” Section 191 

of the chapter establishes the geographic scope of the 

censuses and authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to 

use census data collected by the governor or highest 

federal official (if the data are collected in accordance 

with plans approved by the Secretary) for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and “any possession or area not specifically 

designated in subsection (a) of this section.” Section 

195 authorizes the use of sampling for carrying out the 

provisions of Title 13, “Except for the determination of 

population for purposes of apportionment of Representatives in Congress among the several States . . .”

Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties) establishes 

penalties for any Census Bureau or Department of 

Commerce staff member who discloses confidential 

data to any person other than a sworn Census Bureau 

or Department of Commerce employee, requires 

response to census inquiries, and establishes penalties 

for noncompliance.

For more detailed excerpts of Title 13, see Appendix A, 

“Provisions of Title 13, United States Code, Relating to 

the 2007 Economic Census.”

History of the Economic Census

The United States first collected information about the 

nation’s economic activity in conjunction with the 1810 

census of population. The 1810 census asked for the 

number of establishments involved in manufacturing 

and the kind, quantity, and value of goods manufactured. The 1820 census asked a similar set of questions, but similar inquiries were omitted in 1830. The 

1840 census restored the manufacturing inquiries and 

added questions on mineral industries and agriculture. 

The mineral industries items were dropped from the 

1850 census, but by then a census of manufactures 

had become part of the decennial census.

After the establishment of a permanent Census Bureau 

in 1902, collection of data on the nation’s economic 

activities expanded rapidly, first through more frequent 

censuses—the Census Bureau carried out a census of 

manufactures every 5 years after 1905 (every 2 years 

from 1921 through 1939)—then by the addition of 

other economic sectors to the enumeration. The 1930 

census included a census of distribution, covering retail 

and wholesale trade, and a census of construction 

industries. Enumeration of selected service industries 

began in 1933. 

The Census Bureau added transportation industries 

to the census in 1963 with specific surveys: the Truck 

Inventory and Use Survey (later named the Vehicle 

Inventory and Use Survey), Passenger Transportation 

Survey, Commodity Transportation Survey, and Motor 

Carriers Survey. Coverage expanded again in 1992 to 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 3

U.S. Census Bureau

include censuses of utilities; transportation industries; 

and finance, insurance, and real estate.

Increased interest about the economic pursuits of 

minority populations and women led to the first Survey 

of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (SMOBE) 

in 1969 and the Survey of Women-Owned Business 

Enterprises (SWOBE) in 1972. The SMOBE became a 

regular part of the economic census in 1972, and the 

SWOBE followed in 1977. To augment the SMOBE/

SWOBE series, the Census Bureau conducted the first 

Characteristics of Business Owners Survey (CBO) in 

1982 to provide the only national data available for 

comparing selected economic, demographic, and 

sociological characteristics among minority, women, 

and nonminority male business owners and their businesses. In 1997, the SMOBE and SWOBE expanded to 

include all businesses participating in the economic 

census. In 2002, the Survey of Business Owners 

replaced the SMOBE, SWOBE, and CBO and featured the 

first reports on entrepreneurs who are military veterans 

and their businesses.

The Census Bureau conducted the first economic census 

in the “Island Areas” in 1909 with a special census of 

manufactures in Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau conducted censuses of manufactures in Puerto Rico every 

10 years thereafter through 1949, after which the commonwealth was included in the quinquennial economic 

censuses. The agency extended coverage to include 

Alaska and Hawaii beginning with the 1939 Census of 

Manufactures. Coverage of Guam and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands began in 1958; the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands in 1982; and American Samoa 

in 2002. The Census Bureau began collecting data 

from construction industries in the economic census of 

Puerto Rico in 1967 and of Guam and the Virgin Islands 

in 1972.

INDUSTRY AND PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION

Background Information

Standardization of industrial classification originated 

with a recommendation on the subject at an interdepartmental conference on industrial classification held 

in 1934. This recommendation (transmitted to the federal government’s Central Statistical Board) suggested 

establishment of an ongoing committee to explore the 

problems involved in developing an industrial classification of statistical data.1

In 1937 the Central Statistical Board established 

the Interdepartmental Committee on Industrial 

Classification “to develop a plan of classification of 

various types of statistical data by industries and to 

promote the general adoption of such classification as 

the standard classification of the Federal Government.” 

At its first meeting on June 22, 1937, this committee established a Technical Committee to work on the 

preparation of the proposed standard classification of 

industries.2

The Technical Committee worked first on manufacturing industries and accepted a list of industries at a June 

1938 meeting of the Interagency Committee. At the 

same meeting, the committee discussed coding problems in nonmanufacturing fields and decided to authorize the establishment of subcommittees of experts in 

various nonmanufacturing fields to prepare proposed 

classifications.

After the 1939 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 

was used and reviewed, the Bureau of the Budget (to 

which the Technical Committee had been transferred) 

printed the first editions of Manufacturing Industries

in 1941 and Nonmanufacturing Industries in 1942. 

The dual editions were used until 1954, after which 

they were combined into a single edition of SIC codes 

covering both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing 

industries.3

The Census Bureau used the SIC codes, with occasional revisions, until the North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS) replaced them in 1997. 

The Census Bureau introduced the NAICS in the 1997 

Economic Census for the 50 states and the District 

1 Executive Order No. 6225 in July 1933 established the Central 

Statistical Board under the authority of Titles I and II of the National 

Industrial Recovery Act. The board was instructed “to formulate standards for and to effect the coordination of the statistical services of the 

federal government incident to the purpose of the National Industrial 

Recovery Act.” This order also authorized the board “to appraise and 

advise upon all schedules of Government agencies engaged in the 

primary collection of statistics required in carrying out the purposes of 

that act, to review plans, for tabulation and classification of such statistics, and to promote the . . . improvement of the statistical services 

involved.” Journal of the American Statistical Association, “The Central 

Statistical Board,” 1935, p. 714. 2 Esther Pearce, “History of the Standard Industrial Classification,” 

July 10, 1957, <http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/sichist.htm> 

(December 19, 2007). 3 Ibid.
4 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

of Columbia and expanded coverage to the Island 

Areas and the Survey of Business Owners in the 2002 

Economic Census. The 2002 census also introduced, 

on a preliminary basis, the North American Product 

Classification System (NAPCS) covering parts of the 

services industries.4

2007 Industry and Product Classification

The North American Industry Classification 

System (NAICS). The Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) updates the NAICS every 5 years, with 

the most recent revisions incorporated in the 2007 

NAICS. The Census Bureau collected, tabulated, and 

disseminated the 2007 Economic Census using the 

2007 NAICS. Changes from NAICS 2002 were limited to 

the following six sectors:

• 31–33—Manufacturing

• 51—Information

• 52—Finance and Insurance

• 53—Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

• 54—Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

• 56—Administrative and Support and Waste 

 Management and Remediation Services

The number and types of changes (mostly minor) 

varied by sector and included deletion of NAICS 2002 

classifications, creation of new NAICS 2007 classifications, movement of existing classifications, definition 

changes to existing classifications, and title changes. 

Although the majority of changes occurred within 

sector boundaries, the OMB made two exceptions:

1) It moved part of Real Estate Investment Trusts 

(REITs) from Sector 52 (Finance and Insurance) to 

Sector 53 (Real Estate and Rental and Leasing). 

2) It moved executive search consulting services from 

Sector 54 (Professional, Scientific, and Technical 

Services) to Sector 56 (Administrative and Support 

and Waste Management and Remediation Services).5

4 The Island Areas covered in the 2002 Economic Census were 

Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. For more information on the development of and transition to NAICS, see U.S. Census 

Bureau, History of the 1997 Economic Census, Chapter 3, “Introduction 

of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS),” POL/00-

HEC, July 2000, pp. 13–23. 5 Office of Management and Budget, Federal Register, “North 

American Industry Classification System–Revision for 2007; Notice,” 

Vol. 71, No. 94, May 16, 2006, pp. 28531–28533.

As in 2002, the economic census in 2007 covered 

industries defined by the NAICS (see Table 1-1)6 in the 50 

states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United States, 

and American Samoa.7 In addition to the general enumeration of businesses, the 2007 census program included 

surveys of business owners and commodity flows.8

6 The 2007 Economic Census industry coverage excludes NAICS 

Sector 11 (Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting); a separate 

2007 Census of Agriculture (conducted by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service) covers NAICS 111 

(Crop Production) and NAICS 112 (Animal Production). Industry coverage also excludes NAICS Sector 92 (Public Administration), which is 

covered by the Census Bureau’s 2007 Census of Governments. 7 Special agreements signed with each of the Island Areas governments authorized the Census Bureau to collect the economic data 

within those areas. 8 Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Programs Update,” Census 

Advisory Committee of Professional Associations, April 19, 2007, p. 5.

Table 1-1. 

Industry Scope for the 2007 Economic

Census1

NAICS 

code

North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS) sector

21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

22 Utilities

23 Construction

31–33 Manufacturing

42 Wholesale Trade

44–45 Retail Trade

48–49 Transportation and Warehousing, excluding 

NAICS 482 (Rail Transportation) and 

NAICS 491 (Postal Service)

51 Information

52 Finance and Insurance, excluding NAICS 525 

(Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles)

53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

55 Management of Companies and Enterprises

56 Administrative and Support and Waste Management 

and Remediation Services

61 Educational Services excluding NAICS 6111 

(Elementary and Secondary Schools); NAICS 6112

(Junior Colleges) and NAICS 6113 (Colleges, 

Universities, and Professional Schools)

62 Health Care and Social Assistance

71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

72 Accommodation and Food Services

81 Other Services (Except Public Administration), 

excluding NAICS 8131 (Religious Organizations),

NAICS 81393 (Labor Unions and Similar Labor 

Organizations), NAICS 81394 (Political Organizations),

and NAICS 814 (Private Households)

1

 U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Program Plan,” 

Economic Programs Directorate, Version 1.0 (Final), September 19, 2005, p. 2.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 5

U.S. Census Bureau

The North American Product Classification 

System (NAPCS).9 In 2002, the Census Bureau tested 

the NAPCS using new or revised inquiries for 86 

services industries in NAICS Sectors 51 (Information), 

52 (Finance and Insurance), 54 (Professional, Scientific, 

and Technical Services), and 56 (Administrative and 

Support and Waste Management and Remediation 

Services). For the 2007 Economic Census, the Census 

Bureau expanded the NAPCS to include portions of 

NAICS Sectors 48–49 (Transportation and Warehousing) 

and Sectors 51 to 81 (see Table 1-1).

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 2007 ECONOMIC

CENSUS

The U.S. Census Bureau is administered by a director, deputy director, and several associate directors 

responsible for specific operational or administrative 

fields, including the agency’s Economic Programs Directorate.10 Although the Director of the Census Bureau has 

overall responsibility for implementing the economic 

census, operational details and planning are delegated 

to the Economic Programs Directorate, which includes:11

• The associate director and assistant directors for 

Economic Programs. The associate and assistant 

directors for Economic Programs have overall 

responsibility for the statistical programs that measure and profile U.S. businesses and government 

organizations. 

• Executive Steering Group. This group is composed 

of the associate director and assistant directors for 

Economic Programs, and chiefs of the Company 

Statistics Division (CSD), Economic Planning and 

Coordination Division (EPCD), Economic Statistical 

Methods and Programming Division (ESMPD), 

Manufacturing and Construction Division (MCD), and 

Service Sector Statistics Division (SSSD). It advised 

the associate and assistant directors on policies, 

priorities, and resource requirements; approved the 

“Economic Census Program Plan”; established project teams; and allocated resources to meet census 

objectives.

• Census Managers Group. The Census Managers 

Group consisted of the Executive Steering Group 

and the assistant division chiefs for each program 

9 Information for this section was drawn from Michael F. Mohr, “North 

American Product Classification System (NAPCS): What’s Been Done; 

What’s Being Done; What’s Next,” presented at the Census Advisory 

Committee of Professional Associations Meeting, April 18–19, 2002. 10 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “U.S. Census 

Bureau Staff Roster,” Form BC-245, September 17, 2007, 

<http://www.census.gov/acsd/www/bc245.pdf> (December 11, 2007). 11 For more detailed information about the responsibilities of the 

Census Bureau’s Economic Programs Directorate, see U.S. Census 

Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Program Plan,” Version 1.0 (Final), 

September 19, 2005.

component. The group met weekly to discuss 

subject-matter, technical, methodological, budget, 

and other program issues.

• The Center for Economic Studies (CES). The CES and 

its regional data centers (RDCs) provided specialsworn-status researchers access to economic data 

for use in research projects that benefit the economic census and surveys conducted under Title 13.

• Company Statistics Division (CSD). The CSD had program responsibility for the 2007 Economic Census 

of Puerto Rico and the Island Areas as well as for the 

Survey of Business Owners. 

• Manufacturing and Construction Division (MCD).

The MCD had program responsibility for planning, 

implementing, and managing the manufacturing, 

mining, and construction sectors of the 2007 

Economic Census.

• Service Sector Statistics Division (SSSD). The SSSD 

had program responsibility for planning, implementation, and management of the economic census’s 

services sector industries. 

• Economic Planning and Coordination Division (EPCD).

The EPCD provides centralized services for planning 

and conducting the census and coordinates development of processes and procedures for questionnaire design and development, data collection and 

processing, analysis, and dissemination.

• Economic Statistical Methods and Programming 

Division (ESMPD). The ESMPD maintains the complex 

computer systems used to prepare, collect, process, 

and tabulate census and related survey data at the 

Census Bureau’s National Processing Center (NPC) in 

Jeffersonville, IN; computer center in Bowie, MD; and 

headquarters. 

• Office of Statistical Methods and Research for 

Economic Programs (OSMREP). The OSMREP advises 

the associate director on policies, statistical standards, and issues affecting economic census 

research and methodology. The OSMREP provides 

expertise in statistical methods and questionnaire 

testing for the economic census and related surveys.

• Project teams. The Economic Programs Directorate 

chartered project teams to study, make recommendations, and oversee aspects of the 2007 Economic 

Census planning and implementation. Project teams 

supported the census and associated surveys by 

focusing on specific census processes and/or operations, including questionnaire content and design, 

mailout, and data capture, editing, tabulation, disclosure review, and dissemination.12

12 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Census 

Team Structure Guide,” undated, pp. 1–17.
6 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

CONSULTATION ON THE CENSUS

General Information

The Census Bureau values the feedback it receives from 

business respondents and data users and solicits their 

suggestions and feedback on an ongoing basis. While 

planning the 2007 Economic Census, the agency consulted more than 1,000 business associations; federal, 

state, and local agencies; and individual companies 

to request feedback on questionnaire content. It also 

engaged in ongoing conversations with data users 

and professional organizations via its public advisory 

committees. These advisory committees bring together 

industry experts, on a regular basis, to discuss 

changes, benefits, and trends that impact the economic 

census and surveys.13

Trade Associations and Federal Agencies

The Census Bureau frequently contacts federal agencies, trade associations, trade journals, and other 

organizations to request comments and suggestions 

regarding its censuses and surveys. 

As early as 2005, the Census Bureau began soliciting 

public comments about proposed questionnaires via 

Federal Register notices. Additional notices followed, 

announcing the agency’s plans to conduct the census 

in 2007, requesting comments on industry classification, etc. The Office of Management and Budget and 

the Census Bureau reviewed responses to the Federal 

Register notices, responded when necessary, and in 

some cases modified plans as a result.14

The Census Bureau also solicited feedback via direct 

mailings to a variety of stakeholders. More than 

1,000 federal and state agencies, trade associations, 

industry-specific trade journals, and other organizations (including companies participating in the census) 

received requests for comments and suggestions on 

the census, methodology, and questionnaire content. 

Participants included the Bureau of Economic Analysis 

(BEA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as well as 

trade associations including the National Association of 

Manufacturers, National Association of Home Builders 

of the United States, and National Retail Federation.

Additionally, the Census Bureau received and 

responded to feedback informally through its ongoing 

13 The Census Bureau also receives recommendations from its Race 

and Ethnic Advisory Committees (REACs); however, the REACs have 

generally focused their discussions on decennial census operations. 

For more information on the REACs, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Race and 

Ethnic Advisory Committees,” <http://www.census.gov/cac/www

/race_ethnic_advisory_committees/> (March 4, 2008). 14 For more information on changes to NAICS as a result of comments to the Census Bureau’s Federal Register notices, see Chapter 2, 

“Industrial and Product Classification.”

participation in trade shows and conferences attended 

by data users and representatives from industry, trade 

associations, and journals. 

The Census Advisory Committee of Professional

Associations

The Census Advisory Committee of Professional 

Associations operates under provisions of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (January 5, 1973) and its 

activities are governed by Executive Order 11769 

(February 21, 1974) and OMB Circular A-63 Revised 

(March 27, 1974). Proposals and formal recommendations made by all the Census Bureau advisory committees are reported to the Secretary of Commerce, 

together with Census Bureau responses recommending 

what actions, if any, should be taken.

The Professional Advisory Committee’s membership consists of non-Census Bureau members of the 

American Economic Association (AEA), the American 

Marketing Association (AMA), the American Statistical 

Association (ASA), and the Population Association 

of America (PAA). The president of each association 

appoints (with Census Bureau approval) all members, 

who serve for 3-year terms. During biannual meetings 

with Census Bureau staff, the committee makes recommendations concerning the scope, content, methodology, tabulations, and data releases for the economic 

census and surveys.15

MAJOR USES AND USERS OF ECONOMIC

CENSUS DATA

The data collected, tabulated, and published by the 

economic census are critical to many of the functions 

of government, private business, and the general 

public. Major users of economic census data include:

• The federal government. The federal government 

uses census information as part of the input for 

composite measures such as the gross domestic 

product (GDP), input-output measures, production 

and price indexes, and other statistical series that 

measure short-term changes in economic conditions.

• State and local governments. State and local governments use census data to assess business activities 

and tax bases within their jurisdictions, develop 

programs to attract new businesses, develop minority contracting guidelines, and design job-retraining 

programs.

15 For more information about the Census Advisory Committee of 

Professional Associations, including recommendations, see U.S. Census 

Bureau, “Census Advisory Committees,” <http://www.census.gov/cac

/www/> (April 2, 2009).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 7

U.S. Census Bureau

• Manufacturers and distributors. Companies that 

sell their products to (or through) other businesses 

use census data to evaluate markets and plan sales 

strategies and territories; locate plants, warehouses, 

and stores; and make economic or sales forecasts.

• Small businesses. Small businesses use census data 

to learn about their markets and to improve their 

business opportunity presentations to bank officers and venture capitalists when seeking funds for 

expansion.

• Academic institutions. Colleges and universities use 

census data in teaching marketing, business management, and general economics.

• Research institutions. Researchers use census data 

in their studies of long-term economic trends.

• Business and trade associations, business journals, 

and the daily press. These institutions use economic 

census data as technical background for articles and 

to disseminate relevant interpretations of the data 

to the specific industries they represent.

SCOPE AND COVERAGE OF THE

2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

The 2007 Economic Census covered the majority the 

U.S. economy in its basic compilation of business 

statistics, measuring the activity of approximately 

4.6 million establishments via direct collection. The 

remaining establishments—generally very small 

single-establishment companies—did not receive a 

questionnaire. The Census Bureau enumerated these 

companies using administrative records from other federal agencies, primarily the Internal Revenue Service, 

with additional information from the Social Security 

Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Although the Census Bureau mailed questionnaires 

to select large companies as early as October 2007, 

approximately 3.5 million establishments received 

questionnaires in December 2007.16 More than 500 

versions of the economic census questionnaire—each 

customized to a particular industry or group of related 

industries—had return-by dates of February 12, 2008. 

Respondents also had the ability to supply their data 

electronically. Following the 2002 Economic Census, 

the Census Bureau conducted usability testing that 

involved the people at companies who are responsible 

for responding to census questionnaires. In response to 

their recommendations, the agency made usability and 

performance improvements to its Surveyor electronic 

16 The Census Bureau mailed an additional 200,000 questionnaires 

to “third-quarter birth” establishments (i.e., establishments opened in 

the third quarter) in March 2008.

reporting software. These improvements and the Census 

Bureau’s promotion of the electronic response option 

resulted in approximately 54 percent of companies with 

more than one establishment (multiestablishment) and 29 

percent of all respondents (multiestablishments combined 

with single-unit establishments) opting to supply their 

data electronically. For more information on the electronic response, see Chapter 6, “Data Collection and 

Processing.”

CHANGES TO THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

Content Changes

The economic census is constantly evolving to account 

for the ever-changing U.S. economy and economic 

activity. For the 2007 Economic Census, the Census 

Bureau asked a number of new questions, streamlined 

data collection methodology, and continued the expansion and evolution of the North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS) and the North American 

Product Classification System (NAPCS). Some noteworthy changes in 2007 included:

Addition of relevant content. The Census Bureau 

discontinued collection of data related to supply chain 

and leased employees and added inquiries on franchising, outsourcing, and employers’ expenses for health 

and pension benefits to better measure changing 

business characteristics.17

More standardized product detail. More industries reported product lines sales and revenue sources 

according to the NAPCS, allowing the Census Bureau 

to produce more comparable product data across 

industries.18

Program Changes

Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS). The 

Census Bureau conducted the Vehicle Inventory and 

17 Data that differentiate costs for particular fringe benefits—health 

insurance, defined-benefit pensions, defined-contribution plans, and 

others—will be published at the national level for manufacturing in 

the Industry Series and Summary Series and for retail trade, wholesale 

trade, and service industries in related series. The Survey of Business 

Owners will identify the number of businesses providing various fringe 

benefits across all sectors. U.S. Census Bureau, “Guide to the 2007

Economic Census: What’s New for 2007,” <http://www.census.gov

/econ/census07/guide/index.html> (December 18, 2007). 18 For 2007, industries in the following NAICS sectors reported 

product data according to a consistent scheme using the NAPCS: 48–49 

(Transportation and Warehousing); 51 (Information); 52 (Finance and 

Insurance); 53 (Real Estate and Rental and Leasing); 54 (Professional, 

Scientific, and Technical Services); 55 (Management of Companies and 

Enterprises); 56 (Administrative and Support and Waste Management 

and Remediation Services); 61 (Educational Services); 62 (Health Care 

and Social Assistance); 71 (Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation); 72 

(Accommodation and Food Services); and 81 (Other Services ([Except 

Public Administration]).
8 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Use Survey from 1963 to 2002.19 The VIUS provided 

data on the physical and operational characteristics 

of the nation’s private and commercial truck fleet. Its 

primary goal was to produce national and state-level 

estimates of the total number of trucks. However, as 

a result of a rescission to the Census Bureau’s budget 

in fiscal year (FY) 2006, the agency cancelled the 2007 

VIUS.20

Additional follow-up mailing. An additional followup mailing to nonrespondents included a cover letter 

from the chief counsel for Economic Affairs, Office of 

the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce. 

This letter advised the businesses that response to the 

economic census is required by Title 13, U.S. Code, and 

that the names of those who fail to respond may be 

forwarded to the U.S. Department of Justice for further 

action. (For more information on follow-up operations, 

including mailout of letters from the chief counsel for 

Economic Affairs, see Tables 7-2 and 7-3 in Chapter 6, 

“Data Collection and Processing.”)

Electronic dissemination. The Census Bureau disseminated all 2007 Economic Census data products via 

the agency’s American FactFinder (AFF) Web site. No 

CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, portable document format (PDF), 

or printed reports were published. This shift to AFF as 

the sole source for economic census data products has 

several advantages, including cost savings and earlier 

publication of data (when compared to 2002).21

Local area data. For the 2002 and prior economic censuses, data were available only for incorporated places 

(cities, towns, townships, boroughs, etc.). For the 2007 

Economic Census, the Census Bureau also published 

economic census data for selected “unincorporated 

places” known as census designated places (CDPs). 

Uniform selection criteria were applied to incorporated 

places and CDPs: data were published if these places 

had 5,000 inhabitants or more or if they had 5,000 

workers or more. Publication of CDP data ensures that 

data for all economically important places are available from the economic census. For example, Lake 

Buena Vista, FL, has thousands of workers, but only 16 

residents as of the 2000 decennial census. The worker 

criterion is based on data from Census 2000 tabulated 

19 Prior to 1997, the VIUS was named the Truck Inventory and Use 

Survey (TIUS). 20 Correspondence from John Miller, U.S. Census Bureau, to Jason G. 

Gauthier, U.S. Census Bureau, regarding cancellation of the 2007 VIUS, 

February 13, 2006. See also, U.S. Census Bureau, “Legislative Summary, 

109th Congress,” January 30–February 3, 2006, p. 2. 21 U.S. Census Bureau, “Guide to the 2007 Economic Census: What’s 

New for 2007.”

by place of work, so that all NAICS sectors can be 

included.22

PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM

The goal of the 2007 Economic Census’s data collection 

was to increase the overall census response rate from 

84 percent in 2002 to 86 percent in 2007. Although 

response is required by law, some businesses either 

fail to respond or do so late in the census cycle. As a 

result, the Census Bureau must conduct costly follow-up 

operations to obtain the needed data (including additional letter and questionnaire mailing and telephone 

calling to encourage businesses to report).

The public awareness campaign helped reach the 

response goal by making data users and the public 

aware of the benefits and usefulness of economic census data and the importance of census response. The 

awareness campaign encouraged business people to 

watch for census forms and complete them promptly. 

For more information on the public awareness campaign for the 2007 Economic Census, see Chapter 4, 

“Promoting the Census and Product Awareness.”

DATA COLLECTION

Economic census data are generally collected on an 

“establishment” basis; that is, for a business or industrial unit at a single physical location that produces 

or distributes goods or that performs services. Each 

establishment is owned by a “company,” and any 

given company may own one establishment (a “singleestablishment” company) or many (a “multiestablishment” company). Further, a multiestablishment company’s establishments may be spread across different 

geographic or political jurisdictions and may be 

involved in a variety of different business or industrial 

activities. Collecting data at the establishment level 

enables the Census Bureau to compile and publish 

detailed geographic and industry tabulations. 

Prior to conducting the economic census, the Census 

Bureau attempted to classify the economic activity of 

each establishment in its Business Register (which is, 

essentially, its mailing list). The agency used this information to prepare, for each company, mailout packages 

that included one or more of the 500-plus industryspecific census questionnaires. The Census Bureau 

22 Ibid. CDPs are defined by local statistical area committees and 

some CDPs, such as East Los Angeles, are quite large. The same 5,000 

population/worker threshold will apply to all states. Note that the 

5,000 threshold eliminates data for many small incorporated places, 

for which the previous threshold was 2,500 inhabitants. The 5,000 

threshold increases the number of towns and townships shown in 

the 12 northern states with strong minor civil divisions; the previous 

threshold was 10,000 population. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 9

U.S. Census Bureau

mailed questionnaires to companies and requested 

basic business information for each of the company’s 

establishments on the following subjects:

• Employer identification number

• Kind-of-business activity (except manufacturing and 

mining)

• Physical location

• Operational status

• Months in operation

• Dollar volume of business

• Number of employees

• Payroll

The Census Bureau also requested data on industryspecific subjects, depending on the particular industry 

of each establishment. Also, most forms collected data 

on sales, shipments, receipts, or revenue.

Although approximately 1,200 of the nation’s largest 

companies and 900,000 establishments received their 

questionnaires (or classification forms)23 in October 

2007, the primary mailout for the 2007 Economic 

Census occurred in late December 2007, when the 

Census Bureau mailed approximately 3.5 million census questionnaires.24 The agency asked these establishments to complete and return the questionnaires to 

the National Processing Center in Jeffersonville, IN, by 

February 12, 2008.25 In lieu of returning paper questionnaires to the Census Bureau, approximately 

3.5 million respondents had the option of reporting 

data electronically in a secure encrypted form after 

downloading the Census Bureau’s Surveyor software. 

As noted, approximately 29 percent of all establishments responded electronically in 2007.

In addition to collecting data via direct mailout of 

questionnaires to establishments, the Census Bureau 

also obtained basic business data for approximately 

3.1 million small employer businesses and 22 million 

nonemployer establishments26 using administrative 

records provided by the Internal Revenue Service, 

23 Classification forms collect information on the industry in which 

a business operates. They collect the minimum amount of information 

necessary to properly classify businesses, while at the same time making the reporting process easier for respondents. 24 The Census Bureau mailed an additional 200,000 questionnaires 

to “third-quarter birth” establishments (i.e., establishments opened in 

the third quarter) in March 2008. 25 The National Processing Center (NPC) is the Census Bureau’s 

primary center for collecting, capturing, and delivering timely, highquality data products and services for surveys and censuses. Services 

provided include mail processing, data capture, statistical operations, 

geographic operations, and call center support. 26 Nonemployer establishments are defined as businesses without 

paid employees that are subject to federal income tax. Most nonemployers are self-employed individuals operating very small unincorporated businesses, which may or may not be the owner’s principal 

source of income.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Social Security 

Administration.27

For more information on the use of administrative records, see Chapter 5, “Preparations for Data 

Collection.”

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

The Census Bureau published data from the 2007 

Economic Census solely via the agency’s American 

FactFinder Web site for each of 18 industrial sectors 

defined by the North American Industry Classification 

System and covered by the economic census. (Two 

NAICS sectors—the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and 

Hunting sector and the Public Administration sector—

are not covered by the economic census). As shown in 

Table 1-2, the Census Bureau did not publish data for 

all geographic levels for all sectors. The most detailed 

data are published for the United States, while key data 

are compiled/disseminated for states, metropolitan 

areas, counties, and for places with 5,000 or more 

inhabitants or workers. The agency published limited 

data by five-digit ZIP Code for selected sectors.28

RELATED SURVEYS

The Census Bureau also conducts surveys in conjunction with the economic census to provide specialized data about specific subjects. These surveys use 

data collected during the economic census to identify 

establishments for further inquiries or supplement the 

census by collecting data that would otherwise not be 

collected in the general enumeration.

In conjunction with the 2007 Economic Census, the 

Census Bureau collected data via the following surveys:

Survey of Business Owners (SBO). The Survey of 

Business Owners (SBO), formerly known as the Surveys 

of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises 

(SMOBE/SWOBE) and Characteristics of Business Owners 

(CBO) Survey, provides data describing the characteristics of U.S. businesses by ownership category (i.e., by 

gender, ethnicity, and race of principal owners). These 

data are presented by geographic area at the national, 

state, and regional levels; by two-digit industry sector 

based on the 2007 NAICS; and by size of firm (employment and receipts). Survey data on business include 

the number of firms, sales and receipts, and annual 

payroll for firms in each ownership category. Other SBO 

data, published in the Characteristics of Businesses and

Characteristics of Business Owners reports, identify 

27 Mesenbourg, “Economic Programs Update,” p. 7.

28 For more information about the geographic definitions used to 

tabulate the 2007 Economic Census data, see Appendix C, “Definitions 

and Descriptions of Geographic Areas.”
10 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

family- and home-based businesses; types of customers and workers; sources and purposes of financing; 

and owner’s age, education level, veteran status, and 

primary function(s) in the business.

Economic policymakers in federal, state, and local 

governments use SBO data to understand conditions 

of business success and failure by comparing censusto-census changes in business performance and by 

comparing minority/nonminority-owned businesses 

and women/men-owned businesses. 

For the 2007 SBO, the Census Bureau expanded collection of business and business-owner data to include:

• Totals for minority business owners. This was omitted in 2002, but had been collected previously.

• New data on owner characteristics (whether the 

owner was born in the United States, year and how 

the business was acquired, language(s) used for 

business transactions with customers, percentage of 

sales outside the United States, outsourcing to businesses outside the United States, use of the Internet 

and e-commerce, presence of different employee 

fringe benefits [health care, retirement, defined contribution plans, vacation/holiday pay]).

• Expansion of data in the Characteristics of 

Businesses and Characteristics of Business Owners

reports to show the sales or receipts, payroll, and 

employment in each category. The 2002 reports 

included just the number of firms.

For more information about the 2007 SBO, see Chapter 8, 

“The 2007 Survey of Business Owners.”29

Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). The Census Bureau 

conducts the CFS through a partnership with the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative 

Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics. The CFS produces data on the movement of 

goods in the United States. The data are used by public 

policy analysts and for transportation planning and 

decision-making to assess the demand for transportation facilities and services, energy use, safety risks, and 

environmental concerns.30

For more information about the 2007 CFS, see Chapter 9, 

“Commodity Flow Survey.”

29 U.S. Census Bureau, “Guide to the 2007 Economic Census: What’s 

New for 2007.” 30 U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “Commodity Flow 

Survey,” <http://www.bts.gov/programs/commodity_flow_survey> 

(December 18, 2007).

Table 1-2. 

Geographic Areas in the 2007 Economic Census

2007 Economic Census by NAICS sector U.S. State MA1 County Place ZIP Code

Economy-wide statistics:

 Comparative statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Nonemployer statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Survey of Business Owners (minority- and women-owned business). . . . 

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X X

Mining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X

Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X

Wholesale Trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X

Retail Trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Transportation and Warehousing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X

Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X

Finance and Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Management of Companies and Enterprises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and 

Remediation Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X

X

Educational Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Health Care and Social Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Accommodation and Food Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Other Services (Except Public Administration). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

1

 Metropolitan statistical areas (MAs) are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies in 

collecting, tabulating, and publishing federal statistics. An MA contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population. Each MA consists of one or more counties 

and includes the counties containing the core urban area, as well as any adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as 

measured by commuting to work) with the urban core.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 1: Introduction 11

U.S. Census Bureau

Business Expenses Supplement (BES). The BES 

(previously named the Business Expenses Survey until 

its integration into the Census Bureau’s annual wholesale, retail, and services programs in 2006) provides 

periodic national estimates on operating expenses for 

merchant wholesale trade,31 retail trade, and selected 

service industries. The Census Bureau published the 

supplement’s data in reports from the Annual Retail 

Trade Survey, the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, and 

the Service Annual Survey. 

For the 2007 BES, the Census Bureau added the collection and dissemination of data on employer costs 

for fringe benefits, with separate entries for health 

care, pensions (defined-contribution plans vs. definedbenefit plans), and “other.”32

OTHER ECONOMIC STATISTICS PROGRAMS

The economic census provides critical source data to 

federal programs that gauge the nation’s economic 

performance—notably, estimates of gross domestic 

product, producer price indexes, and industrial production. Although limited discussion of the following programs is included in this History of the 2007 Economic 

Census, the economic census is closely linked to other 

economic statistics programs as described below:

Business Register (BR) Program. The Census 

Bureau’s BR Program provides the mailing list (frame), 

data collection support, and front-end processing support for the economic census. Additionally, the BR program obtains administrative records and prepares them 

for use by the economic census and other authorized 

programs. The annual Company Organization Survey 

(COS), conducted as part of the BR program, collects 

data needed to maintain coverage of multiestablishment enterprises. For years ending in “2” and “7,” the 

economic census incorporates the COS and supersedes 

COS inquiries for establishments that are in-scope to 

the census (the COS still sends inquiries to establishments that are out-of-scope to the census). 

Current Survey Programs. The Census Bureau 

conducts a number of surveys that collect, compile, 

and publish annual, quarterly, or monthly data on 

subjects covered by the census, as authorized by Title 

13, U.S. Code, Section 182. These include principal 

economic indicators for new construction put in place; 

new residential construction; retail sales; wholesale 

sales; manufacturers’ shipments, inventories, and 

31 Merchant wholesale trade excludes manufacturers’ sales branches 

and offices by definition. It also excludes agents, brokers, and commission merchants. 32 Memorandum from Anne S. Russell, U.S. Census Bureau, to 

Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Jr., U.S. Census Bureau, “Business Expenses 

Survey (BES) Program Improvement Plan,” January 23, 2007, pp. 1–4.

orders; business sales and inventories; service industry 

revenues; and corporate profits. Further, the Current 

Surveys Programs include annual or other periodic 

surveys (usually with larger samples) that provide 

added industry or product detail or other measures not 

available from indicator surveys. The economic census 

supplements BR data with characteristics that may be 

needed to construct effective current survey samples 

(e.g., data on value of shipments by product), and economic census data products provide benchmarks for 

current survey estimates. 

County Business Patterns (CBP) Program. The 

Census Bureau has published the CBP series annually 

since 1964 and at irregular intervals dating back to 

1946. CBP is an annual series tabulated from BR data 

originating from the COS and administrative records. It 

provides subnational economic data by industry.33 The 

series is useful for studying the economic activity of 

small areas and analyzing economic changes over time. 

Businesses use the data for analyzing market potential, 

setting sales quotas, and developing budgets. Government agencies use the data for administration and 

planning.

The CBP Program covers most of the country’s economic activity, excluding establishments without paid 

employees, employees of private households, railroad 

employees, agricultural production employees, and 

most government employees.34

Nonemployer Statistics Program. While businesses without paid employees account for less than 

4 percent of all receipts across all industries, they 

represent about three-quarters of all businesses. 

The Nonemployer Statistics Program publishes basic 

industry statistics and geographic area statistics for 

establishments without paid employees, obtained 

from administrative records data that are incorporated 

into the BR. For 2007, the data are published in the 

Nonemployer Statistics Report and the economy-wide 

key statistics data set.35

Center for Economic Studies (CES) Research 

Program. The CES conducts and supports research 

using confidential microdata from the economic 

census, current economic surveys, and other Census 

33 The County Business Patterns Program has tabulated on a North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis since 1998. 

Data for 1997 and earlier years are based on the Standard Industrial 

Classification (SIC) System. 34 U.S. Census Bureau, “County Business Patterns,” 

<http://www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html> (December 

18, 2007). 35 For more information on the nonemployer data in the economywide key statistics data set, see the “2007 Economic Census User 

Guide,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www/user_guide

.html> (July 15, 2009).
12 Chapter 1: Introduction History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Bureau collections for approved projects that benefit 

the Census Bureau and the programs it conducts under 

Chapter 5 of Title 13, U.S. Code. Further, this research 

produces data that inform policymakers and otherwise 

improve understanding of the economy. 

The CES also works in partnership with academic and 

research institutions to operate a network of Research 

Data Centers where qualified research associates with 

Census Bureau special sworn status may carry out 

studies, and it develops and maintains economic microdata for use in this research.36

Census of Governments Program. The census of 

governments collects, compiles, and publishes data 

on governments, as directed by Title 13, U.S. Code, 

Section 161. The resulting data products complement 

economic census data on private businesses by providing information on government organization, public 

employment, and government finances.37

Census of Agriculture. Since 1997, the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural 

Statistics Service (NASS) has collected, compiled, and 

published data on the nation’s agricultural pursuits 

36 For more information about the CES, visit its Web site at 

<http://www.ces.census.gov/>. 37 U.S. Census Bureau, “Census of Governments,” 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/go0100.html> (December 18, 

2007).

at 5-year intervals that coincide with the economic 

census. Prior to 1997, the Census Bureau conducted 

the census of agriculture or collected agricultural 

data, with the earliest inquiry—whether engaged in 

agriculture—being asked during the 1810 population 

census.38

EXPENDITURES

The 2007 Economic Census and its associated activities 

cost approximately $515 million over fiscal years 2005 

through 2011 for planning, carrying out the census, 

and publishing the results.39 Census operations invariably overlap one another—one economic census is still 

being completed while the planning and preparations 

for the next begin. For example, preliminary work and 

planning for the 2007 Economic Census began only a 

short time after data collection for parts of the 2002 

Economic Census were completed.40

38 For more information about the 2007 or earlier censuses of agriculture, visit the NASS Web site at <http://www.nass.usda.gov>. Like 

the Census Bureau’s economic census history program, NASS also publishes a procedural history of the agriculture census—the most recent 

being U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2002 Census of Agriculture: 

History, Vol. 2, Subject Series Part 5, AC-02-S-5, January 2007. 39 Part of the increased funding for the 2007 Economic Census, 

compared to the 2002 census, was a result of the improvements necessary for the American FactFinder (the primary source of 2007 data publication) and rent for offices in the new Census Bureau headquarters, 

completed in fiscal year 2007). 40 U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Program Plan,” p. 9.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 2: Industrial and Product Classification 13

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 2: 

Industrial and Product Classification

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

THE NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Background Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Structure of the North American Industry Classification System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The 2007 North American Industry Classification System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

THE NORTH AMERICAN PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAPCS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Background Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Development of the North American Product Classification System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Implementation of the North American Product Classification System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Phase 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Phase 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Phase 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The 2007 North American Product Classification System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

INTRODUCTION

The North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS), developed in cooperation with Statistics 

Canada and the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 

Geografía e Informática (INEGI) of Mexico, makes possible comparable statistics across the United States, 

Canada, and Mexico. The U.S. Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) released the NAICS on April 9, 1997, 

and the U.S. Census Bureau introduced the system in 

the 1997 Economic Census. The NAICS replaced the 

previously used U.S. Standard Industrial Classification 

(SIC) System, which the Census Bureau began using in 

the 1947 Census of Manufactures.1

Since the introduction of the NAICS in 1997, the OMB 

has periodically solicited comments and recommendations on changes to the classification system. The OMB 

reviews these recommendations and decides if changes 

are warranted to account for new and emerging industries and to improve international comparability. 

Prior to the 2007 Economic Census, the OMB solicited 

comments and recommendations on the 2002 NAICS 

via a December 27, 2002, Federal Register notice. 

1 Developed in 1939, the SIC System promoted uniformity and comparability of data collected and published by federal and state agencies, trade associations, and research organizations. The SIC System 

classified each establishment according to its primary business activity. 

For more information on the SIC System, see Esther Pearce, “History of 

the Standard Industrial Classification,” July 10, 1957, 

<http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/sichist.htm> (December 19, 

2007). 

Changes to the 2007 NAICS were relatively minor and 

included all of the OMB Economic Classification Policy 

Committee’s (ECPC’s)2 recommendations for revision, 

along with changes to the treatment of real estate 

investment trusts (REITs). 

When the statistical agencies of the United States, 

Canada, and Mexico undertook development of the 

NAICS, they agreed that adequate measurement of 

productivity, unit labor costs, and capital intensity of 

production required that information on outputs and 

inputs be used together. To achieve this, the participating agencies recognized that they needed to develop 

and implement a common product classification system 

that would be complementary to the industry classification system. 

The progress and adoption of the NAICS emphasized 

the need for improved product classification. The 

ECPC first looked at the possibility of establishing a 

new product classification system as early as 1995. 

However, the new industry classification system was 

2 The OMB established the ECPC on July 14, 1992, in response to 

discussions encouraging a “fresh look” at the concepts, methodologies, 

procedures, and uses of economic data classifications for statistical 

purposes at the 1991 International Conference on the Classification 

of Economic Activity, held in Williamsburg, VA. Office of Management 

and Budget, “Economic Classification Policy Committee—Work Plan and 

Schedule,” 7th Round Table, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 12–16, 

1992, p. 2. 

The ECPC is currently chaired by the Census Bureau, with representatives from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic 

Analysis, and, ex officio, the OMB.
14 Chapter 2: Industrial and Product Classification History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

considered a higher priority, and any further work on 

the product classification system was suspended while 

all available resources from the participating countries 

were devoted to the development and implementation 

of the NAICS as quickly as possible. By the beginning of 

1999, the NAICS was being brought “on line,” allowing 

the ECPC and the statistical agencies to turn their attention and resources to the question of a new product 

classification system—the North American Product 

Classification System (NAPCS).3

THE NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS)

Background Information

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

announced its intention to revise the U.S. 

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) System for 1997 

in a March 31, 1993, Federal Register notice. The 

announcement also established the Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC) and the process 

for revising the SIC System. Although the OMB revised 

the SIC System periodically to reflect changes in the 

economy, the latest version (1987) required a massive 

overhaul by the 1990s, particularly within the service 

sectors of the economy. Furthermore, the adoption 

of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 

on January 1, 1994, underscored the need to develop 

a new system developed cooperatively between the 

United States, Mexico, and Canada.4

In June 1994, the three NAFTA signatories announced 

a joint project to develop a new industrial classification system for use throughout the North American 

trade area that would provide comparable statistics for 

the countries.5 Adding to existing industrial classification systems (the SIC System and the United Nations 

International Standard Industrial Classification), the 

new system would identify new industries, as well as 

organize industries according to types of production 

3 Michael F. Mohr, “North American Product Classification System 

(NAPCS): What’s Been Done; What’s Being Done; What’s Next,” presented at the Census Advisory Committee of Professional Associations 

Meeting; April 18–19, 2002, p. 2. 4 Office of Management and Budget, Federal Register, Vol. 

58, No. 60, pp. 16990–17004; Carole A. Ambler, “NAICS and U.S. 

Statistics,” presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Statistical 

Association,” August 1998, pp. 1–2. 5 The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into 

effect January 1, 1994. The agreement immediately eliminated duties 

on half of all U.S. goods shipped to Canada, and gradually phased out 

other tariffs, over a period of 5 to 15 years. Restrictions were to be 

removed from many categories, including motor vehicles and automotive parts, computers, textiles, and agriculture. The treaty also protected intellectual property rights (patents, copyrights, and trademarks) 

and outlined the removal of investment restrictions among the three 

countries. Provisions regarding worker protection and environmental 

protection were added later as a result of supplemental agreements 

signed in 1993. 

activities performed. It also would permit presentation 

of more detail on the rapidly expanding service sectors, 

which, by the mid-1990s, accounted for the majority 

of economic activity but only 40 percent of SIC System 

categories.

The cooperative efforts of the three signatories to 

NAFTA resulted in the creation of the NAICS, which the 

OMB introduced in 1997. The Census Bureau began 

classifying establishments using the NAICS in the 1997 

Economic Census.6

Structure of the North American Industry

Classification System

The NAICS identified 20 broad sectors (compared to 10 

“divisions” in the old SIC System), and, initially, some 

1,170 industries, of which 416 were service-related 

6 The Census Bureau classified establishments in the 50 states 

and District of Columbia using the NAICS beginning with the 1997 

Economic Census. The Census Bureau continued classifying establishments in the Island Areas (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) using the SIC 

System to permit local governments more time to transition local surveys and statistics to the NAICS. The economic census introduced the 

NAICS for the Island Areas (including the addition of American Samoa) 

for the 2002 Economic Census. For more information on the development and implementation of the NAICS, see U.S. Census Bureau, 

Chapter 3, “Introduction of the North American Industry Classification 

System (NAICS),” History of the 1997 Economic Census, POL/00-HEC, 

July 2000, pp. 14–23. 

Table 2-1. 

2007 North American Industry

Classification System Sectors

NAICS 

code NAICS sectors

11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting

21 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

22 Utilities

23 Construction

31–33 Manufacturing

42 Wholesale Trade

44–45 Retail Trade

48–49 Transportation and Warehousing

51 Information

52 Finance and Insurance

53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

55 Management of Companies and Enterprises

56 Administrative and Support and Waste Management 

and Remediation Services

61 Educational Services

62 Health Care and Social Assistance

71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

72 Accommodation and Food Services

81 Other Services (Except Public Administration)

92 Public Administration
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 2: Industrial and Product Classification 15

U.S. Census Bureau

(250 of these industries were newly defined for the 

NAICS).

The NAICS classifies industries using a six-digit system 

that provides for comparability among the three countries to the five-digit level (with a few exceptions).7 The 

first two digits identify the sector, adding a third provides the subsector, the fourth identifies the industry 

group, and the fifth digit represents the NAICS industry. 

A sixth digit identifies industries unique to one of the 

three NAICS-participating countries.8 The structure may 

be illustrated as shown in Table 2-2.

Table 2-2. 

Six-Digit Structure of the North American

Industry Classification System

NAICS level NAICS 

code Description

Sector 72 Accommodation and Food Services 

Subsector 722 Food Services and Drinking Places 

Industry group 7222 Limited-Service Eating Places 

Industry 72221 Limited-Service Eating Places 

U.S. industry 722211

722212

722213

Limited-Service Restaurants

Cafeterias, Buffets, and Grill Buffets 

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars

The 2007 North American Industry

Classification System

The OMB announced its intention to review the 2002 

NAICS via a December 27, 2002, Federal Register

notice and solicited comments from the public. The 

ECPC reviewed and researched all comments and 

proposals received and published its recommendations in a March 11, 2005, Federal Register notice. The 

ECPC recommended several revisions to modify the 

structure and detail for telecommunications and other 

information industries based on recent and anticipated 

changes in the sector. The ECPC also recommended 

the creation of a new national industry for biotechnology research and development to reflect the growing 

importance of this activity in the economy in Sector 54 

(Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). Additional recommendations were to more adequately align 

the activities of producers in agriculture; manufacturing; and professional, technical, and scientific services.

7 The international NAICS agreement generally sets only the first 

five digits of the code. The sixth digit, where used, identifies subdivisions of NAICS industries that accommodate user needs in individual 

countries. Thus, six-digit U.S. codes may differ from counterparts in 

Canada or Mexico, but at the five-digit level they are generally standardized. 8 Paul T. Zeisset and Mark E. Wallace, “How NAICS Will Affect Data 

Users,” February 23, 1998, <http:\\www.census.gov/epcd/www

/naicsusr.html> (April 12, 2007), pp. 5–6.

Following publication of the ECPC’s recommendations 

in March 2005, the National Association of Real Estate 

Investment Trusts (NAREIT) resubmitted its proposal to 

reclassify real estate investment trusts (REITs), which 

the ECPC had previously rejected. In response, the 

ECPC consulted further with the NAREIT and interested agencies, including representatives from the 

Department of the Treasury’s Office of Tax Analysis, 

the Federal Reserve Board, and the Internal Revenue 

Service’s Statistics of Income Division, to discuss the 

possible modification of REITs’ classification.9

The OMB announced its final decisions to adopt the 

ECPC recommendations as well as the reclassification 

of REITs on May 16, 2006.10 The OMB made no other 

changes to the scope and substance of the NAICS.11

THE NORTH AMERICAN PRODUCT

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAPCS)

Background Information

In developing the North American Industry Classification System, the Census Bureau, Statistics Canada, 

and the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e 

Informática agreed that:

[The] uses of industrial statistics which include measuring productivity, unit labor costs, and the capital 

intensity of production require that information 

on outputs and inputs be used together. Moreover, 

statistical agencies in the three countries expect to 

be called upon to produce information on inputs 

and outputs, industrial performance, productivity, 

unit labor costs, employment, and other statistics in 

9 Office of Management and Budget, Federal Register, “North 

American Industry Classification System—Revision for 2007,” Vol. 71, 

No. 94, May 16, 2006, pp. 28531–28533. 10 The OMB deleted NAICS 525930 (Real Estate Investment Trusts) 

from the classification, and portions were reclassified as follows: 

(1) equity REITs are classified in the Real Estate subsector in NAICS 

industry group 5311(Lessors of Real Estate) under individual national 

industries based on the content of the portfolio of real estate operated 

by a particular REIT; and (2) mortgage REITs remain classified in the 

Finance sector but are moved from NAICS 525930 to NAICS 525990, 

(Other Financial Vehicles).

The OMB made several other changes to NAICS sector titles and 

wording. Among these changes were the title (not content) change 

of NAICS industry 561422, “Telemarketing Bureaus,” to “Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers” to more accurately reflect the 

content of the industry and the separation of employment placement 

agencies (NAICS 561311) and executive search service (NAICS 561312). 

A biotechnology research and development industry was created as 

NAICS 54711. For more information on similar changes in title or coding, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Appendix A: 2007 NAICS U.S. Matched to 

2002 NAICS U.S.,” <http://www.census.gov/naics/2007/n07-n02.xls> 

(September 24, 2007). 11 For more information on the solicitation and recommendations 

to the 2007 NAICS, see Office of Management and Budget, Federal 

Register, “2002 North American Industry Classification System—

Updates for 2007; Notice,” Vol. 67, No. 249, December 27, 2002, 

pp. 79500–79506; Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 47, March 11, 2005, 

pp. 12390–12399; and Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 94, March 16, 

2006, pp. 28532–28533.
16 Chapter 2: Industrial and Product Classification History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

order to analyze the effects of the North American 

Free Trade Agreement. An industry classification 

system erected on a production oriented, or supplybased, conceptual framework will assure maximum 

usefulness of industrial statistics for these and other 

purposes.12

The agreement also recognized a critical need for the 

development of a commodity classification system 

and noted that “market-oriented, or demand-based, 

groupings of economic data are required for purposes, 

including studies of market share, demands for goods 

and services, import competition in domestic markets, 

and similar studies.” The three statistical agencies 

agreed to work cooperatively to help improve existing 

commodity classification systems—the Harmonized 

System (HS) of the Customs Cooperation Council 

and the United Nations Provisional Central Product 

Classification (CPC) system—and to explore the possibility of developing a product system in common.13

The Office of Management and Budget Economic 

Classification Policy Committee (ECPC) began preliminary work on establishing a product classification 

system in 1995, but postponed further discussions or 

development of such a system until after the introduction of the NAICS. In February 1999, the ECPC and the 

statistical agencies again turned their attention and 

resources to the question of a new commodity classification system.14

Development of the North American Product

Classification System

Following the introduction of the NAICS in 1997, the 

statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico, and the United 

States began a joint project to develop and implement 

a new product classification system—NAPCS. In agreeing to develop the NAPCS, these agencies along with 

ECPC agreed that a common product classification 

system for the three countries was a necessity to better 

understand industrial output. 

12 Office of Management and Budget, Federal Register, Vol. 59, 

No. 142, July 26, 1994, p. 38094. 13 For more information on the Harmonized System and Central 

Product Classification, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Introduction to the 

Central Product Classification System,” <http://www.census.gov/eos

/www/napcs/papers/cpcintro.pdf> (April 4, 2007). See also Carole 

A. Ambler, “Developing a Product Classification System for the United 

States,” U.S. Census Bureau, mimeograph, June 1998. 14 Office of Management and Budget, “Initiative to Create a 

Product Classification System, Phase 1: Exploratory Effort to Classify 

Service Products,” Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 73, April 16, 1999, 

pp. 18983–18989. See also Michael. F. Mohr, “North American Product 

Classification System (NAPCS): What’s Been Done; What’s Being 

Done; What’s Next,” presented at the Census Advisory Committee of 

Professional Associations Meeting, April 18–19, 2002, p. 2.

Participants in the development of the NAPCS agreed 

that the new system should be a market-oriented, or 

demand-based, hierarchical classification system for 

products (goods and services) and that the system 

should: 

• Not be industry-of-origin based, but be linkable to 

the NAICS industry structure.

• Be consistent across the three NAICS countries.

• Promote improvements in the identification and 

classification of service products across international 

classification systems, such as the Central Product 

Classification System of the United Nations.15

Implementation of the North American Product

Classification System

In planning the NAPCS, the United States, Canada, and 

Mexico began with a consensus on the proposition that 

improved product data for service industries are critical 

to improving measurement of the growth in output, 

prices, productivity, and trade. As a result, much of the 

NAPCS focuses on identifying and defining the products 

produced by industries in the 12 NAICS service sectors 

from Sectors 48–49 through Sector 81 (see Table 2-3).

Table 2-3.

2007 North American Industry

Classification System Service Sectors

NAICS 

code NAICS sector

48–49 Transportation and Warehousing

51 Information

52 Finance and Insurance

53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

55 Management of Companies and Enterprises

56 Administrative and Support and Waste Management and 

Remediation Services

61 Educational Services

62 Health Care and Social Assistance

71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

72 Accommodation and Food Services

81 Other Services (Except Public Administration)

Following input by 13 trilateral working groups and 

extensive input from industry experts, NAPCS implementation was conducted in three phases:16

15 For more information, see Economic Classification Policy 

Committee, “Overview of NAPCS Objectives, Guidance, and Implementation Strategy and Goals: A United States Perspective,” Trilateral 

Steering Group Meeting, Washington, DC, May 5–9, 2003. 16 For more information on the history, development, and implementation of the NAPCS, see the Census Bureau’s NAPCS home page at 

<http://www.census.gov/napcs>.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 2: Industrial and Product Classification 17

U.S. Census Bureau

Phase 1. Phase 1 was launched in early 1999 to 

explore the feasibility of identifying and defining service products in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, 

and focused on the products produced by industries 

in four NAICS service sectors—Information; Finance 

and Insurance; Professional, Scientific, and Technical 

Services; and Administrative and Support and Waste 

Management and Remediation Services. 

Phase 1 generated 36 product lists that covered the 

final products produced by 117 U.S. service industries. 

Products from 26 of these lists were incorporated into 

the 2002 Economic Census, and some were incorporated into the 2001 and subsequent Service Annual 

Surveys (SAS).17

Phase 2. Launched in July 2001, Phase 2 of NAPCS 

implementation included the industries in five additional NAICS service sectors—Transportation and 

Warehousing; Educational Services; Health Care and 

Social Assistance; Arts, Entertainment and Recreation; 

and Accommodation and Food Services. 

Phase 3. Phase 3, launched in May 2004, extended 

the NAPCS to industries not covered in the sectors 

addressed under Phases 1 and 2 and to industries in 

Sector 53 (Real Estate and Rental and Leasing), Sector 

55 (Management of Companies and Enterprises), 

and Sector 81 (Other Services [except Public 

Administration]).

17 The SAS collects data from companies that primarily provide 

services to individuals, businesses, and governments (NAICS 51, 5231, 

52392, 52393, 532, 54, 56, 62, 71, and 81). This survey also covers 

the Transportation and Warehousing sectors (NAICS 484, 492, and 

493). Industry coverage and detail have been expanded since 1982 and 

include most personal, business, automotive, amusement and recreation, social, health, and other professional services. 

The NAICS was used for the first time during the 1999 survey to 

collect data for the SAS. The scope of the survey has been broadened 

to encompass the old Annual Survey of Communication Services and 

the old Transportation Annual Survey. With the implementation of 

the NAICS, approximately 150 additional service industries are being 

covered. 

The NAPCS was introduced for the first time with the 2001 survey 

year to include the Information sector (NAICS 51) and Computer System 

Design and Related Services (Industry Group 5415). 

The NAPCS is expected to expand to include the 

products of industries in the NAICS sectors not yet 

covered—Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; 

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction; Utilities; 

Construction; Manufacturing; Wholesale Trade; and 

Retail Trade.

The 2007 North American Product Classification

System

The statistical agencies of Mexico, Canada, and the 

United States currently have assembled the products 

developed under Phases 1 through 3 into 102 product lists that identify and define the significant products produced by about 370 U.S. service industries. 

Included among these lists are 97 that are expected to 

be finalized at the trilateral level; two at the bilateral 

level (U.S. and Mexico for NAICS 621210 [Offices of 

Dentists] and for NAICS 621610 [Home Health Care 

Services]); three at the U.S.-only level (includes a list 

for industry 533110 [Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible 

Assets (except copyrighted works)]; a list for the industries in NAICS 55111 [Management of Companies and 

Enterprises]; and a list for health service industries in 

NAICS 621 and 622 [except 6212, 6216, and 6219]). 

Product lines developed from either draft or final versions of all 102 lists were incorporated into new product collection forms developed for the 2007 Economic 

Census. These have been incorporated incrementally 

into the SAS (beginning in 2001). 

By the end of calendar year 2007, the three countries 

finalized 91 of the 99 bilateral/trilateral product lists, 

and the 8 remaining lists were finalized in early 2008. 

Thereafter, the three countries undertook a final review 

and editing process, with publication of the final products in mid-2008 on the Census Bureau’s NAPCS home 

page <http://census.gov/eos/www.napcs/napcs

.htm>. Finally, the three countries have begun drafting 

a demand-based classification structure for organizing 

and presenting the NAPCS; however, this work cannot be completed until the NAPCS expands to include 

goods as well as service products.

History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design 19

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 3: 

Questionnaire Development and Design

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

DEVELOPING QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN AND CONTENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Questionnaire Content Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Consultation on the Questionnaire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Questionnaire Approval. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Using Metadata for Questionnaire Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Questionnaire Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Changes to the 2007 Questionnaires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Specialized Inquiries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Inventories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Assets and expenditures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Costs and expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Check-box inquiries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Selected sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Special inquiries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Background Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

The Business Help Site (BHS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Surveyor software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

INTRODUCTION

The 2007 Economic Census collected data on approximately 29 million business establishments, covering 

about 85 percent of all economic activity in the United 

States. To enumerate these establishments, the U.S. 

Census Bureau designed approximately 560 questionnaires to collect data from establishments in all or part 

of 18 North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS)-defined business sectors (1,060 NAICS industries) in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Island 

Areas,1 and offshore areas (for mining). The 2007 

census also included surveys of business owners, commodity flow, and business expenditures.2 (For more 

information on questionnaires by sector, see Appendix 

E, “2007 Economic Census Questionnaires by NAICS 

Sector.”)

1 The Island Areas for 2007 consisted of Puerto Rico, Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, 

and American Samoa. 2 Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Census Overview,” 2007 

Economic Census Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, October 

2–3, 2007, p. 3.

DEVELOPING QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN AND

CONTENT3

The Census Bureau determines the content of the economic census in consultation with other federal agencies, private industry, and the academic community. 

The specific data to be collected are governed by the 

chief purposes for conducting the economic census, 

including:

• Establishing the basic statistical framework for composite measures of the nation’s economic activity.

• Creating benchmarks and sample frames for 

monthly, quarterly, and annual surveys that provide measures of the nation’s economy between 

censuses.

• Collecting data for measuring growth and changes 

in the nation’s economy over time.

3 Information for this section was drawn from Judy M. Dodds, 

“Determining Economic Census Content,” Government Information 

Quarterly, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1998, pp. 247–262.
20 Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

• Developing and analyzing federal economic policy.

• Planning and evaluating the results of a wide variety 

of federal agency programs.

• Creating geographic area statistics for local government use in planning, evaluating, and comparing 

their jurisdictions with others.

• Business planning (identifying plant or warehouse 

locations, measuring potential markets, defining sales 

territories, determining advertising budgets, etc.).

Questionnaire Content Requirements

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has 

ultimate authority over all economic census forms and 

content planned for mailout by the Census Bureau,4 but 

in practice, the Census Bureau and OMB jointly review 

data requests and approve them based on the following criteria:

1. General purpose statistics. The economic census 

collects statistics about the U.S. economy and disseminates them to users of economic data. Data 

benefitting only a single user, or a small number of 

data users, is generally not collected.

2. Priority. Requests for data from federal agencies are 

generally given higher priority than requests from 

private organizations. Specifically, requests from the 

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for data that will 

be used for the national accounts, benchmarking, or 

improving estimates of the gross domestic product 

(GDP) are considered most important. Requests from 

the Federal Reserve Board, the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics (BLS), and other federal agencies also 

receive a higher priority than nonfederal data 

requests.

3. Cost. The Census Bureau, like most federal agencies, 

must operate within an increasingly limited budget. 

Because each question on the census form incurs 

substantial costs (e.g., for mailout and follow-up 

operations, data entry and editing, processing, publication, and dissemination), these strictures at times 

require the Census Bureau to deny data requests or 

eliminate previous data collection efforts.

4. Availability of the same or similar data from other 

sources. Requests for data that are already available 

from another government agency or a private source 

are generally not approved. However, exceptions are 

made if available data are inadequate.

4 See Title 44, U.S. Code—Public Printing and Documents, Sections 

3501–3502, 3504, and 3507. 

5. Ability of companies to supply requested data. Most 

of the questions asked during the economic census are designed so that the information can be 

provided from records that companies customarily maintain for accounting, tax reporting, or other 

purposes. A company that does not maintain the 

requested information in its records is asked to supply reasonable estimates. 

6. Respondent burden. In response to concerns from 

small businesses about the increasing reporting burden imposed on them by federal agencies, Congress 

enacted the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

3501) in 1980. Implementation of the act (that is, 

determining which data collection efforts should be 

curtailed or eliminated) is left to individual agencies 

and the OMB.5

7. Comparability of data requests with administrative 

records. Since administrative records are an integral part of the collection of economic data, census 

inquiries and definitions may be designed to assure 

that reporting is based upon the same definition 

used in the program from which administrative 

records are obtained. (For example, ensuring that 

the definition of “payroll” on the census forms is 

identical to that on the quarterly report [IRS Form 

941] companies file when submitting federal payroll 

taxes withheld from employees’ salaries.) Doing this 

facilitates combining data from the two sources and 

can improve data quality for larger firms.

8. Historical continuity. The 1997 Economic Census is 

the most notable recent case where historical continuity affected the content of census questionnaires. 

The Census Bureau replaced the Standard Industrial 

Classification (SIC) System, which in various forms 

had been in use since the 1930s, with the North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as 

the basis for categorizing the nation’s 1997 economic activities.

To simplify the transition between the two classification systems, the Census Bureau published “bridge 

tables” that presented the 1997 data cross-tabulated 

5 Although the economic census did not suffer major cuts as a 

result of this act, the Census Bureau did substantially increase its use 

of administrative records as a source of information for small firms. 

Since 1980, the Census Bureau and OMB have been especially mindful 

of the burden and expense that proposed inquiries impose on the 

business community. “Response burden” (the measure of the total 

time required to complete a questionnaire multiplied by the number of 

respondents to whom the form is sent) and the Paperwork Reduction 

Act have become important considerations in determining if an inquiry 

will be included in the economic census. Further, any additional inquiries must, by law, be offset by reductions in other Census Bureau data 

collection programs. Dodds, “Determining Economic Census Content,” 

p. 251. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design 21

U.S. Census Bureau

by both the old and new classification systems. 

These bridge tables, which covered all U.S. industries at the national level, helped data users deal 

with breaks in time-series data.

The introduction of the NAICS also had consequences for questionnaire content and design 

resulting from industry reclassification. The Census 

Bureau made many additions and changes to the 

1997 questionnaires to reclassify establishments 

under the NAICS. Because NAICS and SIC classifications differ in many areas, the Census Bureau added 

a number of special inquiries and check-box questions to questionnaires to collect classification data 

for later use during data editing and tabulation 

operations.

Consultation on the Questionnaire

Prior to submitting draft questionnaires to OMB for 

approval, the Census Bureau published a notice of 

its intention to carry out the economic census in the 

Federal Register. In the notice, the Census Bureau asked 

for public comments and suggestions on questionnaire 

content and design. In addition to the Federal Register

notice, the agency sought feedback and suggestions 

from its advisory committees,6 other federal agencies 

(e.g., the Federal Reserve Board, the BLS, the Office of 

Trade and Economic Analysis, and the BEA7), industry 

groups, and professional and business associations.8

6 The Census Bureau Advisory Committee of Professional 

Associations (consisting of the American Economic Association, 

American Statistical Association, Population Association of America, 

and American Marketing Association subgroups) and Race and Ethnic 

Advisory Committee play important roles in reviewing proposed additions or subtractions of inquiries, provide research guidance on new 

inquiries, and offer recommendations of the benefits or justifications 

for data within the business and academic communities. For more 

information on the roles of these advisory committees, see Chapter 1, 

“Introduction.” 7 Because of the critical importance of the economic census to the 

BEA, the Census Bureau accords special consideration to that agency’s 

recommendations. Studies directed at improving estimates of the 

GDP, as well as the BEA’s recommendation, directly resulted in the 

expansion of industry coverage beginning with the 1992 Economic 

Census. At the BEA’s recommendation, the Census Bureau added these 

sectors to the economic census: Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate; 

Communications; Transportation; and Electric, Gas, and Sanitary 

Services. These changes, along with other long-term changes to the 

economic census, address the BEA’s data needs for improvements to 

the national accounts. 8 The Census Bureau solicited comments and recommendations via 

mailing packages that contained a cover letter explaining the request 

for comments and referencing the “census comment” Web site. The 

packages were sent to hundreds of professional, industry, and business 

associations representing each NAICS sector covered by the economic 

census (e.g., the National Mining Association [Sector 21: Mining]; 

National Association of Home Builders of the United States [Sector 23: 

Construction]; Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers [Sectors 

31–33: Manufacturing]).

Questionnaire Approval

Following a review of all public comments and recommendations received from other federal agencies, 

industry associations, and advisory committees, the 

Census Bureau published another Federal Register

notice informing the public of any changes to the 

questionnaires. The agency drafted final wording for 

questions and any modifications to instructions or form 

layouts prior to submitting the questionnaires to the 

OMB for approval.

The OMB gave final approval of all census forms that 

requested data from individuals, businesses, and other 

organizations in the private sector. As part of its review 

of the 2007 Economic Census questionnaires, the OMB 

verified that the requested information would:

• Be necessary.

• Not be already available from other government or 

private sector sources.

• Be reportable from the records customarily maintained by respondents, or that reasonable estimates 

could be provided.

• Be collectable within the reporting burden control program (i.e., would not result in an overall increased reporting burden on the business 

community).

Following the OMB’s review, modifications, and 

approval, the Census Bureau began finalizing and printing the questionnaires, cover letters, and instructions 

sent to all establishments participating in the economic 

census.9

THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

QUESTIONNAIRES10

General Information

The Census Bureau’s economic-subject divisions, 

assisted by the Economic Planning and Coordination Division and its Instrument Design and Metadata 

Branch, were responsible for the design and content of 

the census questionnaires. Work on the questionnaires 

formally began in October 2005. 

Along with the Census Bureau’s Administrative and 

Customer Services Division (ACSD), the following divisions and offices within the Economic Programs 

9 Questionnaires are assigned a form number (e.g., AE-71303: 

Amusement Parks and Arcades; IN-51102: Book Publishing; RT-44101: 

Automobile Dealers). 10 Information for this section was drawn from Judy M. Dodds, 

“Determining Economic Census Content,” pp. 247–262.
22 Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Directorate assisted with the design and review of the 

2007 questionnaires:11

• Company Statistics Division (CSD)

• Economic Planning and Coordination Division (EPCD)

• Economic Statistical Methods and Programming 

Division (ESMPD)

• Manufacturing and Construction Division (MCD)

• Office of Statistical Methods and Research for 

Economic Programs (OSMREP)

• Service Sector Statistics Division (SSSD)

Following creation of the 2007 questionnaires, Census 

Bureau headquarters staff electronically transmitted 

the questionnaires to the agency’s National Processing 

Center (NPC) in Jeffersonville, IN, for print testing on 

the NPC’s printers.12 Additionally, the Census Bureau 

awarded contracts to private printers for mass printing 

and assembly of select 2007 questionnaire packages.13

Using Metadata for Questionnaire Design

The Census Bureau has been designing questionnaires 

with automated systems and metadata since the 2002 

Economic Census. For 2007, the Economic Metadata 

Repository (EMR), the Questionnaire User Interface 

(QUI), and the Generalized Instrument Design System 

(GIDS) were redesigned to improve and streamline the 

effort necessary to produce both paper and electronic 

versions of the 2007 census forms.14 This redesign was 

required to address numerous lessons learned from 

the 2002 system and to ultimately improve the GIDS 

Surveyor software that was used to collect data from 

the respondents.

The redesigned system was called the Questionnaire 

User Interface–Generalized Instrument Design System 

(QUI–GIDS).

11 U.S. Census Bureau, “Instrument Design and Metadata Branch: 

Monthly Activity Report, October 2005,” October 30, 2005, pp. 2–3. 12 U.S. Census Bureau, “Instrument Design and Metadata Branch: 

Monthly Activity Report, June 2007,” June 29, 2007, p. 2. 13 Previously, the Census Bureau awarded a single contract to 

a commercial printer to print all economic census questionnaires. 

However, as a result of the fiscal year 2007 continuing resolution, the 

agency awarded two contracts to print questionnaires for the services 

sector in order to split the workload and meet the late September 2007 

printing deadline. Edward D. Walker, “General Lessons Learned from the 

2002 Economic Census,” 2007 Economic Census Offsite Conference, 

University of Maryland, October 2–3, 2007. 14 Sheila Proudfoot and Donna Lee Hambric, “Experiences with 

Developing and Using Metadata-Driven Processing Systems for the 

Economic Census,” presented at the Third International Conference on 

Establishment Surveys, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 18–21, 2007.

Census Bureau staff created questionnaires, assigned 

questions, and maintained all questionnaire content 

in the QUI. Users created layout designs of each item 

variation (employer identification number, physical 

location, etc.) using GIDS. When questionnaire designs 

were completed and approved, the content was locked 

to prevent updates, and the questionnaires were loaded 

to the DocuPrint® equipment at the NPC and/or provided to the commercial printers.

Questionnaire Content

Because of the variety of activities within the economy, 

and within the major economic sectors, questionnaire 

content tends to be tailored by industry. (For example, 

the Census Bureau used 292 separate questionnaires 

to enumerate the Manufacturing sector.) Nevertheless, 

the questionnaires requested the following basic data 

items of all 2007 Economic Census participants:

• Employer identification number

• Kind-of-business activity (except Manufacturing and 

Mining)

• Physical location

• Operational status

• Months in operation

• Dollar volume of business

• Number of employees

• Payroll

The general instructions and certification (name, 

address, telephone number, etc., of the person completing the questionnaire) were similar for all questionnaires. Within each major economic sector, the Census 

Bureau customized the questionnaires to the greatest 

extent possible for ease of response, but the data 

requested varied enormously from sector to sector (see 

Appendix E, “2007 Economic Census Questionnaires by 

NAICS Sector”).

Changes to the 2007 Questionnaires

The questionnaires’ standardized appearance and 

design (implemented for the 2002 Economic Census) 

allowed the Census Bureau to use a common paper 

sheet-size of 81⁄2 inches by 11 inches. The agency also 

incorporated consistent design and layout characteristics, including establishing a single “look and feel” 

that easily identified all questionnaires as part of the 

economic census, similar to those used in 2002.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design 23

U.S. Census Bureau

Although the appearance of the questionnaires was 

virtually unchanged from 2002, the Census Bureau 

incorporated some improvements to ease respondents’ 

burden. These included:

• Updates to the agency’s Surveyor software. In 

response to 2002 census participants’ suggestions, 

the agency enhanced its Surveyor software to make 

electronic reporting easier. With the 2007 version, 

respondents could more easily create and export 

spreadsheets, add new locations, choose multiple 

views of establishment-provided data, and speed up 

data download and submission times.

• Changes in content. The Census Bureau deleted 

inquiries about leased employment and payroll, 

supply chain, and e-commerce. Inquiries related to 

franchising, outsourcing, and expenses for health 

and other benefits were added to better measure 

changing business characteristics.

• More standardized product detail. Some industries 

reported product lines according to the new North 

American Product Classification System (NAPCS). 

The NAPCS allowed the Census Bureau to produce 

comparable product data across industries. (For 

more information on the introduction of the NAPCS, 

see Chapter 2, “Industrial and Product Classification 

Systems.”)15

Specialized Inquiries

In addition to including questions for collecting core 

content from all establishments, the Census Bureau 

included specialized inquiries on selected questionnaires to collect data from particular sectors of the 

economy.16 These specialized inquiries were grouped 

into six general categories:17

Inventories. This category measures the tangible 

inventories owned by an establishment. The inventory data provide a benchmark for annual and monthly 

estimates of inventories during the years between the 

censuses and are one of the components of business 

15 U.S. Census Bureau, “Introducing the 2007 Economic Census,” 

EC07-PR-1a, <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/ECAD

/Introducingthe07EconomicCensus.pdf> (July 11, 2007), p. 1. 16 For more information on questionnaire standardization, see 

U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 2002 Economic Census, 

“Chapter 5: Questionnaire Development and Design,” EC02-00R-HIST, 

September 2006, pp. 49–52. 17 These descriptions are drawn from U.S. Census Bureau, 

“Economic Census Questions on Forms for Selected Sectors Only,” 

<http://www.census.gov/epcd/ec02/ec02questions2.htm> (April 14, 

2004), pp. 2–11. 

investments used in calculating the National Income 

and Product Accounts. 

Assets and expenditures. The 2007 Economic 

Census asked for information on assets, capital expenditures, and depreciation; rental payments; and lease 

rents.

1. Assets, capital expenditures, and depreciation are 

key components in estimation of the nation’s stock 

of tangible wealth—often referred to as “capital 

stock.” The level of capital stock is an important 

component in determining the flow of capital services available to national production. Estimates 

of capital stock also are used for developing gross 

domestic product estimates and for computing labor 

and capital productivity.

2. Rental and lease payments allow consistent measurement of assets and capital expenditures (many 

firms prefer leasing over purchasing equipment or 

land). Responses to questions on these expenditures 

facilitate calculation of measures of capital investment for (1) rental and lease of equipment, tools, 

machinery, vehicles, and furniture; and (2) buildings, 

job-site trailers, and other structures. 

3. Lease rents are asked for mineral properties and are 

used in computing measures of capital investment.

Costs and expenses. Two types of questions on the 

census questionnaires asked for information on costs 

and expenses of business operations:

1. Selected expenses. These include costs of materials, parts, and supplies; construction work subcontracted to others; electricity; and selected purchased 

services (e.g., maintenance and repair of buildings, 

legal services, leased employees, advertising, and 

promotion).

2. Cost of detailed supplies (specific to industry) and 

fuels used. Expenses data were used to compute 

the value added for an industry and are subtracted 

from the gross output (e.g., value of shipments) to 

ensure consistent measurement of the value added 

for establishments with similar levels of output, 

but different levels of input (i.e., supplies used and 

expenses). 

Check-box inquiries. Check-box inquiries were used 

to collect relatively simple information on specific 

subjects that could be answered by checking off an 

appropriate box on the questionnaire. Two general 
24 Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

kinds of check-box inquiries were used in the 2007 

Census:

1. Kind of business/Type of operation. “Kind of 

Business” was asked of all industries covered by the 

census except selected manufacturing establishments. “Type of Operation” was used on the wholesale and mining questionnaires. Data collected by 

this item were used to classify establishments by 

industry according to the NAICS and, in some cases, 

to provide additional detail beyond that required by 

the NAICS.18

2. Method of selling. This was asked of retail and 

wholesale trade industries only. Example of methods 

include electronic commerce, store or display room, 

mail order, direct selling, and vending machines. 

Selected sections. These sections of the questionnaires included questions directed toward specific 

industries or industry groups. Question topics included: 

1. Activity of operating establishments (asked of 

establishments providing enterprise support to 

businesses)19

2. Type of construction (i.e., building or nonbuilding, 

by respective type; this was used for the construction industry sector)

3. Shipping and handling (whether receipts for shipping and handling were received, the value of those 

receipts, and whether they were included in the 

sales and receipts totals reported elsewhere on the 

questionnaire)

4. Exported services

The type-of-construction section served much the same 

purpose for the construction industries as the kind-ofbusiness check box did for the other NAICS sectors.20

Specifically, data from the shipping and handling 

section were used to verify that receipts for those 

services were included in the total sales and receipts 

reported for individual establishments. Data collected on exports of goods and services were used to 

measure the level of exported goods and services for 

service industries. The latter information was intended 

18 Construction industries were asked “Kind of Business” and “Type 

of Construction.” Mining industries were asked “Type of Operation” to 

determine the type of mining activities (surface, underground, etc.). 19 Respondents were asked to check off the primary kind of business or activity—e.g., manufacturing, educational services, transportation services, transportation and warehousing—of the establishments 

managed or serviced by the respondent. The information collected 

through this item was used to produce tabulations that more accurately 

linked inputs and outputs at broad industry levels. 20 The “Type of Construction” and “Kind of Business” inquiries 

were used together to determine the classification for construction 

industries.

to complement the detailed statistics on merchandise 

exports compiled from customs data.

Special inquiries. Individual items that varied from 

industry to industry appeared on virtually all the 

questionnaires. The specific items were customized 

to the industry involved. Examples included “cost of 

electricity” and “exported energy” inquiries on questionnaire UT-22101 (Sector 22: Utilities—Electric, Gas, 

and Water Utilities) and “sales estimates” inquiries (by 

print, Internet, and electronic media) on questionnaire 

IN-51102 (Sector 51: Information—Book Publishing),21

and “class of customer” (e.g., household, individual, 

business, or government).22

ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION

Background Information

The Census Bureau first offered an electronic reporting option (using magnetic computer tape) to a few 

large companies during the 1967 Economic Census. 

Broad use of electronic reporting began during the 

1987 Economic Census. In the 1987 census, the agency 

offered to mail magnetic computer tapes to selected 

respondents—primarily large retail, food services, and 

hotel chain enterprises—requesting that establishments 

record their data and return the tapes to the Census 

Bureau. The Census Bureau continued using this 

method of electronic reporting until the 1997 Economic 

Census. At that time, the agency continued to allow 

response by magnetic tape and also offered selected 

industries the ability to respond via Computerized 

Self-Administered Questionnaires (CSAQ).23 The CSAQ 

consisted of 21 retail census questionnaires on diskette 

for use with personal computers.24

The Census Bureau further expanded the use of electronic reporting for the 2002 Economic Census—using 

Census Bureau–designed Surveyor software—to reduce 

respondent burden and increase electronic response.25

The agency built upon the success of the 2002 experience by soliciting recommendations from business 

users who volunteered to review the Surveyor 

21 View samples of the 2007 Economic Census questionnaires 

for each NAICS sector at the Census Bureau’s Business Help Site 

at <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/CEN_2007FORMS.html> 

(September 27, 2007).” 22 “Class of Customer” inquiries are used by the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis to calculate national income and product accounts. 23 For details on the development of the CSAQ, see Chapter 4, 

“Technological Innovations and the Census.” 24 In the 1997 census, the Census Bureau mailed 471 companies 

CSAQ diskettes, and 200 companies responded by computer tapes. 

These 671 companies represented more than 300,000 individual business establishments. History of the 1997 Economic Census, p. 74. 25 U.S. Census Bureau, “2002 Electronic Collection and Customer 

Support Plan: Overview,” September 24, 1999, p. 4.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 3: Questionnaire Development and Design 25

U.S. Census Bureau

software.26 The Census Bureau used suggestions from 

this review to improve the software, making it more 

user-friendly and further reducing respondent burden, 

with the result that an even greater number of respondents submitted their data electronically in 2007.27

The Business Help Site (BHS)

Establishments receiving a 2007 Economic Census 

questionnaire via the U.S. Postal Service had two 

options for reporting their data: 

1. Recording data on the paper questionnaire and 

mailing it to the Census Bureau’s National Processing 

Center (NPC).

2. Visiting the Census Bureau’s Business Help Site and 

supplying data electronically via a download of the 

agency’s Surveyor software.28

Additionally, the BHS allowed establishments to use 

their own computers to request administrative actions, 

read frequently asked questions, check their response 

status, download and print paper copies of questionnaires, and ask for assistance by visiting the BHS at 

<http://www.census.gov/econhelp>.

To report electronically or to access other online 

services, a respondent entered a username and 

password.29 Businesses downloaded the required 

26 Surveyor underwent two phases of usability testing prior to 

development of the 2007 software. During the first phase, the Census 

Bureau visited 75 companies to inquire about past experience with 

Surveyor, past method of response, and expectations. The agency 

incorporated Phase 1 recommendations into a 2007 Surveyor prototype. Twenty-five companies participated in the second-phase usability 

testing of the 2007 prototype. A.E. Anderson and M.D. Harley, “Using 

Software to Collect Data Electronically for the Economic Census,” presented at the Third International Conference on Establishment Surveys, 

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 18–21, 2007. 27 Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Programs Update,” Census 

Advisory Committee of Professional Associations, April 19, 2007, p. 

7. See also, Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Census Overview,” 

2007 Economic Census Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, 

October 2–3, 2007, p. 5. 28 The Census Bureau encouraged electronic reporting not only for 

the cost-savings associated with handling fewer paper questionnaires 

at the NPC, but also because Surveyor reviewed data for missing or 

obviously erroneous information prior to a respondent submitting the 

questionnaire to the Census Bureau. Having establishments prompted 

to make corrections at the time of entry reduced the involvement of 

data analysts later, which was often needed with paper questionnaires. 29 The Census Bureau identified each paper questionnaire mailed 

to an establishment via the establishment’s user identification and 

password. Establishments supplied this information when logging in to 

report using the Surveyor software. After receiving a successfully completed electronic questionnaire, the Census Bureau could identify and 

reject the paper questionnaire as a duplicate should one also be mailed 

to the NPC for processing.

census software (Surveyor) and the necessary census 

questionnaire(s) and instructions from the BHS.30

Once the questionnaires were completed, the Surveyor 

software reviewed data inconsistencies, and respondents made the necessary corrections, printed the 

data on forms for their records, and transmitted the 

completed and encrypted electronic questionnaires to 

Census Bureau analysts. These analysts would review 

the completed questionnaires prior to adding them to 

the Census Bureau’s database. This avoided the timeconsuming initial process of check-in, data keying, and 

initial data analysis (for inconsistent or blank entries) 

required of paper questionnaires.

Surveyor software. The Census Bureau’s BHS served 

as a portal for downloading the 2007 version of the 

Surveyor software. Surveyor enabled businesses to 

complete electronic questionnaires and import information from establishment-maintained records instead of 

completing and mailing paper questionnaires. 

If more than one type of questionnaire had to be completed (not counting the classification forms), a respondent could create: 

1. Supplementary spreadsheets for those items not 

included on the majority of forms. 

2. Separate spreadsheets to use for each separate type 

of establishment.

3. A general spreadsheet covering the data required for 

all establishments.

Once a respondent imported the data from the 

spreadsheet(s) into Surveyor for all establishments 

and made any corrections flagged by the software, the 

completed electronic questionnaires were submitted 

directly to the Census Bureau.31

30 Instructions and other assistance for electronic respondents could 

be consulted online at the BHS (http://www.census.gov/econhelp). To 

report using the Census Bureau’s electronic reporting software, respondents had to use Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, or Vista and any version 

of Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or Netscape Navigator 7.0 or FireFox 

1.5.0.7 or above (128-bit encryption). 31 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Electronic 

Reporting,” <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/ec07/electronic1.html> 

(October 24, 2007).

History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 27

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 4: 

Promoting the Census and Product Awareness

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

PROMOTING RESPONSE TO THE CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Promotional Activities by Census Bureau Communications Offices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Congressional Affairs Office (CAO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Marketing Services Office (MSO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Public Information Office (PIO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Customer Liaison Office (CLO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Economic Planning and Coordination Division (EPCD).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Major Components of the Awareness/Promotion Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Publicity Contractors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

WB&A Market Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Grafik Marketing Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Business census-response focus groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Publicity and Public-Service Advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

General information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Mail campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Information kits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Events, Special Topics, and Sample Articles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Special events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Special topic news releases.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Testimonials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Sample articles and other resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

News and Web site clips.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Public service advertisements (PSAs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

COMPANY CONTACT PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Large Company Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Account Manager (AM) Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

General information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Record-keeping system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Company selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Advance information mailing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Contact operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

ROLE OF THE INTERNET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Business Web site.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Business Help Site (BHS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Electronic Reporting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Surveyor software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Internet Advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

MARKETING ECONOMIC CENSUS PRODUCTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

NotifyMe.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
28 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

INTRODUCTION

The economic census is the major source of data about 

the structure and functioning of the nation’s economy. 

Every 5 years, the economic census provides the industry and geographic detail that businesses and communities need to assess their performance, promote 

economic development, and identify business opportunities. Business establishments within the 50 states, 

District of Columbia, and Island Areas are required to 

participate in the economic census, when asked, under 

authority granted by Title 13, U.S. Code—Census.1

Although response is required by law, a small but significant percentage of businesses either fail to respond 

or do so late in the data collection cycle. Nonresponse 

and late response require the U.S. Census Bureau to 

conduct costly follow-up operations (including additional questionnaire mailings and telephone calls) to 

obtain business responses.

Despite the Census Bureau’s increasingly proactive 

efforts to reach nonrespondents, recent censuses have 

witnessed declines in participation. Response rates 

from the 2002 Economic Census declined relative to 

the 1997 Economic Census, which in turn declined 

from the peak response (92 percent) in the 1992 

Economic Census. To reverse this negative trend, the 

Census Bureau developed and implemented a multifaceted awareness and promotion program that was 

intended both to increase response rates and to create awareness among data users about the value of 

the economic census and the information the census 

provides.2

PROMOTING RESPONSE TO THE CENSUS

Promotional Activities by Census Bureau

Communications Offices3

The Census Bureau’s office of the associate director 

and assistant directors for Economic Programs oversaw 

the 2007 Economic Census promotion and awareness 

campaign, with day-to-day operation of the campaign 

managed by the agency’s Economic Planning and 

Coordination Division (EPCD). The following Census 

Bureau offices outside of the Economic Programs 

1 The Island Areas include Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. 

Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands. 2 Paul Zeisset, “Promoting Business Response in the Economic 

Census: SDC Steering Committee,” February 22, 2007, p. 2; U.S. Census 

Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Program Plan,” Version 1.0 (Final), 

September 19, 2005, pp. 1–4. 3 Information for this section was drawn from U.S. Census Bureau, 

“2007 Economic Census Program Plan,” and U.S. Census Bureau 

intranet, “Associate Directorate for Communications,” June 4, 2007.

Directorate also played vital roles in advertising and 

promoting the census:

Congressional Affairs Office (CAO). The CAO is 

responsible for maintaining contacts with and providing information and assistance to members of 

Congress and their staffs with respect to the activities 

and products of the Census Bureau. The CAO provided 

fact sheets for congressional offices to help them 

respond to inquiries from their constituents.

Marketing Services Office (MSO). The MSO provided 

guidance to the Economic Programs Directorate on 

product marketing activities. 

Public Information Office (PIO). The PIO developed 

press releases and other notices and distributed them 

to a variety of media outlets. The PIO conducted video 

news conferences with officials from the Commerce 

Department and private sector, including one when the 

census was mailed and a second to mark the release of 

the Advance Report.

4 The conferences highlighted the 

value of the economic census and the importance of 

responding to the census. The PIO also consulted with 

the Economic Programs Directorate while the directorate developed publicity and advertising strategies, 

themes, and messages. 

Customer Liaison Office (CLO). The CLO served 

as the principal contact between the Census Bureau 

and its State Data Centers, Business and Industry Data 

Centers, and Census Information Centers, keeping the 

centers informed about plans for the 2007 census by 

holding direct briefings for center staff and preparing 

and maintaining mailing lists for the distribution of 

informational materials. 

Economic Planning and Coordination 

Division (EPCD). The EPCD developed and coordinated implementation of the overall strategy for 

promoting response. The strategy centered around a 

two-pronged program of information and assistance:

Large companies. The Census Bureau established an 

account manager program and assigned Census Bureau 

statisticians to work on a one-on-one basis with about 

1,300 of the nation’s largest companies. The agency 

also mailed advance information and exchanged 

contact information with all companies having 500 or 

more employees, about 15,000 companies in all.5

4 The Advance Report contains preliminary census data at the 

national level only, by sector and subsector. 5 The 15,000 total mailing of advance information packages 

included mailout to 13,000 companies and approximately 2,000 mailings to large companies that would require questionnaires to be sent to 

more than one address for completion.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 29

U.S. Census Bureau

Small- and medium-sized companies. The Census 

Bureau provided assistance to smaller businesses 

through its online Business Help Site and a toll-free 

help line. These resources provided assistance to all 

businesses that did not receive advance information or 

the services of an account manager. The Census Bureau 

also developed an advertising and promotion campaign 

that worked through news media, business associations, chambers of commerce, and other intermediaries 

to raise awareness of the census and the importance of 

census response.

Major Components of the

Awareness/Promotion Campaign

For the 2007 Economic Census awareness/promotion 

campaign, the Census Bureau implemented lessons 

learned in prior censuses and accounted for changes in 

the business environment. These updates included:

• Greater reliance on electronic communication media. 

In focus groups, business people advised that they 

are less likely to read printed material and are more 

reliant on the Internet and electronic communications than in the past. Electronic communications 

take less time and cost to develop and can be 

changed and disseminated quickly.

• Increased focus on awareness of the census and its 

potential benefits for businesses, with communications that answered the question “What’s in it for 

me?” 

• Development of a new Internet site, 

<http://business.census.gov>. The site provided 

access to industry snapshots, business performance 

measures, “Hot Reports” for approximately 2,000 

industries or industry groups, and frequently asked 

questions (FAQs) about the census.

• Increased attention on intermediaries. Businesses 

reported that the Internet has made them more 

dependent on their trade associations, which serve 

as filters to highlight the most important messages 

for them. Trade association contacts were made (via 

e-mail “blasts” and one-on-one contacts) in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 

ombudsman.

• Sending letters to chief financial officers (CFOs) at 

large companies, in conjunction with the advance 

information mailing, to underscore the importance 

of the census. The letters identified the company 

contact and the account manager and asked CFOs to 

encourage and support census participation.

• Development of a Web site form to collect responses 

to the contact exchange card mailing.6 To improve 

response, the Web form was used as an option to the 

regular mailback postcard. Telephone follow-up was 

also planned. During the 2002 Economic Census, 

businesses that returned the card had a significantly 

higher response rate.

• Account manager software with simplified record 

keeping and improved information management.

• More hands-on training for account managers. 

Training covered the basics of census processing, 

the Surveyor and Remedy/Customer Relationship 

Management software programs for data collection, 

the Secure Message Center, and refusal avoidance 

techniques.

• Earlier identification of potential nonrespondents 

and targeting of top executives with expressmail letters from Census Bureau or Commerce 

Department leaders.

Publicity Contractors

The Census Bureau awarded two contracts for 2007 

Economic Census promotion and advertising—the first 

to WB&A Market Research and the second to Grafik 

Marketing Communications. To evaluate publicity 

materials, messages, and strategies, the contractors 

conducted focus groups with potential respondents 

(personnel from small retail, service, or construction 

businesses who were responsible for responding to 

government questionnaires) and with the newsletter 

editors of chambers of commerce and trade associations. The contractors also developed informational 

materials.

WB&A Market Research. The WB&A Market Research 

contract called for the company to conduct focus group 

research to assist with the development of the 2007 

advertising and communications plan.7

Grafik Marketing Communications. The Census 

Bureau awarded the contract for the 2007 Economic 

Census publicity and advertising campaign to Grafik 

6 Contact exchange cards provided a company with the name and 

contact information of a Census Bureau account manager who would 

be available to assist company representatives through the reporting process. The contact exchange card also asked for mailback of a 

postcard to confirm or update the company’s mailing address and the 

name of a contact within the company who would be responsible for 

completing the questionnaires. Using information from the returned 

contact exchange cards, the agency updated its Business Register in 

time to correct names and addresses for the census mailouts. 7 U.S. Census Bureau, “Monthly Activity Report for September 2005 

[EPCD],” October 13, 2005, p. 4.
30 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Marketing Communications in September 2006. The 

company used the funds to develop a multiphased 

advertising and promotion campaign that included a 

strategy to raise general awareness of the economic 

census and to reach out to industries with historically 

low response rates.8 The company also assisted the 

Census Bureau in developing a communication strategy 

for disseminating census results.

Business census-response focus groups. WB&A 

Market Research conducted focus groups in late 2006 

and early 2007. Focus group participants consisted 

of probable business respondents (based on size and 

industry criteria) and members of trade and business associations, the trade press, and chambers of 

commerce. 

WB&A questioned focus group participants on a variety 

of topics, including their government reporting responsibilities, the roles of print and electronic media as 

information sources, and the importance of chambers 

of commerce, associations, and other organizations as 

information sources. The participants confirmed the 

importance of the “core” census messages: 

• Census data are important and useful.

• Forms are due February 12, 2008.

• Response is required by law.

The focus groups revealed significant shifts in the way 

businesses receive information about federal datacollection activities and the manner in which vital information should be disseminated. The Census Bureau 

incorporated the following focus group observations 

into the 2007 promotion and advertising campaign:

• The Internet is now an important source of information for more business people than was the case 

with previous economic censuses.

• Although the Internet allows people to complete 

core duties more efficiently, some are becoming 

overloaded with information.

• Businesses increasingly look to their associations 

as information sources. Associations provide the 

filter business people need to eliminate extraneous 

information.

8 Industries with historically low response rates to the economic 

census include fast food restaurants, convenience stores, commercial 

printing, automotive repair facilities, and day care providers. U.S. 

Census Bureau, “Activity Report for CROB, September 2006,” 

p. 1; “Activity Report for CROB, October 2006,” November 3, 2006, 

p. 1; Grafik Marketing Communications, “Grafik Awarded Contract by 

Economic Census Bureau,” October 6, 2006, <http://www.grafik.com

/flash/index.cfm?fuseaction=Our_Firm.News> (June 20, 2007).

• Businesses appear to better understand the value of 

the economic census when messages address the 

question, “What’s in it for me?”9

Publicity and Public-Service Advertising

General information. Results from the WB&A Market 

Research focus groups enabled the Census Bureau and 

its advertising contractor—Grafik Marketing 

Communications—to develop materials and messages 

that promoted early and complete response and that 

stressed the mandatory nature of the census and the 

due date for return of completed questionnaires (February 12, 2008).10

The work of both contractors resulted in an advertising and promotion plan that included a multifaceted, 

multiphased campaign incorporating partnerships and 

the Internet, mail, and e-mail distribution of messages 

and public service announcements (PSAs). The planned 

activities were timed to coincide with the phases of 

the census: before census mailout, to validate the 

importance of the economic census and create anticipation for questionnaires (April 2007 to October 2007); 

data collection (October 2007 to February 2008); and 

after the February 2008 deadline, to communicate 

that response was still important (March 2008 to 

June 2008). 

Mail campaign. The Census Bureau’s Economic 

Programs Directorate has strong ties with many trade 

and business associations—intermediaries—that traditionally have been vital players in the review of census 

forms and dissemination of economic data to their 

members. Intermediaries also assist their members 

with questions and concerns about the census, explain 

the importance of the census, and provide useful links 

from their Web sites. 

With the increased use of the Internet, intermediaries 

were in a better position to help get out information 

about the economic census. In the past, intermediaries relied more on print communications and were 

reluctant to sacrifice potential paid advertising space to 

provide free coverage for the economic census. Further, 

the long development cycle for print media made it 

difficult to coordinate message distribution with timetables for thousands of organizations, which hampered 

9 WB&A Market Research, “U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic 

Census,” <http://www.wbanda.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=services

.cases&typeid=4F0D7366-1125-AADA-EA5EB8F220D3422F> 

(December 7, 2006); Robert Marske, Michael J. Hartz, and Laurie 

Torene, “Promoting Business Response to the 2007 Economic Census,” 

background paper for Census Advisory Committee of Professional 

Associations Meetings, April 19–20, 2007, pp. 10–11. 10 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 10–11.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 31

U.S. Census Bureau

getting the right message into the media at the right 

time. The shift to electronic media also made it easy to 

change messages frequently. The Internet could deliver 

to each audience a tailored message that businesses 

could access easily, demonstrating the importance of 

census information in a unique way to each association 

and its members.

The Census Bureau initiated the first phase of its public 

mail campaign in October 2007 by mailing to intermediaries colorful brochures announcing the availability 

of the new Internet site, <http://business.census.gov>. 

These intermediaries represented about 10,000 organizations, including: 

• Chambers of commerce

• Trade and professional associations

• National and regional business journals

• Major metropolitan newspapers

• Census Bureau–affiliated organizations (e.g., State 

Data Centers, Business and Industry Data Centers, 

and Census Information Centers)

For 2007, the Census Bureau focused additional efforts 

on a few organizations with particular potential to 

reach large numbers of respondents. These included 

organizations with extensive nationwide representation 

of businesses in many industries.11 For example, the 

Census Bureau struck a partnership with the American 

Payroll Association (APA). The APA is a particularly 

important partner because its members, human 

resources professionals, very often are responsible for 

preparing their company’s responses to the economic 

census. Its members look to the APA for guidance 

on topics related to federal reporting. As part of this 

partnership, the Census Bureau supplied articles about 

the economic census for inclusion in the APA Journal; 

a senior APA official addressed account managers (see 

below) at the May 2007 account manager kick-off 

event; and Census Bureau staff made presentations 

at several APA conferences. Similar partnerships were 

struck with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the 

National Federal of Independent Business.12

The success of the Census Bureau–APA partnership led 

to the development of similar partnerships with other 

high-priority organizations. The agency developed 

important partnerships with associations representing 

industries that had a history of relatively low response 

rates (see Table 4-1). Outstanding forms from singleestablishments in the 20 worst-responding industries, 

11 “In scope” businesses are those within the census mailout 

universe (i.e., businesses to which the Census Bureau mails census 

questionnaires). 12 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” p.13.

Table 4-1. 

Top 20 Nonresponding Industries From the 2002 Economic Census

NAICS code Industry Forms mailed Outstanding forms

722110 Full-Service Restaurants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68,380 18,793

561730 Landscaping Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67,395 10,306

722211 Limited-Service Restaurants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,337 10,098

621111 Offices of Physicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,310 9,770

541110 Offices of Lawyers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75,877 8,319

721110 Hotels (Except Casino Hotels) and Motels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,874 7,534

621210 Offices of Dentists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,819 6,929

624410 Child Day Care Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,626 6,643

238210 Electrical Contractors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,986 6,556

811111 General Automotive Repair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,196 6,549

445110 Supermarkets and Other Grocery Stores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,388 6,472

722410 Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,635 6,206

447110 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,384 5,345

445120 Convenience Stores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,545 5,311

238220 Plumbing, Heating, Air-Conditioning Contractors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,235 5,260

812112 Beauty Salons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,894 5,178

531210 Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,120 4,952

531110 Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,945 4,690

722213 Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,866 4,535

561720 Janitorial Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,107 4,446

Source: Robert Marske, Michael J. Hartz, and Laurie Torene, “Promoting Business Response to the 2007 Economic Census,” background paper for Census 

Advisory Committee of Professional Associations Meetings, April 19–20, 2007, pp. 10–11
32 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

taken together, accounted for nearly 3 percent of total 

census mailout in the 2002 Economic Census.

Information kits. In past censuses, the Census 

Bureau mailed paper “information kits” containing public service announcements (PSAs), news releases and 

sample articles, sample data, etc., to intermediaries. 

For 2007, the agency produced digital versions of the 

kits and announced their availability to intermediaries 

via the Census Bureau’s new business Web site. Organizations and associations were encouraged to incorporate the messages, articles, and PSAs into membership 

mailings, Web sites, and newsletters, and to provide 

links from their own Web sites.

Use of the Internet to disseminate the information kits 

allowed the Census Bureau to quickly update messages 

based upon the phases of census operations. Prior to 

the mailout of questionnaires, the brochure and Web site 

alerted visitors to the coming census and the importance of census data. During mailout and while questionnaires were in the field, e-mail alerts sent to intermediaries focused upon alerting establishments that 

the census was underway. As the February 12, 2008, 

deadline approached, messages reminded businesses 

of their obligation to respond to the census. Finally, in 

the weeks following the due date, messages reminded 

businesses that reporting was required even though the 

due date passed and that due date extensions could be 

requested for more time to complete the forms.13

Events, Special Topics, and Sample Articles

Special events. The Census Bureau held a video 

news conference in December 2007 to officially 

“kick-off” census data collection. Participants included 

representatives from the Census Bureau, Bureau 

of Economic Analysis, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 

the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and 

Statistics Administration, and the National Restaurant 

Association. Media outlets viewed the conference, 

which increased coverage of the economic census in 

local newspapers nationwide.

Special topic news releases. The Census Bureau’s 

Public Information Office issued news releases to call 

attention to the economic census. These included 

announcements of the launch of the business Web site, 

the December 2007 “kick-off,” and the passing of the 

February 2008 due date. In addition to these announcements, another release identified the leading industries 

in each state on a per-capita sales or revenue basis. 

13 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 12–13; U.S. Census Bureau “Business Help Site,” <http://bhs.econ

.census.gov/BHS> (June 25, 2007). 

Each of these releases received coverage in daily newspapers and on Web sites.

Testimonials.14 Focus group participants told the 

Census Bureau that businesses wanted to be assured 

that the economic census is important and useful and 

that they are not wasting their time and resources by 

responding. The agency addressed this, in part, by 

compiling testimonials attesting to the value of the 

economic census and including these statements in 

promotional materials and on the Census Bureau’s 

Web site. For example, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the 

Federal Reserve Board of Governors, said:

The Economic Census is indispensable to 

understanding America’s economy. It insures 

the accuracy of the statistics we rely on for 

sound economic policy and for successful 

business planning. Returning your economic 

census form helps us all. 

Thomas J. Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of 

Commerce stated that:

Sound and timely economic data are the fuel 

that powers economic decision making. Data 

are used by Congress, the Federal Reserve, 

regulatory agencies, and American businesses 

to formulate and evaluate fiscal, monetary, and 

regulatory policies and to develop business 

plans and financing strategies. Without sound 

economic data, policy makers in both the public and private sector would be flying blind.

Now, I know that the last thing businesses 

need is another form to fill out or questionnaire to answer, but the census data is not 

only important in its own right, but it is 

pivotal to the proper interpretation of a whole 

host of other statistics.

I urge all American businesses to participate 

in the census and to provide complete and 

accurate data. American businesses and the 

American people will be the benefactors.

Sample articles and other resources. The Census 

Bureau maintained a resource page for media and associations at its business Web site (http://business

.census.gov). (See Figure 4-1.) These resources provided suggested text for news releases and editorials 

that the media and associations could use in articles 

and communications with businesses. The site also 

14 U.S. Census Bureau, “Business Leaders Speak Out About the 

Economic Census,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07

/testimonials.htm> (June 27, 2007).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 33

U.S. Census Bureau

provided access to graphics (both Web- and publication-quality), including PSAs, logos, and icons, that 

organizations could use in their publications. One 

popular resource provided the number of businesses 

expected to receive a census questionnaire in each 

state, metropolitan area, county, and North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) sector.

The Census Bureau recognized the importance of providing a tailored and ready-to-use message to potential 

communication partners. Therefore, the agency tailored 

letters and e-mails to recipients. The letters incorporated the names of the relevant geographic area’s 

chamber of commerce and newspapers and listed the 

industry scope of trade associations. Where appropriate, the letters stated the estimated number of 

questionnaires being sent to businesses and included 

text that the Census Bureau encouraged organizations 

to use.

News and Web site clips. Throughout the census 

operations, the Census Bureau monitored news stories 

and Web site links related to the census to assess the 

effectiveness of the public awareness campaign.

Media coverage consistently included these themes, 

which were identified by the Census Bureau as important in encouraging response:

• Census data are important and useful.

• Forms are due February 12, 2008.

• Response is required by law.

Additional media coverage noted that establishments 

could respond electronically and that the data supplied are confidential. Coverage of the census reached 

its peak during December 2007 to March 2008, which 

encompassed most of the data collection period.15

Public service advertisements (PSAs). Past experiences taught the Census Bureau that convincing 

publications to run economic census PSAs was difficult. 

Publishers, particularly in print media, were reluctant 

to sacrifice paid advertising space for free PSAs on any 

topic. At the same time, focus group research suggested that businesses were more likely to visit Inter15 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 12–14. 

Figure 4-1.

2007 Economic Census Business Web Site
34 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 4-2.

2007 Economic Census Public Service Advertisements
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 35

U.S. Census Bureau

net sites than in past censuses. Consequently, while 

the agency still developed PSAs for the 2007 census, 

the design incorporated a graphic look and feel and 

highlighted the business Web site (see Figure 4-2). 

Brochures and other communications did the same.

WB&A Market Research focus groups indicated that a 

cartoon/balloon theme grabbed attention better than 

other tested alternatives. The Census Bureau provided 

images in electronic formats for use in electronic and 

print publications (see Figure 4-2). 

During the “awareness” phase of the campaign (April 

2007 to October 2007), advertising highlighted the 

value of economic census data. During the data collection phase, beginning December 2007, advertisements 

encouraged businesses to respond. All of the advertisements urged readers to visit the Census Bureau’s business Web site (http://business.census.gov).16

COMPANY CONTACT PROGRAM

Large Company Program

The 15,000 largest companies in the United States 

account for about one-half of the nation’s total private 

employment, and the 1,300 largest companies account 

for about one-third. Therefore, receipt of census data 

from these companies is essential to creating a complete and accurate portrait of the national economy. The 

Census Bureau developed and implemented a program 

of alerts and contacts with these large companies to 

encourage their response and assist them through 

the reporting process. The agency sent packages of 

“advance” information about the economic census to 

companies with 500 or more employees. The 1,300 

largest companies were assigned account managers. 

The goals of the advance information and account 

manager programs were to promote early and complete response to the census and to encourage use of 

Surveyor, the software provided by the Census Bureau 

that businesses could use to respond electronically.

These large businesses already had been subject to 

intensive mail and/or telephone follow-up in the past 

because delays in response result in greater expenses 

involved to collect the information. The account manager program was particularly effective in establishing working relationships with very large companies. 

It encouraged prompt and complete responses and 

provided timely assistance to those companies that 

16 The Census Bureau did not conduct a third phase of the campaign following the due date because intermediaries expressed reservations about carrying the negative message that forms were overdue 

and their members might be in violation of federal law. Marske, Hartz, 

and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” p. 12.

needed to complete and return the census questionnaires as early as possible.17

Account Manager (AM) Program

General information. For the 2007 Economic Census, 

approximately 170 account managers (AMs) from the 

Census Bureau’s Economic Programs Directorate18

worked with the nation’s 1,300 largest companies. 

Quick and thorough response by these companies was 

critical to the accuracy of the census. 

The AMs received information about, and hands-on 

training in, census operations, contact strategies, and 

the use of software tools (including Surveyor electronic 

reporting software and Remedy/CRM contact management software). Electronic reporting access was 

important because it simplified respondents’ ability 

to import data from internal spreadsheets (reducing 

respondent burden) and enabled them to send the data 

to the Census Bureau in a format ready for processing, 

thereby eliminating time-consuming data entry and 

processing operations. After completing their initial 

training, AMs received detailed information about the 

specific companies they were assigned to work with 

and the reporting burdens of those companies.19

During the first half of 2007, the Census Bureau mailed 

advance information packages, including contact 

exchange cards, to 15,000 companies with 500 or more 

employees. The cards requested the name of the person 

who would coordinate the company’s census reporting. Recipients responded to the contact exchange card 

using an online form on the Census Bureau’s Business 

Help Site; these responses were then imported into the 

Remedy/CRM contact management software. For the 

1,300 largest companies, the Remedy/CRM software 

automatically generated an e-mail message directing 

AMs to make initial contact with their assigned company. AMs contacted the companies to introduce themselves, identify potential reporting obstacles, encourage 

timely reporting, and advocate the use of electronic 

reporting.

Approximately 50 percent of large companies returned 

the contact exchange card by mid-May 2007. Since the 

Census Bureau had determined that up-to-date address 

and contact information is necessary for efficient data 

17 U.S. Census Bureau, “Project Charter: 2007 Economic Census 

Account Managers (AM 2007),” November 8, 2004. 18 Personnel from the Economic Programs Directorate’s Company 

Statistics Division, Economic Planning and Coordination Division, 

Manufacturing and Construction Division, and Service Sector Statistics 

Division worked as AMs at both the Census Bureau headquarters and 

the National Processing Center in Jeffersonville, IN. 19 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 5–8; U.S. Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” No. 1, April 23, 2007; U.S. 

Census Bureau “AM Bulletin,” No. 2, May 24, 2007. 
36 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

collection, the agency sent one mail follow-up and 

then conducted telephone follow-up operations to 

obtain additional responses. AMs contacted the companies assigned to them that had not responded, and 

interviewers at the National Processing Center (NPC) 

contacted the remaining nonrespondents. In addition 

to obtaining contact exchange card information, callers 

also reminded businesses to complete the 2006 Report 

of Organization (form NC-99001), which is the basis 

for the mailing list for multiestablishment companies. 

After completion of telephone follow-up operations, 

the response rate for contact exchange cards rose to 

92 percent. Once contact exchange card collection 

operations were finished, the updated address information was loaded into the Business Register (which 

provides the mailing list) and used for the economic 

census mailout.

Record-keeping system.20 The Census Bureau used 

Remedy/CRM software to keep track of company contacts and provide assistance and information to both 

the AMs and Census Bureau senior staff. The software 

collected and stored all the information needed to keep 

track of the AMs’ activities and companies’ responses—

or lack thereof—to the economic census. Furthermore, 

Remedy/CRM provided the data AMs needed to give 

effective and efficient service to contacted companies.21

The three key “modules” of the system included managing information supplied by companies on the contact 

exchange cards, facilitating contact management, and 

generating management information reports.

The AMs used Remedy/CRM to:

• Obtain company name, address, and contact information from contact exchange cards. The system 

generated automatic e-mail messages to the AMs, 

alerting them to call their assigned companies.

• Store company Web site addresses.

• Facilitate company requests for extensions.

• Receive alerts about changes in response.

• Document communication with company contacts.

Company selection. Companies were assigned to the 

AM program according to the following factors: 

1. The company’s importance to the economy or to 

a specific industrial sector, based on number of 

employees, payroll, total number of establishments 

(in 2006), or total sales or receipts reported in the 

2002 Economic Census.

20 U.S. Census Bureau, “Project Charter,” November 8, 2004. 21 Robert A. Marske, “Findings from the 2002 Economic Census 

Account Manager Surveys,” March 18, 2004, p. 1. 

2. The expectation that, based on previous experience, 

the company would have difficulty with responding or might not respond at all. Companies were 

selected by subject branches within the Economic 

Programs Directorate divisions. 

3. Once the list was compiled, staff members selected 

to act as AMs were assigned specific companies’ 

“accounts” and were responsible for contacting the 

firms to which each was assigned.22

Advance information mailing. On April 10, 2007, 

the Census Bureau began mailing advance information 

packages to approximately 15,000 companies with 500 

or more employees and their subsidiaries, including the 

1,300 companies identified for the AM program. 

The information packages contained a cover letter, 

signed by the Census Bureau’s associate director for 

Economic Programs, that introduced the upcoming 

census and a folder that provided general information about the census. Folder inserts included an 

overview of the census, examples of the kinds of data 

collected, key dates, information on how businesses 

use the data, and Census Bureau contact information. 

The inserts directed recipients to the Census Bureau’s 

Business Help Site to obtain additional information 

about the census and see sample forms. A particularly 

important part of the mailing—the contact exchange 

card—provided the name and contact information of 

the Census Bureau AM assigned to assist the company 

respond to the economic census. The Census Bureau 

asked each company to return the contact exchange 

card, with updates to the company’s mailing address 

and the name of the person responsible for completing 

the census questionnaires. Companies also could submit the contact exchange card information electronically at the Census Bureau’s Business Help Site.

Companies that had not returned the contact exchange 

card received a reminder letter in May 2007 requesting 

their response as soon as possible. Because evidence 

from the 2002 Economic Census suggested that companies returning their contact information had a higher 

response rate in the census, AMs and NPC staff made 

telephone follow-up calls to nonrespondent companies, 

resulting in a 92 percent response rate for the 2007 

operation.23

Contact operations. The AMs made their initial contacts (by telephone or e-mail) to assigned companies 

22 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 5–6. 23 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 5–8; U.S. Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” No. 1; U.S. Census Bureau 

“AM Bulletin,” No. 2. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness 37

U.S. Census Bureau

between April and July 2007, following receipt of the 

returned contact exchange cards or when following 

up with companies that had not responded. The first 

contact was essentially introductory, including an offer 

to help and requesting that companies use electronic 

reporting if possible. Following the October 2007 

mailout of census forms to large companies, the AMs 

contacted their assigned companies to confirm receipt 

of the census questionnaire packages and establish a 

schedule for reporting. A third call (if necessary) was 

placed between March and June 2008 to provide extensions and monitor company activity until the completed forms were received.24

Companies that failed to return questionnaires by 

June 2008 were considered for “stronger” follow-up 

operations. For example, several companies were sent 

a letter from the deputy chief counsel for Economic 

Programs, Department of Commerce. These letters 

were tailored to each company, detailed prior efforts 

to solicit a response from the company, and informed 

them of the fines for nonresponse and the possibility of 

being referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution. The letters were sent to the chief executive officer, 

chief financial officer, and general counsel of each 

company.25

ROLE OF THE INTERNET

General Information

The Census Bureau’s use of the Internet for both 

improving response and marketing economic products 

continued to expand in the 2007 Economic Census. 

The agency introduced a new business Web site 

(http://business.census.gov) that provided a public 

face for the economic census. Initially, the page offered 

information to alert businesses to the coming census 

and validated the importance of the data and census 

response. After mailout, the page provided messages 

and resources to encourage response and provide 

assistance. The page complemented the Business Help 

Site (BHS) and provided a repository for reports from 

the census that also were available to intermediaries 

and news media. The page provided access to digital 

24 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

p. 8; U.S. Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” No. 1; U.S. Census Bureau “AM 

Bulletin,” No. 2. 25 During the 2002 Economic Census, a small number of 

nonrespondents received letters from the Department of Commerce’s 

chief counsel for Economic Programs threatening prosecution. The 

Census Bureau received replies from all these companies and completed census forms from most recipients of this letter. For 2007, 

all nonrespondent companies were contacted by the Commerce 

Department’s general counsel and warned of the likelihood of prosecution should they remain nonrespondent. Thomas Mesenbourg, 

“Economic Directorate Update,” Census Advisory Committee of 

Professional Associations Meetings, April 19, 2007.

versions of advance information before the BHS was 

available. At respondents’ request, the Census Bureau 

created a section that included an explanation of each 

item on the census questionnaires and the reasons 

each item was included. 

Business Web site. The Census Bureau’s new Web 

site for promoting response to the 2007 Economic 

Census—http://business.census.gov—became available in spring 2007. The Web site provided quick, easy 

access to information that business people find most 

interesting and useful. The site also served as the gateway to the BHS, which offered sample forms, electronic 

reporting, and an array of online services, and to published census data via the Census Bureau’s 

American FactFinder (the Census Bureau’s primary 

electronic data dissemination system). Banner advertisements at professional association Web sites and 

other heavily trafficked Web sites linked visitors to the 

economic census page.26

The business Web site offered responses to “frequently 

asked questions” about the census, as well as a link 

enabling users to pose questions directly to Census 

Bureau staff. In addition, the page contained: 

• Sample articles, public service announcements 

(PSAs), and other resources for news media and 

trade associations.

• Industry snapshots available for 2,000 industries 

and industry groups that highlighted data from the 

2002 Economic Census and allowed businesses 

to compare their own performance to industry 

averages.

• Information about new features of the 2007 

Economic Census.

• Information on how people use the economic census 

data.

The Web page also provided links to other Census 

Bureau sites of possible interest to respondents or data 

users, such as “drill down” tables containing data from 

past censuses and links to the home pages for the 

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 

and the American FactFinder.27

Business Help Site (BHS). The Census Bureau introduced the Internet-based BHS during the 2002 Economic 

26 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” 

pp. 4–5. 27 For more information, see Paul Zeisset, “Promoting Business 

Response in the Economic Census: SDC Steering Committee,” Version 

1.0 (Final), February 22, 2007, and Powerpoint presentation by Robert 

Marske, Michael J. Hartz, and Laurie Torene, “Promoting Business 

Response to the 2007 Economic Census,” April 19, 2007.
38 Chapter 4: Promoting the Census and Product Awareness History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Census. The BHS provided links to census forms and 

instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, 

and links to census data. The site also provided a secure 

interface that respondents could use to request extensions and replacement forms, verify receipt of completed questionnaires, and e-mail Census Bureau staff. 

The Census Bureau printed the BHS Web site address 

on every census form and cover letter and via links at 

the Census Bureau’s Web site. Since its 2002 introduction, the BHS has become the initial point of contact 

for many businesses seeking answers to questions 

about the census or in need of help completing their 

questionnaires. During the 2002 Economic Census, the 

Web site received 3.5 million “hits.” During the 2007 

Economic Census operations, the site received approximately 75,000 hits per month.28

Electronic Reporting

Businesses keep their operating records in electronic 

databases and spreadsheets and often are proficient 

in using Excel and other software programs. The 

Census Bureau responded by redesigning its electronic 

reporting software—called Surveyor—to work easily 

with business spreadsheet files. Businesses wishing 

to respond electronically visited the agency’s secure 

Internet site to download Surveyor and the necessary 

questionnaire(s) and instructions and create a file for 

census response. Account managers received training 

in using the software and assisting companies in its 

use. They also created spreadsheets for respondents 

unwilling or unable to use the software.

Surveyor software. The Census Bureau introduced its 

Surveyor software for the 2002 Economic Census. For 

2007, the agency improved the software in response 

to feedback from businesses and associations. The 

2007 edition of Surveyor permitted respondents to 

enter data directly into the electronic form or to copy 

and paste data into a “workbook view” and upload 

completed forms using the Internet. Edits incorporated 

into the software ensured the accuracy of data, which 

reduced the number of follow-up calls required by 

Census Bureau staff to correct erroneous information.29

Internet Advertising

Focus group participants indicated that they wanted 

advertisements and messages to answer the question, 

“What’s in it for me?” They preferred advertisements 

that grabbed their attention more than conservative or 

28 Correspondence from Mary D. Harley, Economic Planning 

and Coordination Division, U.S. Census Bureau, “Business Help Site 

Visitation,” May 5, 2010. 29 Marske, Hartz, and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” p. 4.

traditional PSAs. As a result, the Census Bureau provided 

a variety of cartoon-themed images in digital formats for 

use in electronic and print publications (see Figures 4-1 

and 4-2).

During the awareness phase of the advertising campaign (beginning April 2007), the advertisements 

related to the value of the economic census data. 

During the data collection phase (beginning October 

2007), advertisements provided visual recognition of 

the mailing envelope and encouraged business people 

to watch for the forms. All of the advertisements sought 

to lead people to <http://business.census.gov>.30

MARKETING ECONOMIC CENSUS PRODUCTS

The Census Bureau used press releases, its Web pages, 

and its new NotifyMe system (see below) as the principal 

means of informing the public about the release of the 

2007 Economic Census data products. It also conducted 

a series of data user conferences around the country to 

familiarize probable users of census data and intermediaries with the products as they became available. The 

first data products from the 2007 Economic Census were 

released in December 2008, consisting of advance data 

from the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey. The Census 

Bureau announced the publication of these data in a press 

release on December 9, 2008.31 Thereafter, the Public 

Information Office issued press announcements as significant data were released, beginning with the Core Business 

Statistics—Advance Report and Economic Census of the 

Island Areas—Northern Mariana Islands in March 2009.32

NotifyMe. In response to feedback from users of the 

2002 Economic Census, the Census Bureau developed a 

system to notify users as particular units in its publication 

program were released. Users were given the opportunity 

to select the industries and/or states they were interested 

in, and an e-mail was generated each time data were 

released that met their criteria.33

30 The Census Bureau did not conduct a third phase of the campaign following the due date because intermediaries expressed reservations about carrying the negative message that forms were overdue 

and their members might be in violation of federal law. Marske, Hartz, 

and Torene, “Promoting Business Response,” p. 12; Powerpoint presentation by Marske, Hartz, and Torene, pp. 5–7; and Zeisset, “Promoting 

Business Response,” pp. 1–10. 31 U.S. Census Bureau, “Commodity Flow Survey Shows U.S. 

Businesses Ship Nearly $12 Trillion in Goods in 2007,” CB08-179, 

December 9, 2008. 32 For more information on the 2007 Economic Census data release 

schedule, see U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Economic Census—Data 

Release Schedule By Date,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07

/pdf/EconCensusScheduleByDate.pdf> (February 19, 2009). 33 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “NotifyMe: 

Introduction to the NotifyMe Service from the U.S. Census Bureau for the 

2007 Economic Census,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07

/www/notifyme.html> (May 5, 2010).
39 Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Census Bureau used paper and electronic 

questionnaires, as well as administrative records, to 

collect 2007 Economic Census data from more than 

29 million businesses.1 These businesses encompassed 

approximately 85 percent of the nation’s economy.2

Although the majority of businesses became aware of 

the census from the mid-December 2007 questionnaire 

mailout, the enumerations’ efficiency resulted from 

1 Businesses are legal or administrative entities assigned an 

employer identification number (EIN) by the Internal Revenue Service. 

Units include divisions, subsidiaries, companies, and other affiliated 

organizations. 2 The Economic Census excludes agriculture and most government, 

most education, and some specialized activities (such as railroad, 

labor organization, and religious activities). The Economic Census also 

excludes private household activities. For more information, see U.S. 

Census Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Business Help Site,” 

<http://bhs.econ.census.gov/ec07/> (March 11, 2008).

years of preparation by Census Bureau staff.3 These 

preparations included:

• Compiling the economic census address list.

• Acquiring administrative records for small establishments not subject to direct data collection.

• Assigning identification numbers to individual establishments so the agency could identify each during 

data collection and processing.

• Printing and assembling mailout packages containing questionnaires, instructions, and cover letters 

for the initial mailout and follow-up mailings.

3 The Census Bureau contacted large businesses (those with 500 or 

more employees) prior to the mailout of questionnaires.

Chapter 5:

Preparations for Data Collection

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

COMPILING THE ECONOMIC CENSUS MAIL LIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

The Business Register (BR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Background information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using the Business Register. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Obtaining Administrative Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Social Security Administration (SSA) records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Using Administrative Records in the Economic Census. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

TOOLS FOR DESIGNING THE QUESTIONNAIRES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

PRINTING AND ASSEMBLING THE MAILOUT PACKAGES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Cover letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Questionnaires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Inventory sheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Address labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Quality Assurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

CONTACT WITH COMPANIES BEFORE THE CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Advance Information and Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Contact operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
40 Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

• Establishing contacts between Census Bureau staff 

and large companies and maintaining these contacts 

during the census to encourage participation.

COMPILING THE ECONOMIC CENSUS

MAIL LIST

Conducting the economic census required the Census 

Bureau to maintain a record of all businesses eligible 

to participate. The agency also needed to assign each 

establishment to the industry in the North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) from which it 

derives income. Using this information, the Census 

Bureau sent one or more of the 560 questionnaires and 

supplemental forms used during the 2007 Economic 

Census to enumerate establishments in the 50 states, 

District of Columbia, and Island Areas. 

The Census Bureau continually collects and updates 

its database of business addresses—the Business 

Register—from a number of federal statistical sources 

and administrative records and uses the information to 

identify establishments to be included in the mailout. 

Sources for the Business Register include data supplied 

by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security 

Administration (SSA), and Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(BLS), and from responses to the Census Bureau’s 

Company Organization Survey and its Annual Survey of 

Manufactures.4

The Business Register (BR)

Authorized by Titles 13 and 26 of the U.S. Code and a 

1968 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive, the BR provides information about establishments 

for the Census Bureau’s periodic surveys and the 

economic censuses. The BR includes the establishments of all domestic employer and nonemployer 

businesses (except private households and governments) and the organizational units of multiestablishment businesses. It contains information on more than 

160,000 multiestablishment companies (representing 

1.6 million affiliated establishments) and 6 million 

single-establishment companies (both of which are 

employer companies), and approximately 22 million 

4 The Census Bureau mailed questionnaires for the last Company 

Organization Survey and Annual Survey of Manufactures (COS/ASM) 

prior to the 2007 Economic Census to approximately 42,000 multiestablishment companies and 37,000 single-establishment companies 

in mid-December 2006. The agency used the COS/ASM data as one 

of the sources to update the BR’s establishment contact and industry 

data. Carrie Hill, “Business Register Users Group November Meeting: 

Managers Memorandum for the Record,” November 9, 2006, p. 2. 

nonemployer businesses (i.e., businesses without paid 

employees).5

Background information. Prior to 1968, each federal 

statistical agency maintained its own form of “business 

register” and designed its own statistical programs patterned to its particular needs. To reduce redundancy, 

the Bureau of the Budget (predecessor of the OMB) 

directed the Census Bureau to lead a project to develop 

a general, multipurpose business directory for use 

throughout the federal statistical system. In response 

to this directive, the Census Bureau developed the 

Standard Statistical Establishment List (SSEL) following the 1972 Economic Census, and at the same time, 

developed the annual Company Organization Survey 

(COS) to update the SSEL’s data. The agency used the 

SSEL until it redesigned and renamed the database the 

“Business Register” for the 2002 Economic Census.6

Using the Business Register. For the economic census, the BR functions as a universe file to control questionnaire mailing and data processing. Through late 

summer 2007 (prior to the 2007 mailout), the Census 

Bureau updated the BR using administrative records 

data from the SSA, IRS, and BLS as well as results of its 

own surveys (such as the 2006 COS) on a flow basis. 

For multiestablishment companies, the Census Bureau 

used the BR to:

• Identify all active companies (excluding farms) and 

all active establishments.

• Identify consolidated companies/establishments.7

• Assign numbers for the report forms (that is, the different questionnaire types) created for:

 Finance, insurance, real estate, and 

communications establishments (consolidated 

questionnaires)

5 The BR data is establishment-based and includes business location, organization type (e.g., subsidiary or parent), industry classification, and operating data (e.g., receipts and employment). The scope, 

detail, and reference period for BR information vary by establishment 

type and size and by the source of list information. BR information is 

maintained separately for each establishment, company, and major 

intracompany organizational unit. U.S. Census Bureau, “Business 

Register,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/mu0600.html> 

(February 28, 2008). 6 For more details on the origins and development of the SSEL, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, Technical Paper 44: The Standard Statistical 

Establishment List. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1978. 

For more information on the development of the Business Register, see 

U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 2002 Economic Census, 

“Chapter 4: Technological Innovations and the Census” and “Chapter 7: 

Preparations for Data Collection,” EC02-00R-HIST, September 2006, 

pp. 72–73. 7 A consolidated company/establishment is a multiestablishment 

company that (because of the kind of economic operations of its 

various individual establishments) is sent a consolidated questionnaire requesting summary data on all its establishments, rather than 

individual questionnaires for each establishment.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection 41

U.S. Census Bureau

 Out-of-scope or suspected out-of-scope 

establishments8

 All other in-scope establishments

For single-establishment companies, the Census Bureau 

used the BR to:

• Identify and select establishments with 2007 payroll.

• Assign questionnaire types.

• Sample businesses by trade area.9

The Census Bureau uses these continually updated data 

as the primary sources for the statistical operations 

of the economic census and surveys. These operations include preparation, mailout and follow-up, data 

processing, and quality assurance. The Census Bureau 

also uses the BR to select establishments (the sampling 

frame) for special reimbursable surveys, summary 

statistics published in the annual County Business 

Patterns and Statistics of U.S. Businesses reports, and 

requests for special reports and reimbursable tabulations (particularly for small-area data).10

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

The Census Bureau used administrative records extensively during the 2007 Economic Census to reduce the 

administrative burden on small employers and nonemployers. For 2007, the agency used administrative 

records to collect data on approximately 3.1 million 

small employers and 22 million nonemployers.11

8 “Out-of-scope” establishments are those identified as not having 

business activities in an industry for which data are collected during the 

economic census. 9 For more information on the background and use of the Census 

Bureau’s Business Register, see Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Edward Walker, and 

Paul Hanczaryk, “The Census Bureau’s Business Register: Basic Features 

and Future Direction,” United Nation’s Economic Commission for Europe 

(ECE) and the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) Joint 

Seminar on Business Registers, Luxembourg, June 23–24, 2003, pp. 2–3. 10 Recipients of summary statistics have included the Bureau of 

Economic Analysis; Departments of Defense, Energy, and Housing and 

Urban Development; Small Business Administration; state and local 

economic development agencies; and private businesses. See U.S. Census 

Bureau, “Business Register,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/overview

/mu0600.html> (February 28, 2008). 11 The Census Bureau enumerated all nonemployers using administrative records in 2007. Under authority of Title 26, U.S. Code, the Internal 

Revenue Service supplies information on business taxpayers that includes 

name, address, and other identifying facts; industrial and other classifications; measures of sales/receipts/revenue, payroll, employment, expenses, 

inventories, and assets; and other content needed to conduct Census 

Bureau statistical programs authorized by Title 13, U.S. Code, Chapter 5. 

The Social Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics also 

provide data—chiefly industrial classifications. These administrative data 

are the foundation of the Business Register; further, the economic census 

considerably reduces reporting burden on businesses by using administrative data in lieu of direct collection to represent smaller single units with 

paid employees and all businesses without paid employees—accounting 

for about 50 percent of covered employer establishments and more than 

80 percent of all covered establishments, including nonemployers. Thomas 

L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Census Overview,” 2007 Economic Census 

Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, October 2–3, 2007, p. 6.

The Census Bureau first used administrative records 

during the 1890 census to collect data on individual 

debt and corporate debt from real estate recorders’ 

offices; however large-scale use of administrative 

records did not begin until the 1954 Economic Census. 

In 1954, the agency used Internal Revenue Service 

records to gather selected data items (employment, 

payroll, and sales) for small retailers ($2,500 or more in 

sales) and service providers ($1,000 or more in sales) 

that were nonemployer establishments (i.e., businesses 

without paid employees). Thereafter, administrative 

records became a significant source for the Census 

Bureau’s economic statistical programs.

The use of administrative records has a number of 

advantages for both the Census Bureau and businesses, 

including:

• Reducing data collection costs.

• Reducing respondent burden, particularly for 

nonemployers.

• Serving as a source of company and establishment 

names and addresses for the Census Bureau’s other 

data collection programs.

• Supplying information the Census Bureau uses to edit 

reported data (that is, help fill in incomplete data).

Obtaining Administrative Records

The Census Bureau’s principal sources of administrative records are the Internal Revenue Service, Social 

Security Administration, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The Census Bureau reimbursed the cooperating agencies 

for staff and other costs associated with the transfer of 

records. The data from these records, compiled in the 

Business Register (BR), are protected under the confidentiality laws governing the Census Bureau (Titles 13 and 

26) and the confidentiality regulations of the supplying 

agencies. (See Appendix A for the provisions of Title 13.)

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records. Title 26, 

U.S. Code, governs the operations of the IRS and specifically authorizes it to provide tax data to the Census 

Bureau for statistical programs. To receive these data 

for the 2007 census, the Census Bureau identified the 

type of information needed and assured the IRS that all 

files would remain confidential. In response, the IRS
42 Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

sent data to the Census Bureau on a weekly, monthly, 

and annual basis to update the BR’s data on:12

• Business names and addresses

• Employment and payroll

• Sales or receipts, interest income, gross rents, and 

various expense items

• Broad industry codes

Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The 

IRS provided business birth information from Form 

SS-4 (application for an Employer Identification Number 

[EIN]). The Census Bureau attempted to assign industry 

classifications to these IRS records using an automated 

coding process. When an industry classification could 

not be automatically assigned, the Census Bureau 

received clerically coded industry information from the 

SSA on a monthly basis.

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) records. The 

Census Bureau also attempted to assign industry codes 

to single-establishments by using BLS industrial classification codes. Each quarter, the Census Bureau provided 

the BLS a list of EINs from the Business Register for BLS 

to match to their own Business Establishment List (BEL). 

The BLS returned all matched records with the appropriate industry classification codes and other selected 

data elements. If there was no match to the BEL, then 

only the EIN was returned to the Census Bureau. 

Using Administrative Records in the

Economic Census

The Census Bureau used a hierarchy to determine 

which industry classification source (IRS, BLS, SSA, or 

Census Bureau) should be considered the best. If industry classification information was not available from 

any of these sources, the Census Bureau attempted 

to assign NAICS codes based on trade name. If still 

unable to assign a classification, the Census Bureau 

sent the establishment a classification form (NC-99023 

or NC-99026) in October 2007 on which the business 

self-identified its NAICS code. 

The Census Bureau updated the BR using administrative records on a flow basis. During these updates, 

Census Bureau staff added new administrative records, 

removed duplicate records, matched new records to 

establishments already recorded in the BR, and updated 

payroll, employment, industrial classification code, and 

12 U.S. Census Bureau, Administrative Records Quality Assurance 

Team, “Economic Directorate Administrative Records: Their Production 

Path and Quality Assurance,” August 30, 2005, p. 7.

address information. Establishments not matched to 

the list were added as births. 

The agency used information from the administrative 

records and other Census Bureau programs to divide 

the census address file into four major groups:

• Multiestablishment firms, out-of-scope establishments, and a sample of firms that responded to the 

Annual Survey of Manufactures

• Large single-establishment and classification-form 

cases to be canvassed by mail

• Small single-establishments

• Nonemployers

Separating establishments by the above types enabled 

the Census Bureau to identify whether the establishment would be enumerated using administrative 

records or receive a questionnaire. If the firm was to 

receive a questionnaire, this grouping helped to identify the type of questionnaire mailing package to send 

(single- or multi-establishment), as well as whether the 

company should be assigned a Census Bureau account 

manager (based on the number of employees).13

IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS

Beginning with the 2002 Economic Census, the 

Census Bureau replaced the census file number (CFNs) 

assigned to each establishment with a permanent, 

unique, 10-digit identification number. The new identification number (assigned to each birth on a flow basis) 

is permanent and used for the life of the establishment. For example, if an entity changes ownership, the 

permanent identification remains unchanged as long as 

the main business activity remains the same. 

The Census Bureau printed the relevant identification 

numbers on questionnaires and mailing labels and 

translated them to bar codes to identify establishments 

during enumeration, check-in, and processing.14

13 For more information on the criteria for selecting establishments 

assigned account managers, see Chapter 4, “Promoting the Census and 

Product Awareness.” 14 Prior to 2002, the CFN for single establishments consisted of a 

“0” plus each establishment’s nine-digit employer identification number. 

For multiestablishment units, the CFN was made up of the enterprise’s 

six-digit identification number (alpha), plus four digits identifying the 

location of the unit. This required that CFNs be changed when the organization of a business changed, such as the expansion of a single-unit 

business moving to a new location or opening a branch location and 

becoming a multiestablishment unit. U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural 

History of the 2002 Economic Census, Chapter 7, “Preparations for Data 

Collection,” EC02-00R-HIST, September 2006, p. 83.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection 43

U.S. Census Bureau

TOOLS FOR DESIGNING THE

QUESTIONNAIRES

The Census Bureau developed the Economic Metadata 

Repository (EMR) prior to the 2002 Economic Census 

to ensure the consistency of paper and electronic 

questionnaires. The EMR acts as a “clearinghouse” 

for economic metadata, and it interfaces with the 

Questionnaire User Interface (QUI) and the Generalized 

Instrument Design System (GIDS) to facilitate the design 

of questions and economic census questionnaires.15

The Census Bureau created approximately 560 questionnaires and supplemental forms for the 2007 

Economic Census using the GIDS’s questionnaire layout 

and the EMR’s content files. With the EMR-supplied files, 

the Census Bureau used the GIDS’s “Forms Design Tool” 

to create a draft of each question (e.g., employer identification number, physical location), which analysts 

reviewed to ensure correct and consistent content. 

Once created, analysts could assign this “master” question (with embedded layout information) to any questionnaire. Revisions to the “master” questions stored in 

15 For more information on the development and use of the EMR, 

see Sheila M. Proudfoot and Donna Lee Hambric, “Experiences with 

Developing and Using Metadata-Driven Processing Systems for the 

Economic Census,” presented at the Third International Conference on 

Establishment Surveys, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 18–21, 2007.

the EMR automatically applied to all the questionnaires 

on which it appeared.

Analysts created and maintained the questionnaire 

content and assigned questions in the QUI; they 

designed and assembled questions and questionnaires using the GIDS. Analysts reviewed drafts and, 

following review, finalized questionnaires in preparation for publication by a printing contractor or at 

the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center on 

DocuPrint® printers.16 (For more information on the 

design and printing of questionnaires, see Chapter 3, 

“Questionnaire Development and Design.”)

PRINTING AND ASSEMBLING THE

MAILOUT PACKAGES

General Information

Questionnaires and other package materials for multiestablishment companies, as well as those for singleestablishment manufacturing and mining firms, were 

printed using the DocuPrint® (programmable graphics 

printers) at the Census Bureau’s National Processing 

Center (NPC) in Jeffersonville, IN. The agency awarded 

16 For more information, see Steven A. Schafer, Ph.D., “Digitizing 

the U.S. Census Bureau,” <http://www.idealliance.org/papers/xmle02

/dx_xmle02/papers/04-04-03/04-04-03.html> (March 26, 2008).

Table 5-1. 

Number of Questionnaire Types Used in the 2007 Economic Census by NAICS Sector

NAICS sector NAICS code Number of types

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 9

Accommodation and Food Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 5

Administrative and Support and Waste Management 

 and Remediation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 13

Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 7

Educational Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 2

Finance and Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 17

Health Care and Social Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 15

Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 19

U.S. Virgin Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 1

The Northern Mariana Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 1

Guam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 1

American Samoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 1

Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 22

Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31–33 294

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 19

Management of Company and Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 2

Supplemental Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 29

Other Services (Except Public Administration) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 13

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 21

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 9

Retail Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44–45 35

Transportation and Warehousing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48–49 8

Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 2

Wholesale Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 42

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Census Forms,” <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/CEN_2007FORMS.html> (July 5, 2007).
44 Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

contracts to print single-establishment mailout packages for the services and construction sectors and for 

Puerto Rico and the Island Areas.17

A single-establishment mailing package contained a 

cover letter, questionnaire(s), instructions, and a return 

envelope. A multiestablishment package contained 

the same, plus an inventory list of questionnaires and 

establishments, electronic reporting information, and a 

return envelope or postage-paid label. If applicable, the 

agency also included electronic media (i.e., a CD-ROM) 

to assist establishments with reporting.18

Cover letters. The Census Bureau prepared cover letters for single-, unclassified-, and multi-establishments 

informing recipients that federal law required them 

to complete and return the accompanying census 

questionnaire(s). The letter assured recipients that census data are confidential and also provided a Web site 

address for electronic response. 

Questionnaires. The Census Bureau prepared questionnaires using the EMR, QUI, and GIDS. Census 

Bureau headquarters and NPC staff prepared the 

associated letters, instruction sheets, and other materials for the mailing packages to multiestablishment 

and single-establishment manufacturing and mining 

firms (see Table 5-1). As noted previously, commercial 

printers printed and assembled single-establishment 

mailout packages for the services and construction 

sectors and for Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. The 

NPC’s DocuPrint® printers printed and assembled the 

single-establishment manufacturing and mining mailing 

packages.19

Instructions. The Census Bureau included most 

instructions on the questionnaires and also supplemented these with separate instruction sheets added 

to each mailout package. These additional “Info Sheets” 

included instructions for completing sector-, industry-, 

and questionnaire-specific inquiries and included definitions of terms used on the questionnaires.20

17 The Census Bureau operated under a continuing resolution during fiscal year 2007. Budget uncertainties required that the Census 

Bureau split the printing contract for service sector establishments 

between two contractors to meet the September 2007 deadline for 

delivery of mailout packages to the NPC. Edward D. Walker, “General 

Lessons Learned from the 2002 Economic Census,” 2007 Economic 

Census Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, October 2–3, 2007. 18 B.J. Fitzpatrick, “Collection Highlights and Strategies to Increase 

Response,” 2007 Economic Census Offsite Conference, University of 

Maryland, October 2–3, 2007. See also, B.J. Fitzpatrick, “Assembly and 

Mailout of the 2007 Economic Census Multiunit Mailing Packages,” 

September 4, 2007. 19 Ibid. See also, B.J. Fitzpatrick, “Assembly and Mailout of the 2007 

Economic Census Multiunit Mailing Packages.” 20 For more information on the “Info Sheets,” see the U.S. Census 

Bureau’s 2007 Economic Census Help Site, “2007 Economic Census 

Forms,” <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/ec07/CEN_2007FORMS.html> 

(March 11, 2008).

Inventory sheets. A census package for a multiestablishment company included an inventory list of 

all its establishments, including those not in scope of 

the census. This gave the respondent the opportunity 

to confirm that all the firm’s establishments either were 

covered by the census—or were known by the Census 

Bureau to be out-of-scope—and enabled the respondent 

to coordinate and control responses from subsidiaries. In addition, the Census Bureau’s cover letter to a 

multiestablishment requested that the firm call the 

NPC’s toll-free telephone number to ask for additional 

questionnaires or visit the Census Bureau’s Business 

Help Site (http://www.census.gov/econhelp) if one or 

more of its business establishments was in scope but 

had been left off the Census Bureau’s inventory.21

Envelopes. The Census Bureau’s Administrative and 

Customer Services Division designed mailout and 

return envelopes, and the U.S. Postal Service approved 

draft envelope designs. Upon approval, the NPC and 

commercial printers printed the envelopes and incorporated them into mailing packages.22

Address labels. Census Bureau analysts using the 

address list maintained by the Business Register 

reviewed and transmitted electronic address files to the 

NPC. The NPC used the DocuPrint® equipment to print 

the addresses onto the face of the questionnaires prior 

to the assembly of the mailing packages.23 The NPC 

also printed labels for the mailout packages printed by 

contractors.24

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance inspectors checked materials at all 

stages of the printing process and the mailing-package 

assembly process. The NPC’s staff performed quality assurance inspections of all materials printed by 

contractors and by the NPC’s own equipment. Inspectors reviewed random samples of questionnaires, cover 

letters, and other printed materials from different print 

runs; samples of assembled mailing packages; and 

samples of address labels. Quality assurance inspectors looked over commercially printed materials at the 

contractors’ facilities and upon receipt at the NPC.

21 Ibid. 22 Douglas Miller, “Activity Report for SSPB—September 2006,” 

October 2, 2006, p. 3. 23 Due to concerns regarding the inclusion of the complete 

employer identification number (EIN) on the mailing label of the singleestablishment mail packages, the Census Bureau made changes during 

the labeling operation to alter the label contents to display only the last 

four digits of the EIN. 24 For more detailed information on the address labels, see 

Memorandum from B.J. Fitzpatrick to David E. Hackbarth, “Assembly 

and Mailout of the 2007 Economic Census Multiunit Mailing Packages,” 

September 4, 2007, and “2007 Economic Census Single-Unit Mailout 

DocuPrint® Applications: Attachment F,” June 8, 2007.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 5: Preparations for Data Collection 45

U.S. Census Bureau

During printing, inspectors monitored the quality of 

printing for such errors as ink “bleeding,” failure to 

completely color appropriate areas, loss of information, 

white spots, extraneous marks, and misalignment. 

During assembly of questionnaires and mailing packages, they verified barcode accuracy; checked questionnaire pagination; inspected envelope construction 

and printing quality; and ensured that mailing packages contained all appropriate and correctly paginated 

inserts. 

If inspections revealed defects in a selected sample, 

inspectors expanded their review by inspecting the 

materials immediately before and after the initial 

sample. If they found additional defects, they notified 

their quality assurance supervisor.25 Depending upon 

the extent and severity of the defects, quality assurance supervisors rejected the materials and either: 

(1) reprinted the materials (or returned them to the 

contractor for reprinting); (2) set acceptable items aside 

for later use if supplies ran low; or (3) used them for 

follow-up correspondence operations.

CONTACT WITH COMPANIES BEFORE THE

CENSUS

Advance Information and Contacts

On April 10, 2007, the Census Bureau began mailing advance information packages to approximately 

13,000 companies with 500 or more employees as 

well as to the approximately 1,300 companies and 

their subsidiaries identified for the account managers 

program.26 Each information package contained a cover 

letter introducing the census and a brochure providing 

25 For more detailed information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 

Economic Census Quality Assurance Monitoring of Printing/Finishing 

and Package Assembly at the Contractors,” December 19, 2007. 26 The criteria for company selection for the account manager 

program were (1) the company’s importance to a specific industry or 

industries, and (2) the likelihood the establishment would have difficulty with census reporting or would not respond (based on previous 

experience). Subject matter branches within the Census Bureau’s Economic Programs Directorate nominated establishments for the account 

manager program. 

general information about the census and the kinds of 

data collected, key dates, data uses, and Census Bureau 

contact information.

The most important part of the advance mailing—the 

contact exchange card—provided the 1,300 largest 

companies with the name and contact information of 

the Census Bureau account manager assigned to assist 

each company with the reporting process. The contact exchange card also asked the business to confirm 

or update the company’s mailing address. Key to the 

account manager program, the postcard requested that 

the participant provide the name of the person responsible for completing the census questionnaires.27

Contact operations. The account managers made 

initial contact (by telephone or e-mail) to assigned companies between April and July 2007, following receipt 

of the returned contact exchange cards. Account managers also followed up with nonrespondents during 

this time.

Following the October 2007 census mailout, account 

managers contacted their assigned companies to 

confirm receipt of the census questionnaire packages 

and establish a schedule for reporting. Account managers placed additional calls (if necessary) between 

March and October 2008 to grant deadline extensions 

and to monitor the reporting progress of an establishment until the NPC received all of the establishment’s 

assigned census forms.28

(For more information about the advance information 

mailing and account manager program, see Chapter 4, 

“Promoting the Census and Product Awareness.”)

27 The Census Bureau used information supplied on the contact 

exchange cards to update its own records used to prepare the mailing 

packages. For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” 

No. 1, April 23, 2007, and U.S. Census Bureau “AM Bulletin,” No. 2, May 

24, 2007. 28 U.S. Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” No. 1, April 23, 2007, and U.S. 

Census Bureau, “AM Bulletin,” No. 2, May 24, 2007. 

47 Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 6:

Data Collection and Processing

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

CLASSIFICATION MAILOUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Background Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Classification Mailout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

PROCESSING DATA FROM ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS DATA COLLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Follow-Up Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Mail follow-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Telephone follow-up operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

PROCESSING AND TABULATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Receipt and Check-In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Data Capture and Entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Data Processing and Treatment of Nonresponse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Data edits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Nonresponse imputation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Tabulation and analytical processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Macro-analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Data Tabulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

INTRODUCTION

Every 5 years, in years ending in “2” and “7,” the U.S. 

Census Bureau conducts the economic census by using 

mailed questionnaires and administrative records. 

Establishments receiving a questionnaire are required 

either to return the completed paper questionnaire to 

the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center (NPC) in 

Jeffersonville, IN, or submit data electronically via the 

agency’s secure Web site.

Once the Census Bureau receives data from establishments, staff at the NPC check in the records and 

analyze the returns for errors or partial responses. The 

data are then subject to a number of edits and reviews 

to assure accuracy and completeness and to protect 

the confidentiality of each establishment’s data prior to 

tabulation and publication.

CLASSIFICATION MAILOUT

Background Information

Prior to conducting the 2007 Economic Census, the 

Census Bureau identified businesses eligible to participate in the census and assigned each a North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.1 The 

Census Bureau assigned these codes according to information already in its database of business addresses 

(called the Business Register [BR]) and to responses to 

a “refile survey” conducted in 2006 and a classification 

questionnaire mailed to businesses with insufficient or 

missing classification data in 2007.2

Classification Mailout

The Census Bureau mailed a classification form to 

every establishment for which it lacked the information 

needed to assign a NAICS code. One of several versions 

of Form NC-99023 was sent, depending on the type 

of establishment. The form consisted of an eight-page 

questionnaire that asked the respondent to identify 

the establishment’s physical location, principal business or activity during the previous 12 months, class 

of customer (e.g., households, wholesale, business-tobusiness), and basic information about the percentage 

1 For more information on the development and implementation of 

the NAICS, see Chapter 2, “Industrial and Product Classification.” 2 The majority of the companies that received classification forms 

were small single-establishment firms that would not receive a census 

form if their classification information had been complete.
48 Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

of revenue and/or shipments among categories for the 

type of goods and services sold. 

In some cases, the BR included enough information to 

classify the business by sector or subsector, but not 

by specific industry. The Census Bureau then included 

in the mailout a separate classification form tailored to 

a specific industry to verify classification information. 

There were 31 preprinted classification forms used for 

establishments in retail and wholesale trade and the 

various service sectors. For establishments in mining, manufacturing, and construction, Form NC-99026 

asked the respondent to supply the establishment’s 

principal business or activity during the previous year 

(“Construction, Manufacturing, or Other—Specify Activity”) and to check one or several relevant checkbox 

entries on the preprinted form. All classification forms 

asked for physical location and operation status as 

well.3

In October 2007, the Census Bureau mailed these 

classification questionnaires to the selected establishments. The Census Bureau continued to add new 

businesses (“births”) to the mail list it had compiled for 

the initial mailout. These new businesses were identified from Internal Revenue Service and Social Security 

Administration administrative records throughout 

2007. By the time of the general census mailout in 

December, the Census Bureau had compiled thousands 

of additional single-establishment addresses that could 

not be accurately classified and to which it sent classification questionnaires. Generally, these were small 

establishments that would have been enumerated 

through administrative records if their classification 

information had been complete.4

Processing

Establishments returned their classification questionnaires to the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center (NPC) in Jeffersonville, IN. For 2007, classification 

forms were processed by the same standardized operation used for the census questionnaires. (See the “Processing and Tabulation” section in this chapter.) During 

processing, an automated screening edit assigned each 

responding business an industrial classification on the 

BR and referred incomplete or inconsistent questionnaires for further analysis. This automation meant 

the number of forms physically handled was greatly 

reduced. Furthermore, integrating the classification 

3 These forms were used primarily for establishments in the various 

services sector, retail trades, and in the trucking industry within the 

Warehousing and Transportation sector. 4 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Classification 

Report Form NC-99026 Mailout/Followup Procedures and Docuprint 

Specifications,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-9966.

form processing and questionnaire processing substantially reduced costs when compared to the manual 

screening used previously.5

PROCESSING DATA FROM

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

Many businesses do not directly participate in the economic census. These businesses indirectly participate, 

however, through the Census Bureau’s collection of data 

from administrative records supplied by other government agencies. The use of administrative records 

both reduces the burden on businesses and eases the 

Census Bureau’s data processing workload.

The Census Bureau obtained millions of electronic 

records for nonemployers (i.e., establishments with no 

employees for whom payroll taxes are filed) and very 

small employer companies6 from the Internal Revenue 

Service, Social Security Administration new business (“birth”) records, and Bureau of Labor Statistics 

records during 2007 Economic Census operations.7

(See Chapter 5, “Preparations for Data Collection” for 

more information on the Census Bureau’s acquisition of 

administrative records.) Data from these records were 

used in place of data that would otherwise have been 

collected by mailed questionnaires. 

2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS DATA

COLLECTION

The Census Bureau mailed 2007 Economic Census 

questionnaires to approximately 4.6 million establishments in October and December of 2007 (see Table 

6-1). Large businesses received their questionnaires 

in October, which provided additional time for them 

to organize data. Establishments without adequate 

classification information also were mailed questionnaires in October. The Census Bureau requested that 

establishments complete and return questionnaires 

by February 12, 2008. In March 2008, the agency’s 

National Processing Center (NPC) mailed an additional 

198,909 questionnaires to single-establishment companies that began operations during the third quarter of 

2007 (third-quarter births), which was too late for the 

initial mailing.

5 U.S. Census Bureau, “Coding of Classification Report Forms (NC99023, NC-99026, and Trade Area Class Forms),” December 13, 2007. 6 A “very small” employer firm was defined slightly differently 

depending on the NAICS industry involved. Generally, very small firms 

were single-establishment companies that had less than the specified 

minimum annual payroll levels. The payroll cutoff varied by industry, 

typically corresponding to 1 to 3 paid employees in retail firms to as 

many as 20 in manufacturing firms. 7 Paul Hanczaryk, “Sources and Uses of Administrative Records Data 

in the Economic Area,” slide 20. (n.d.).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing 49

U.S. Census Bureau

As noted previously, establishments had the option of 

responding via the paper questionnaire or electronically via the Census Bureau’s secure Web site. The 

Census Bureau preferred electronic responses, and to 

encourage this, it included a username and password 

in the questionnaire packages that respondents could 

use on the Census Bureau’s Web site to download the 

electronic reporting software. 

Respondents who needed further assistance were 

directed to visit the Census Bureau’s Internet help page, 

call a toll-free number, send questions to a secure messaging center, and/or write to a postal address. 

Follow-Up Operations

Mail follow-up. The Census Bureau conducted four 

mail follow-up operations in an attempt to solicit a 

response from each establishment that received a 

questionnaire. To manage the follow-up mailings, 

the agency established “close-out” dates—that is, the 

latest date by which a company could respond and 

its address be checked in to avoid further follow-up 

attempts (see Tables 6-2 and 6-3). Following each 

close-out date, the Census Bureau generated a new list 

of nonrespondent companies for additional follow-up 

mailings. 

The agency sent a final follow-up mailing to nonrespondent companies in July and August 2008 that urged 

response to avoid prosecution.8

Telephone follow-up operations. The Census 

Bureau supplemented the mail follow-up operation 

with a telephone follow-up operation targeting nonrespondent companies. Telephone follow-up began 

when Census Bureau staff contacted companies to 

confirm receipt of the census packages (so, prior to the 

February 12, 2008, response deadline). It continued 

through September 2008. 

To identify companies requiring telephone follow-up 

calls after the response deadline, the NPC periodically 

generated and updated a list of delinquent companies 

(sorted by size of payroll). The Census Bureau contacted nonrespondent companies in descending payroll 

order (the largest companies first) and attempted to 

speak with the person the company had designated 

as its census contact. Interviewers updated follow-up 

worksheets with information on each contact (or failed 

attempt to contact) and noted any requests, including 

time extensions or information on reporting response. 

If a contact name was not supplied, the interviewer 

8 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Specifications 

for Single Unit Mail Followup Operations,” Reference No. 7-CENSUSCOLL-10913, February 25, 2008, and U.S. Census Bureau, “Multiunit 

Followup Procedure,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10979, 

February 25, 2008.

Table 6-1. 

Initial Mailout: 2007 Economic Census

Trade or geographic areas 

Multiestablishment questionnaires Single-establishment questionnaires1

Total Long 

Consolidated2 TotalClassification Long Short

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,666,497 1,658,920 7,577 2,959,027 951,019 1,966,416 41,592

Company Report (Form NC-99001). . . . . . . . . . . . 83,215 83,215 0 0 0 0 0

General Classification (Form NC-99023). . . . . . . . 0 0 0 56,674 56,674 0 0

Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,638 15,638 0 272,065 159,296 112,769 0

Mining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,030 5,627 403 9,635 242 8,188 1,205

Manufacturing and Annual Survey of 

Manufactures (ASM). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,269 62,269 0 138,741 6,542 91,812 40,387

Wholesale Trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120,965 120,965 0 277,997 0 277,997 0

Retail/Accommodation/Food Services. . . . . . . . . . . 584,518 584,518 0 618,492 187,571 430,921 0

Utilities/Transportation/Warehousing. . . . . . . . . . . . 52,606 51,793 813 119,096 27,024 92,072 0

Finance/Insurance/Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210,548 204,873 5,675 372,664 155,667 216,997 0

Service Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520,827 520,141 686 1,055,292 358,003 697,289 0

Puerto Rico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,544 8,544 0 32,968 0 32,968 0

Guam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579 579 0 2,258 0 2,258 0

Northern Mariana Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 247 0 741 0 741 0

U.S. Virgin Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437 437 0 2,097 0 2,097 0

American Samoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 74 0 307 0 307 0

1 Includes 198,909 questionnaires mailed in March 2008 to businesses “born” in the third-quarter.

2

 This type of questionnaire surveys all the domestic establishments for a company that operates in a specified industry. Consolidated reports apply to networked industries where the production of goods or services cannot be attributed to a single individual physical location.
50 Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

asked to speak with the person responsible for completing government reports.9

At the conclusion of telephone follow-up operations, 

the Census Bureau had attempted to contact 242,298 

nonrespondent companies.10

PROCESSING AND TABULATION

Receipt and Check-In

The National Processing Center (NPC) began checking 

classification forms, using laser sorters, in November 

2007. Imaging of 2007 questionnaires began in late 

December 2007. In late December, the clerical staff 

began checking in the multiestablishment flat envelopes and boxes during the “batch-for-imaging” process. Because NPC staff scanned the barcodes, the 

questionnaire check-in file was continually updated. 

This file was used to identify nonrespondent establishments eligible for mail and telephone follow-up.11

Following initial check-in of forms, clerks:

• Checked for correspondence in the return 

envelope (and forwarded it to the appropriate 

staff for response).

9 U.S. Census Bureau, “Specifications for Multiunit Mail and 

Telephone Followup Operations,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10954, 

February 25, 2008. 10 Data supplied by Kathryn L. Scott, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic 

Planning and Coordination Division, April 2009. 11 For more information, see Bernard J. Fitzpatrick, “2007 Economic 

Census: Laser Sorter, Bar Code Check-in, and Sorting Requirement 

Specifications,” November 15, 2007. 

• Reviewed the contents for completeness.

• Separated returns from single- and multiestablishment firms.

• Inspected pages for damage that could hamper 

digital scanning.

• Entered the package into the Transmittal Tracking 

System (TTS).12

• “Batched”13 the paper returns for digital scanning.14

12 The Census Bureau used its Transmittal Tracking System (TTS) 

to track the movement of questionnaires and associated documents 

through check-in and processing. A paper progress sheet accompanied 

the documents as they advanced through the processing stages, while 

the TTS maintained digital records of the progress of the work. U.S. 

Census Bureau, “Processing Mail Receipts, Open and Remove Content, 

Sort Receipts, and Disposition of Documents After Check-In,” Reference 

No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-9896, March 7, 2008. 13 “Batches” consisted of 400 to 450 sheets. For more information, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, “Batching Single Unit Questionnaires Procedure,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10139, October 26, 2007; U.S. 

Census Bureau, “Procedures for Check-In and Batching of Multi-Unit 

Questionnaires,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10821, December 28, 

2007; U.S. Census Bureau, “Printing the Batch Breaker Sheet and PostBatching Processing Procedure,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10653; 

U.S. Census Bureau, “Processing Mail Receipts, Open and Remove 

Content, Sort Receipts, and Disposition of Documents After Check-In,” 

Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-9896, March 7, 2008. 14 For more information, see Bernard J. Fitzpatrick, “2007 Economic 

Census: Processing Mail Receipts, Open and Remove Content, Sort 

Receipts, and Disposition of Documents After Check-in,” August 7, 

2007.

Table 6-2. 

Follow-Up Mailings to Single-Establishment Companies: 2007 Economic Census

Type of mailing Package type Closeout date

Number of 

packages mailed

First follow-up

Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Non-ASM, excluding classification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

3/4/08

5/6/08

5/6/08

10,506

1,021,653

331,142

Second follow-up

Single-unit, excluding classification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

6/25/08

6/24/08

739,999

187,151

Third follow-up

Classification (unexpired extension). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classification (expired extension). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classification (no contact)1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classification (NC-99026). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Single-unit, excluding classification2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Single-unit, excluding classification (unexpired extension). . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Letter

Letter

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

Letter

5/22/08

7/29/08

6/12/08

7/29/08

7/29/08

5/29/08

339

13,576

94,975

15,288

554,754

6,391

Fourth follow-up

Single-unit, excluding classification (no contact)1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Single-unit, excluding classification (expired extension). . . . . . . . . . . . .

Single-unit, excluding classification (unexpired extension). . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Letter

Letter

8/11/08

7/18/08

7/18/08

342,871

10,053

9,844

1

 These letters were from the chief counsel for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel. The letters targeted 

delinquent companies that had not previously contacted the Census Bureau and urged response to avoid prosecution.

2

 This mailing included 149,161 packages delivered via certified mail to companies in low-response industries.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing 51

U.S. Census Bureau

Data Capture and Entry

The NPC staff digitally scanned each paper questionnaire on Kodak 9500 scanners in preparation for “keyfrom-image” (KFI) and optical mark recognition (OMR) 

data capture.15 To capture check-box data, the Census 

Bureau used OMR software instead of manually entering the individual entries. However, many questions on 

the census required handwritten or printed responses. 

For these, clerks at the NPC manually entered (“keyed”) 

the data from the scanned questionnaire images.16

A staff of 76 keyers captured the data from the 

2007 Economic Census (compared to 126 keyers for 

the 2002 Economic Census).

15 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Procedures for 

Using the Kodak 9500 Capture Software with the ECON2007 Processing 

Extension,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10598, October 25, 2007. 16 The Census Bureau conducted quality-assurance checks of 

manually entered data by comparing randomly selected samples to 

fields that had been electronically data captured. When verification 

disagreed with the original keyed value, the answer was independently 

keyed again. When adjudication agreed with either of the two previous 

values, the accuracy of the agreed values was assumed. In cases where 

all three values differed, the observation from the keyer with the lowest error rate was accepted and excluded from the error calculations. If 

the number of keyer errors exceeded the limit specified for the sample, 

the unverified answers in the batch underwent remainder verification 

and, if necessary, remainder adjudication. U.S. Census Bureau, “Key 

From Image (KFI) Procedures,” Reference No. 7-CENSUS-COLL-10127, 

March 31, 2008. For more information on editing, imputation, and data 

analysis, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Data Processing and Treatment of 

Nonresponse,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www

/methodology/data_processing_and_treatment_of_nonresponse.html> 

(December 23, 2008).

Data Processing and Treatment of Nonresponse

Following data capture, and in preparation for release 

to the public, 2007 Economic Census data were processed in three primary ways:

• Data edits—to detect reporting errors and other 

problems.

• Nonresponse imputation—to estimate missing data.

• Tabulation and analytical processing—to tabulate 

and analyze summary data and prevent disclosure of 

respondents’ identities.

Data edits. Economic census data must be edited to 

identify and correct reporting errors and other problems. The data also must be adjusted to account for 

missing items and for nonrespondent businesses. Data 

edits detected and validated data by considering factors such as proper classification for a given record, 

historical reporting for the record, and industry/

geographic ratios and averages.

The first step of the data editing process is classification. To assign a valid “kind-of-business or industry” 

classification code to the establishment, the Census 

Bureau subjects responses to specified items in a series 

of data edit programs.

Table 6-3. 

Follow-up Mailings to Multiestablishment Companies: 2007 Economic Census

Status of company’s response Package type Closeout date

Number of 

packages mailed

First follow-up

Totally delinquent, no or expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Letter 2/28/08 74,149

Second follow-up

Totally delinquent, no or expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Totally or partially delinquent, unexpired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partially delinquent, no or expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Letter

Letter/Listing

4/8/08

4/8/08

4/9/08

51,247

7,030

4,759

Third follow-up

Totally delinquent, unexpired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Totally delinquent, L and M, no or expired extension1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Totally delinquent, N and S, no or expired extension1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partially delinquent, expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partially delinquent, unexpired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Letter

Questionnaire

Letter/Listing

Letter/Listing

5/21/08

5/21/08

6/13/08

5/21/08

5/21/08

7,907

3,004

27,313

3,698

669

Fourth follow-up

Totally delinquent, unexpired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Totally delinquent, expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Totally delinquent, no contact2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partially delinquent, no or expired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partially delinquent, unexpired extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letter

Letter

Letter

Letter/Listing

Letter/Listing

8/5/08

8/5/08

9/10/08

7/17/08

7/17/08

2

9,362

20,651

4,054

33

1

 The designations “L,” “M,” “N,” and “S,” represent certain size characteristics of the company at the time of mailout.

2

 These letters were from the chief counsel for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel. The letters targeted 

delinquent companies that had not previously contacted the Census Bureau and urged response to avoid prosecution.
52 Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

The specific items used for classification depend on the 

census report forms and include:

• Self-designated “kind-of-business” check-box 

classifications

• Responses to product lines sold by a retail 

establishment

• Products manufactured by a plant

• Entries written in by the respondent explaining the 

establishment’s activities

If critical information is missing, the record is flagged 

and fixed manually before further processing occurs. 

If all critical information is available, the classification 

code is assigned automatically. After classification 

codes are assigned, a “verification” operation is performed to validate the industry, geography, and ZIP 

Codes.

After a valid “kind-of-business or industry” code has 

been assigned to an establishment, the data edits 

further evaluate the response data for consistency 

and validity—for example, assuring that employment 

data are consistent with payroll or sales/receipts data. 

Response data are always evaluated by industry and 

in some cases, type of operation or tax-exempt status 

is also taken into account. Additional checks compare 

current year data to data reported in previous censuses 

or from administrative sources.

Nonresponse imputation. The Census Bureau 

handles nonresponse by estimating, or imputing, missing data. Imputation is defined as the replacement of a 

missing or incorrectly reported item with another value 

derived from logical edits or statistical procedures.

There are two types of nonresponse:

• Unit nonresponse occurs when an eligible unit 

fails to provide sufficient data to be classified as a 

response.

• Item nonresponse occurs when some but not all data 

have been collected for the respondent.

Title 13 of the U.S. Code states that respondents are 

required to answer all questions to the best of their 

ability. Incomplete forms, unclear or erroneous data, or 

nonresponse can affect data analyses and the quality of 

the published data.

Problems that arise from missing data include:

• Analyses of data sets with missing data being more 

problematic than analyses of complete data sets.

• Lack of consistency among similar analyses due to 

differing treatments of missing data.

• Inappropriate imputation models, if the reason for 

nonresponse is dependent on the data item collected 

and not random.

Although economic census nonresponse accounts for 

less than 5 percent of published figures, it is a significant source of nonsampling error.

Tabulation and analytical processing. Individual 

establishment records are tabulated in different ways 

based on data product and analytical needs. Tabulations include data summed by industry, specified geographic areas, establishment size, products produced, 

materials used, fuels used, and product lines sold.

The tabulations undergo disclosure analysis prior to 

macro-analysis. A disclosure would occur if someone 

could infer data values (e.g., dollar value of sales) for a 

particular business from data supplied during the 2007 

Economic Census. To safeguard respondents’ data, the 

Census Bureau utilizes cell suppression and noise infusion to prevent disclosure.

• Cell suppression. Some of the data in economic 

census data sets are withheld to protect the confidentiality of information reported by individual businesses. A “D” in a data cell indicates that data have 

been withheld.

Cell suppression protects the confidentiality of individual businesses where the value of the cell, if it were 

known, would allow a data user to estimate a single 

contributor’s value too closely. This occurs when contributors are very few or when one or two large contributors dominate the aggregate statistic.

The cells that must be protected are called “primary 

suppressions.” To make sure the primary suppressions cannot be closely estimated by subtracting the 

other cells in the data set from the higher-level totals, 

additional cells may also be suppressed. These additional suppressed cells are called “complementary 

suppressions.”

The process of suppression does not usually change 

the higher-level totals. Values for cells that are not 

suppressed remain unchanged. Before the Census 

Bureau releases data, computer programs check published data sets for both primary and complementary 

disclosures.

Establishment counts are not considered to be disclosures, so this information is published in all tables.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 6: Data Collection and Processing 53

U.S. Census Bureau

Ranges are sometimes used in place of the “D” symbol 

to suppress sensitive data while still providing meaningful information.

• Noise infusion. Noise infusion, an alternative to cell 

suppression, allows the Census Bureau to publish 

more data. By marginally adjusting (perturbing) each 

respondent’s data, data for individual businesses can 

be camouflaged. Most of the resulting aggregated 

statistics are distorted by a relatively small amount. 

Some cells may be suppressed for additional protection from disclosure or because the quality of the 

data does not meet publication standards. Though 

some of these suppressed cells may be derived by 

subtraction, the results are not official and may differ substantially from the true estimate.17

17 For more technical information on noise infusion, see Timothy 

Evans, Laura Zayatz, and John Slanta, “Using Noise for Disclosure 

Limitation of Establishment Tabular Data” Journal of Official Statistics, 

Vol. 14, No. 4, 1998, pp. 537–551.

Macro-analysis. Prior to publishing tabulations from 

the 2007 Economic Census, the Census Bureau subjected data to macro-analysis. At that time, units of 

measure were converted from collected units to disseminated units, data flags and symbols were set, and 

data fields were renamed for dissemination.18

Data Tabulation

For more information on the publication of 2007 

Economic Census data, see Chapter 10, “Data 

Dissemination.” 

18 For more information on editing, imputation, and data analysis, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Data Processing and Treatment of 

Nonresponse,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www

/methodology/data_processing_and_treatment_of_nonresponse.html> 

(May 19, 2010). 

55 Chapter 7: 2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 7:

2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

CONDUCTING THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS OF THE ISLAND AREAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Preparatory Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Printing questionnaires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

DATA COLLECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Mail Enumeration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Follow-Up Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Mail follow-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Telephone follow-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Personal enumeration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Treatment of nonresponse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

DATA PROCESSING, TABULATION, AND PUBLICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

INTRODUCTION

The 2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas covered Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 

American Samoa. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Company 

Statistics Division (CSD) managed the economic census 

for the Island Areas under the provisions of Title 13, 

U.S. Code. (For more information about Title 13, see 

Appendix A, “Provisions of Title 13, U.S. Code, Relating 

to the 2007 Economic Census”). Coverage and collection activities were equivalent to those used for stateside operations, as were establishment classification 

and the geographic levels used for data publication. 

The Census Bureau classified establishments in the 

Island Areas also using the North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS). The agency mailed 

establishments in the Island Areas standardized questionnaires similar to those mailed to stateside establishments. Respondents could return completed questionnaires by mail or report their data electronically.1

1 Single-unit establishments in Puerto Rico received a Spanishlanguage version of the standardized, sector-specific paper questionnaire. Multiestablishment companies received the English-language 

version. The electronic questionnaire was in English for all establishments. For more information, see prepared statement of Thomas L. 

Mesenbourg, Acting Deputy Director, U.S. Census Bureau, before the 

Information Policy, Census, and National Archives Subcommittee, 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Committee 

on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, “Treatment of the 

U.S. Territories by the U.S. Census Bureau,” May 21, 2008, pp. 1–2.

The Census Bureau included Island Areas establishments if (1) they were located in Puerto Rico, Guam, 

the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or 

American Samoa; (2) they engaged in any of the NAICS 

activities covered by the census; and (3) they had an 

active operating establishment with payroll. (However, 

the economic census in 2007 for American Samoa 

included establishments without employees because of 

the unique structure of American Samoa’s economy and 

the lack of economic statistics for that area.)2

CONDUCTING THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

OF THE ISLAND AREAS

General Information

The Census Bureau contacted the governments of 

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa in 2006 to 

advise them of its plans to conduct the 2007 Economic 

Census. The agency also solicited the governments’ 

support for census operations and sought input on 

questionnaire design. The Census Bureau and each 

of the respective governments (or the government 

designee) signed memoranda of agreement (MOA) 

that defined the roles of the Census Bureau and each 

government in conducting the census. 

2 For more information, see Chapter 10, “Data Dissemination.”
56 Chapter 7: 2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

These MOA assigned the Census Bureau the tasks of 

designing the questionnaires and, in the case of Puerto 

Rico, translating them into Spanish; planning and conducting mailout and follow-up operations; processing 

and tabulating data; and preparing data for publication. 

The MOA assigned the governments of the Island Areas 

with making recommendations on questionnaire content and overseeing census publicity via print, radio, 

and television advertisements.3

Preparatory Work

Printing questionnaires. As with stateside questionnaires, the forms used to collect data in Puerto Rico 

were industry-specific according to the North American 

Industry Classification System. In Puerto Rico, paper 

questionnaires were available in English as well as 

Spanish. For each remaining Island Area, the Census 

Bureau used a single form (with form numbers specific 

to each Island Area) that covered all economic activity 

within the scope of the census (see Table 7-1).4

Questionnaires and other package materials for multiestablishment companies, as well as those for singleestablishment manufacturing and mining firms, were 

printed using DocuPrint® (programmable graphics printers) at the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center 

(NPC) in Jeffersonville, IN. The agency awarded contracts to print single-establishment mailout packages 

for the services and construction sectors and for Puerto 

Rico and other Island Areas.5

DATA COLLECTION

Mail Enumeration

For Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, 

and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 2007 Economic Census 

was a mailout operation conducted in concert with the 

mailout for the 50 states and District of Columbia.6

3 The Census Bureau worked with the Puerto Rico Planning Board 

to conduct the economic census in that area. Memoranda from 

Ewen Wilson to Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Monthly Activity Report for 

September,” October 5, 2005, p. 2 and “Monthly Activity Report for 

March,” April 5, 2006, p. 2.

4 Mesenbourg, “Treatment of the U.S. Territories,” p. 1.

5 The Census Bureau operated under a continuing resolution during 

fiscal year 2007. Budget uncertainties required that the Census Bureau 

split the printing contract for service-sector establishments between 

two contractors to meet the September 2007 deadline for delivery 

of mailout packages to the NPC. Edward D. Walker, “General Lessons 

Learned from the 2002 Economic Census,” 2007 Economic Census 

Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, October 2–3, 2007.

6 Personal enumeration was also conducted on a limited basis in 

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, but only for establishments that 

requested a personal visit or those nonrespondent establishments that 

could not be reached by telephone during telephone follow-up operations. 

When personal enumerations were necessary, the Census Bureau trained 

the staff from the Department of Commerce in the Northern Mariana 

Islands and the Department of Labor in Guam to conduct the enumeration. The Census Bureau provided a list of the establishments for which a 

As was the case with stateside establishments, the 

Census Bureau used its database of businesses—called 

the Business Register (BR)—to identify establishments 

eligible to participate in the census. (For more information on the BR, see Chapter 5, “Preparations for Data 

Collection.”) Prior to the 2007 mailout, the Census 

Bureau updated the BR using administrative records 

data from the Social Security Administration, Internal 

Revenue Service, and Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well 

as data collected from other Census Bureau surveys 

(such as the 2006 Company Organization Survey) on a 

flow basis through late summer 2007.7

Each mailout package consisted of the appropriate 

questionnaire(s), a cover letter explaining the need 

for the census and the respondent’s legal requirement 

to participate, an instruction sheet for completing the 

questionnaire(s), and a return envelope. 

The Census Bureau mailed the census packages for 

both single- and multiestablishment companies in the 

Island Areas between December 17 and December 

report form had not been received. Interviewers were instructed to contact 

establishments by telephone to obtain the required information. 

7 For more information on the background and use of the Census 

Bureau’s BR, see Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Edward Walker, and Paul Hanczaryk, “The Census Bureau’s Business Register: Basic Features and Future 

Direction,” United Nation’s Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the 

Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) Joint Seminar on 

Business Registers, Luxembourg, June 23–24, 2003, pp. 2–3. 

Table 7-1.

Forms Used: 2007 Economic Census of the

Island Areas1

Form 

number Form description

IA-97120 Puerto Rico—Utilities, Transportation, and Warehousing

IA-97123 Puerto Rico—Construction

IA-97130 Puerto Rico—Manufacturing

IA-97142 Puerto Rico—Wholesale Trade

IA-97144 Puerto Rico—Retail Trade

IA-97152 Puerto Rico—Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental 

and Leasing

IA-97172 Puerto Rico—Accommodation Services

IA-97180 Puerto Rico—Services

IA-97220 Puerto Rico—Utilidades, Transportación y Almacenaje

IA-97223 Puerto Rico—Industrias de Construcción

IA-97230 Puerto Rico—Manufactura

IA-97242 Puerto Rico—Comercio al Por Mayor

IA-97244 Puerto Rico—Comercio al Detal

IA-97252 Puerto Rico—Finanzas, Seguros, Bienes Raíces, 

Alquiler y Arrendamiento

IA-97272 Puerto Rico—Servicios de Alojamiento

IA-97280 Puerto Rico—Servicios

IA-97290 Puerto Rico—Cuestionario General

IA-98163 Guam

IA-98173 U.S. Virgin Islands

IA-98183 Northern Mariana Islands

IA-98193 American Samoa

1

 U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Economic Census Forms,” <http://bhs.econ

.census.gov/ec07/CEN_2007FORMS.html> (February 10, 2009).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 7: Economic Census of the Island Areas 57

U.S. Census Bureau

21, 2007. For single establishments, the National 

Processing Center (NPC) boxed and shipped questionnaire packages (by express mail) to each Island Area for 

direct distribution to respondents using the local mail 

infrastructure. Instructions enclosed in the packages 

directed establishments to return completed questionnaires to the NPC by February 12, 2008.8

Follow-Up Operations

The Census Bureau attempted to obtain responses 

from all establishments. To that end, it contacted all 

nonrespondent establishments following the February 

2008 deadline. Nonrespondents continued to receive 

follow-up mailings and telephone inquiries until the 

NPC recorded receipt of a completed questionnaire.9

(See Chapter 6, “Data Collection and Processing.”)

Mail follow-up. The NPC conducted four follow-up 

mailings to all nonrespondent establishments in the 

Island Areas between March and August 2008 (see 

Table 7-3). Mail follow-up packages to single- and 

multiestablishments included a cover letter requesting 

response, a duplicate questionnaire, instructions, and 

8 Lee Wentela, “Economic Census of Island Areas,” 2007 Economic 

Census Offsite Conference, University of Maryland, October 2–3, 2007.

9 Although the Census Bureau attempted to achieve a 100 percent 

response rate, a number of establishments remained nonrespondent. 

In such cases, the Census Bureau focused its resources on those 

establishments for which a lack of response would have the greatest 

impact on an area’s data. Thomas L. Mesenbourg, “Economic Census 

Overview,” 2007 Economic Census Offsite Conference, University of 

Maryland, October 2–3, 2007.

a return envelope.10 The fourth follow-up mailing to 

single-establishments contained a letter only. Establishments received one of three letters depending upon 

their response status:

1. Establishments in Puerto Rico from which the Census 

Bureau had no response or contact.11

2. Establishments in the Island Areas that had 

requested deadline extensions, and the extensions 

had expired.

3. Establishments in the Island Areas with unexpired 

extensions.

Telephone follow-up. In addition to mail followup, the Census Bureau conducted telephone followup operations between April and October 2008 for 

nonrespondent multiestablishment companies in the 

Island Areas.

For Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the NPC call 

center staff in Indiana conducted telephone follow-up 

operations for nonrespondent establishments. The governments of Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern 

Mariana Islands conducted telephone follow-up of their 

territories’ nonrespondents.

10 Wentela, “Economic Census of Island Areas,” pp. 1–5.

11 The chief counsel for Economic Affairs at the Office of the 

General Counsel sent these letters (5,911) only to Puerto Rico establishments. They urged delinquent establishments with no previous contact 

with the Census Bureau to respond so as to avoid prosecution.

Table 7-2. 

Number	of	Initial	Mailout	Forms	Sent:	2007	Economic	Census	of	the	Island	Areas1

Geographic area Multiestablishment

companies

Single-establishment 

companies Total

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,881 38,371 48,252

Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,544 32,968 41,512

Guam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579 2,258 2,837

U.S. Virgin Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437 2,097 2,534

Northern Mariana Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 741 988

American Samoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 307 381

1

 Data supplied by Kathryn L. Scott, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Planning and Coordination Division, April 2009.

Table 7-3. 

Number of Follow-Up Mailings Sent to Single-Establishments: 2007 Economic Census of

the Island Areas1

Area First follow-up Second follow-up Third follow-up Fourth follow-up

Puerto Rico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,338 18,490 12,947 6,352

Guam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,223 995 618 14

U.S. Virgin Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,248 914 687 12

Northern Mariana Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344 257 180 1

American Samoa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 185 149 2

1 Data supplied by Kathryn L. Scott, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Planning and Coordination Division, April 2009.
58 Chapter 7: 2007 Economic Census of the Island Areas History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Personal enumeration. In Guam and the Northern 

Mariana Islands, enumeration through an onsite visit 

was conducted on a very limited basis. These personal 

visits were conducted only for establishments requesting such a visit or for nonrespondent establishments 

unavailable through telephone follow-up. In such cases, 

local staff conducted visits using lists of establishments 

supplied by the Census Bureau. Enumerators visited 

the few nonrespondent establishments that remained 

after mail and telephone follow-up in an effort to obtain 

required information. All Island Areas staff working with 

census data were sworn to uphold its confidentiality. 

In American Samoa, a combination of mail and personal enumeration was used to conduct the economic 

census. Data were collected for establishments with 

and without employees that were in operation during 

2007. A single report form was used. American Samoa 

was divided into four zones for enumeration—Manu’a 

Islands and the Eastern, Central, and Western districts 

of Tutuila. Nonemployer establishments were identified from the American Samoa Government Business 

License List. Each interviewer was provided with an 

assignment list that included the establishments 

assigned for interview and a labeled report form for 

each establishment listed. Every report underwent 

a consistency review to ensure the accuracy of the 

reported data.12

Treatment of nonresponse. In cases of total nonresponse (report forms not returned) and missing items—

despite mail, telephone, and in some cases, personal 

follow-up operations—the Census Bureau still needed 

to assign a North American Industry Classification 

12 U.S. Census Bureau, “Economic Census of the Island Areas: 

2007 Methodology,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/islandareas

/methodology.html> (May 19, 2010).

System (NAICS) classification and estimate general and 

industry-specific characteristics to an establishment. To 

do this, the agency used administrative records from 

other federal agencies, in conjunction with industry 

averages, prior period data, and outside reference 

sources.

Incomplete or inadequate product-line data for Puerto 

Rico were imputed on the premise that a nonrespondent’s data were similar to product-line data for other 

establishments in the same kind of business. At the 

conclusion of follow-up operations in Puerto Rico, 

31,750 single- and multiestablishment companies 

responded to the 2007 Economic Census (approximately 76 percent). Approximately 82 percent of these 

establishments returned their responses via paper 

questionnaires and 18 percent submitted responses 

electronically.13

The Census Bureau received 5,544 responses from 

the other Island Areas (approximately 82 percent). Of 

these, approximately 91 percent were paper returns 

and 9 percent were electronic.14

DATA PROCESSING, TABULATION,

AND PUBLICATION

Data processing and tabulation operations for the Island 

Areas were the same as those for the United States. See 

Chapter 6, “Data Collection and Processing.”

For more information on the publication of 2007 

Economic Census data, see Chapter 10, “Data 

Dissemination.”

13 Data supplied by Kathryn L. Scott, U.S. Census Bureau, Economic 

Planning and Coordination Division, April 2009.

14 Ibid.
59 Chapter 8: The 2007 Survey of Business Owners History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 8:

The 2007 Survey of Business Owners

2007 SURVEY OF BUSINESS OWNERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Scope and Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Changes from the 2002 Survey of Business Owners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

How the Data Are Used. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

DATA COLLECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Sampling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Questionnaire mailout and follow-up.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

DATA PROCESSING AND TABULATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Receipt and Check-In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Data Entry, Editing, and Tabulation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Use of Administrative and Economic Census Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

PUBLICATION PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

2007 SURVEY OF BUSINESS OWNERS

Introduction

The Survey of Business Owners (SBO) provides the only 

comprehensive, regularly collected source of information on selected economic and demographic characteristics of businesses and business owners by gender, 

ethnicity, and race. For 2007, the survey collected 

data from approximately 2.4 million businesses. These 

businesses were sampled from all nonfarm businesses 

filing 2007 Internal Revenue Service tax forms as 

individual proprietorships, partnerships, or any type of 

corporation with receipts of $1,000 or more. 

Scope and Content

The SBO, which is part of the economic census, has 

been conducted every 5 years since 1972, for years 

ending in “2” and “7.” The program began as a special 

project for minority-owned businesses in 1969 and 

was incorporated into the economic census in 1972, 

along with the survey of women-owned business. Data 

collection for the 2007 SBO began in June 2008 and 

continued through September 2009. Reported data are 

for calendar year 2007.

Title 13 of the U.S. Code authorizes this survey and 

provides for mandatory response. The survey collects data on the gender, ethnicity, and race for up to 

four persons owning the majority of rights, equity, 

or interest in the business. Additional demographic 

and economic characteristics of the business owners include age, education level, veteran status, and 

primary function in the business. Characteristics of 

businesses include family- and home-based businesses; types of customers and workers; and sources 

of financing for expansion, capital improvements, or 

start-up.

As noted, the SBO universe included data on all nonfarm businesses filing 2007 Internal Revenue Service 

tax forms as individual proprietorships, partnerships, 

or any type of corporation with receipts of $1,000 or 

more, except those classified in the following North 

American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 

industries:1

• Crop Production and Animal Production 

(NAICS 111 and 112)

• Scheduled Air Transportation (Part of NAICS 4811)

• Rail Transportation (NAICS 482)

• Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles 

(NAICS 525)

• Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and 

Similar Organizations (NAICS 813)

• Private Households (NAICS 814)

1 U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of Business Owners,” 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/mu0200.html> 

(July 30, 2009).
60 Chapter 8: The 2007 Survey of Business Owners History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Changes From the 2002 Survey of

Business Owners

Several changes implemented in the 2007 SBO relative 

to the 2002 SBO allowed for the availability of more 

data about business ownership. Among these changes 

were:2

• Reinstatement of totals for minority business owners 

(omitted in 2002).

• Collection of additional owner characteristics, such 

as whether the owner was born in the United States; 

the year the owner acquired the business; and how 

the business was acquired.

• Collection of additional business characteristics, such 

as language(s) used for business transactions with 

customers; percent of sales outside the United States; 

outsourcing to businesses outside the United States; 

use of the Internet and e-commerce; and provision 

of employee benefits (e.g., health care, retirement, 

defined contribution plans, and vacation/holiday 

pay).

• Expansion of data included in the Characteristics 

of Veteran-Owned Businesses and Characteristics of 

Veteran Business Owners reports.

How the Data Are Used

Government officials, industry organization leaders, 

economic and social analysts, and business entrepreneurs routinely use SBO data.3

• The Small Business Administration and the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development 

Agency use the data to assess business assistance 

needs and allocate available program resources.

• Local government commissions on small and 

disadvantaged businesses use SBO data to establish 

and evaluate practices for contract procurement.

• Federal, state, and local government agencies use 

the data as a framework for planning, directing, 

and assessing programs that promote the business 

activities of disadvantaged groups.

• A national trade association of women-owned 

businesses uses the data to assess women-owned 

businesses by industry and area and to educate 

other industry associations, corporations, and 

government entities.

2 For more information on the changes to the 2007 SBO, see 

Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 99, May 23, 2007, pp. 28950–51. 3 U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of Business Owners,” 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo/about.html> (June 25, 2009).

• Consultants and researchers use the data to analyze 

long-term economic and demographic shifts and to 

analyze differences in ownership and performance 

among geographic areas.

• Individual business owners use the data to analyze 

their operations in comparison to similar firms, compute their market share, and assess their growth and 

future prospects.

DATA COLLECTION

The Census Bureau compiled a list of all firms (referred to 

as the “universe”) eligible to participate in the SBO from 

a combination of business tax returns and data collected 

from the economic census. It also obtained electronic 

files from the Social Security Administration.

The Census Bureau collected employment, payroll, 

receipts, and kind of business for each plant, store, or 

physical location during the 2007 Economic Census 

from most firms with paid employees.4

Sampling

To design the 2007 SBO sample, the Census Bureau 

used the following sources of information to estimate the probability that a business was minority- or 

women-owned:

• Administrative data from the Social Security 

Administration.

• Lists of minority- and women-owned businesses 

published in syndicated magazines, located on the 

Internet, or disseminated by trade or special interest 

groups.

• Word strings in the company name indicating 

possible minority ownership. 

• Racial distributions for various state-industry classes 

and racial distributions for various ZIP Codes. 

• Gender, race, and ethnicity responses of a singleowner business to a previous SBO or other Census 

Bureau data collections.

These probabilities were then used to place each firm 

in the SBO universe in one of nine frames for sampling: 

• American Indian 

• Asian 

• Black or African American 

• Hispanic 

4 U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of Business Owners,” 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/mu0200.html> 

(July 22, 2009).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 8: The 2007 Survey of Business Owners 61

U.S. Census Bureau

• Non-Hispanic White men 

• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

• Other 

• Women

• Publicly owned companies 

The SBO universe was stratified by state, industry, 

frame, and whether the company had paid employees in 2007. All large companies (based on volume 

of sales, payroll, or number of employees), including 

those operating in more than one state, were deemed 

certain to be included in the survey. All certainty cases 

were sure to be selected and represented only themselves (i.e., had a selection probability of one and a 

sampling weight of one). The certainty cutoffs for large 

companies varied by sampling stratum, and each stratum was sampled at varying rates, depending on the 

number of firms in a particular industry in a particular 

state. The remaining universe was subjected to stratified systematic random sampling.5

Questionnaire mailout and follow-up. Following 

the design of the 2007 SBO questionnaires and cover 

letters by Census Bureau staff, a contractor printed, 

packaged, and delivered the questionnaire packages to 

the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center (NPC) in 

Jeffersonville, IN, for mailout. Unlike the 2002 SBO, the 

2007 survey used a single questionnaire (Form SBO-1) 

for all firms.6 The NPC mailed questionnaire packages 

in two phases. (Packages included the questionnaire, 

cover letter [SBO-1-L1], return envelope, instructions 

for responding electronically, and answers to frequently 

asked questions.) Each recipient was instructed to complete and return the questionnaire using the enclosed 

postage-paid envelope or via electronic response within 

30 days of receipt. The Web address to the Census 

Bureau’s Business Help Site was provided; this site 

allowed respondents to perform many functions that 

were previously available only through the call center 

(e.g., ask for forms to be mailed again, request extensions, and make address corrections).

The first-phase mailout consisted of 969,936 packages 

mailed to employer firms in May 2008. A first follow-up 

5 U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of Business Owners,” 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/mu0200.html> 

(July 30, 2009). 6 In 2002, the Census Bureau used two questionnaires—SBO-1, for 

employer businesses, and SBO-2, for corporations/partnerships and 

nonemployer businesses. U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 

2002 Economic Census, Chapter 10, “2002 Survey of Business Owners,” 

EC02-00R-HIST, September 2006, p. 121.

mailing was sent to nonrespondent firms between July 

14 and July 17. (This mailing also included packages 

that had been returned to the NPC as “undeliverable as 

addressed” after the initial mailout; they were readdressed and resent in the follow-up mailing). A second 

follow-up mailing was sent between August 18 and 

August 22; and a third follow-up mailing was sent on 

September 26, 2008, to businesses that still had not 

responded. 

The second-phase mailout consisted of 1,313,492 

packages mailed to nonemployer businesses in May 

2009.7 A first follow-up mailing, including packages 

from the initial mailing that were returned to the NPC 

as “undeliverable as addressed,” was sent to nonrespondent firms between June 26 and July 9. A second 

follow-up was sent between August 5 and August 10 to 

those who had still not responded. 

DATA PROCESSING AND TABULATION

Receipt and Check-In

The National Processing Center (NPC) checked in 

Survey of Business Owners (SBO) questionnaires by 

using laser sorters and laser wands to scan and capture 

envelope barcodes. These barcodes created a check-in 

receipt file that was used to update the survey mailing 

list and generate address files for follow-up operations. 

Following check-in, the forms were scanned on Kodak 

9500® scanners, and digital images were created. 

Forms that were imaged only, and did not go through 

data capture, were created via the Workflow and 

Image Processing System, while forms to be processed 

through data capture were created with the scanner 

software. The digital images were then loaded to an 

image storage and retrieval system for survey area 

review and analysis. 

The SBO receipt and check-in operations closed out on 

November 7, 2008, for packages included in the 

Phase 1 mailout; however, the NPC continued to receive 

SBO forms well after closeout. The NPC reopened 

receipt and check-in operations in early January 2009 

to clear out the backlog of cases. The NPC still continued to receive Phase 1 receipts and sent these to 

headquarters for future processing. Headquarters 

7 In addition to the mailout of questionnaire packages to nonemployer businesses, the second phase of the mailout also included 

36,716 packages remailed to employer businesses whose Phase 1 

questionnaires were returned as undeliverable. Data supplied by Gail D. 

White, U.S. Census Bureau, Company Statistics Division, July 2009.
62 Chapter 8: The 2007 Survey of Business Owners History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

processed approximately 1,500 forms in March 2009, 

but continued to receive late receipts from the NPC. 

These receipts were kept for processing after the 

Phase 2 mailout.

Phase 2 operations were closed out on September 30, 

2009. All receipts received after this date were saved 

for a final processing on October 20, 2009. At this 

time, all Phase 2 receipts received after closeout were 

processed as well as all remaining Phase 1 receipts. 

Data Entry, Editing, and Tabulation

Following receipt and check-in of questionnaires, 

the integrated Computer Assisted Data Entry System 

(iCADE) captured questionnaire data; iCADE transmitted 

data in batches to Census Bureau headquarters, where 

data were loaded into the Census Survey Processing 

System (CSPro). Census Bureau analysts edited the data 

that had been automatically flagged (individually or in 

relationship to other data) because the data failed to 

conform to expected reporting behavior.

Use of Administrative and Economic Census

Records

Once analysts completed the review of SBO response 

data, the Census Bureau retrieved each business’s data 

from the 2007 Economic Census and administrative 

records.8 The following data were matched to each 

8 The Census Bureau’s principal sources of noncensus administrative records were the Internal Revenue Service, the Social 

Security Administration, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more 

information on the kinds of records and data used, see Chapter 5, 

“Preparations for Data Collection.”

business’s 2007 SBO data, to improve understanding of 

business activity and ownership characteristics:

• Geographic code

• Organizational status (sole proprietorship, 

partnership, or corporation)

• Number of employees reported during the week of 

March 12, 2007

• Annual payroll (for firms with paid employees)

• Receipts

• Kind of business

PUBLICATION PROGRAM

Data from the 2007 Survey of Business Owners were 

published via the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder Web site. The agency initiated the publication 

program for SBO data with the release of “Preliminary 

Estimates of Business Ownership by Gender, Ethnicity, 

and Race (PRELIM)” data in July 2010. Additional data 

were released periodically, with the final data product—

Characteristics of Business Owners (CBO)—in June 

2011.9 For more information on the publication of 

2007 Economic Census data, see Chapter 10, “Data 

Dissemination.”

9 U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of Business Owners: 2007 Data 

Release Schedule,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo

/releaseschedule07.html> (July 22, 2009).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 9: The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey 63

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 9:

The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

BACKGROUND INFORMATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

THE 2007 COMMODITY FLOW SURVEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Scope of the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Uses of the Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Sample Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Standard Classification of Transported Goods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Shipment Coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Mileage Calculations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Mileage Data for Pipeline Shipments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Data Collection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Mail and telephone follow-up.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Receipt, Check-In, and Data Processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Editing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Imputation of missing or incorrect data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Disclosure review.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

PUBLICATION PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Census Bureau partnered with the Bureau of 

Transportation Statistics (BTS) to carry out the 2007 

Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) as a component of the 

2007 Economic Census.1 Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections 

193 and 195, authorize the Secretary of Commerce 

to direct the Census Bureau to collect economic data, 

including those gathered by the 2007 CFS. The CFS 

produces data on the movement of goods in the United 

States. Its data are used by public policy analysts for 

transportation planning and decision-making and to 

assess the demand for transportation facilities and 

services, energy use, safety risks, and the potential for 

environmental degradation.

1 The BTS is a bureau of the Research and Innovative Technology 

Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The CFS has 

been conducted through a partnership between the Census Bureau and 

the BTS since its inception in 1993. The BTS provides 80 percent of 

the funding and the Census Bureau the remaining 20 percent. Ronald 

J. Duych, “Scope and Industry Coverage of the 2007 Commodity Flow 

Survey,” Commodity Flow Survey Conference, Boston, MA, July 8–9, 

2006, p. 2.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION2

From 1963 through 1977, the Census Bureau used the 

Commodity Transportation Survey (CTS) to produce 

measures on the flow of goods and materials according 

to mode of transportation.3 An evaluation of the 1977 

CTS showed that both the methodology for collecting 

the shipment samples and the small sample size were 

problematic. In 1983, the Census Bureau conducted an 

abbreviated CTS that collected summary data from participants. However, an evaluation of the 1983 survey 

found that the summary data were of poor quality. As a 

result, the Census Bureau did not publish the data and 

ended the survey.4

2 Information for the following section was drawn from Ronald J. 

Duych, “Scope and Industry Coverage of the 2007 Commodity Flow 

Survey,” and U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Commodity Flow Survey: United 

States, EC02TCF-US, December 2004, pp. v–viii. 3 The CTS provided statistics on the volume and characteristics of 

commodity shipments by manufacturing establishments in the United 

States. The Census Bureau collected shipping data from manufacturing establishments (approximately 19,500 in 1977) selected from the 

1977 Census of Manufactures. U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1977 

Economic Censuses, Chapter 10, “1977 Census of Transportation,” 

December 1980, pp. 127–132. 4 For more information on the abbreviated 1983 CTS and its 

subsequent cancellation, see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1982 

Economic Censuses, Chapter 8, “1982 Census of Transportation,” 

February 1987, pp. 91–101.
64 Chapter 9: The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

In its 1990 “Statement of National Transportation 

Policy,” the Department of Transportation recognized 

the need for restoring a commodity-based survey. 

Congress reinforced the need for these data when 

it enacted the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. In response, the U.S. Bureau of 

Transportation Statistics and the Census Bureau formed 

a partnership to design an improved survey to collect and publish statistics corresponding to those that 

had previously been produced by the CTS. In 1993, 

with funding from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics and the Census Bureau, the Census Bureau 

conducted the first Commodity Flow Survey.5

5 For more information, see U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 

“Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991—Summary,” 

<http://ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/ste.html> (November 30, 2006). See also, 

U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1992 Economic Census, Chapter 8, 

“Transportation Surveys,” EC92-R-5, March 1996, pp. 150–152.

THE 2007 COMMODITY FLOW SURVEY

Scope of the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey

(CFS)6

The 2007 CFS covered establishments in the United 

States that had paid employees and were classified 

(using the 2007 North American Industry Classification 

System [NAICS]) in the mining, manufacturing, and 

wholesale trade sectors and in selected retail and 

service industries. The survey also covered auxiliary 

establishments, i.e., establishments providing services 

to other establishments within the same company, in 

NAICS 4931 (Warehousing and Storage—auxiliaries) and 

551114 (Corporate, Subsidiary, and Regional Managing 

Offices—auxiliaries). (See Table 9-1). 

Uses of the Data

The CFS is the only comprehensive source of multimodal, systemwide data on the volume and pattern 

of goods movement in the United States. These data 

are used by government transportation analysts at the 

federal, state, and local levels to estimate the future 

demand for transportation services and facilities; 

assess the adequacy of current transportation infrastructure to accommodate future demand; and evaluate 

the economic, social, and environmental impacts of 

transportation flows. The data also are used extensively by academics, researchers, economic planning 

organizations, and the business community.7

Sample Design

The sample design used in the 2007 CFS began with 

a review and selection of establishments found in 

the Census Bureau’s database of business addresses 

(called the Business Register). The Business Register 

contained approximately 7.5 million employer establishments, of which approximately 750,000 were in 

industries considered to be “in-scope” for the 2007 

CFS.8 From this universe of establishments, the Census 

Bureau collected data from a sample of approximately 

100,000 establishments. As noted in Table 9-1, sample 

establishments included those engaged in the mining, 

6 Information for the following section was drawn from 

Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, “Commodity 

Flow Survey Conference: July 8–9, 2005,” Transportation Research 

Circular, No. E-C088, January 2006. 7 Office of Management and Budget, Federal Register, “2007 

Commodity Flow Survey,” Vol. 71, No. 80, April 26, 2006, p. 24639. 8 “In-scope” establishments are those that meet CFS sample criteria 

for participation in the survey. See Table 9-1.

Table 9-1. 

NAICS Industries Covered in the 2007 CFS

NAICS 

code Description

212 Mining (Except Oil and Gas)

311 Food Manufacturing

312 Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing

313 Textile Mills

314 Textile Product Mills

315 Apparel Manufacturing

316 Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing

321 Wood Product Manufacturing

322 Paper Manufacturing

323 Printing and Related Support Activities

324 Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing

325 Chemical Manufacturing

326 Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing

327 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing

331 Primary Metal Manufacturing

332 Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

333 Machinery Manufacturing

334 Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

335 Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component 

Manufacturing

336 Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

337 Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing

339 Miscellaneous Manufacturing

423 Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

424 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

4541 Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses

45431 Fuel Oil Dealers

4931 Warehousing and Storage (auxiliaries)

5111 Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers

5122 Sound Recording Industries

551114 Corporate, Subsidiary, and Regional Managing Offices 

(auxiliaries)
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 9: The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey 65

U.S. Census Bureau

manufacturing, and wholesale trade sectors, in selected 

retail and service industries (including electronic shopping and mail order businesses), and auxiliary establishments in NAICS 4931 and 551114. 

The Census Bureau selected the sample for the 2007 

CFS using a stratified three-stage design in which firststage sampling units were establishments, second-stage 

units were four reporting weeks within the survey year 

(distributed one week per quarter) for those establishments, and third-stage units were a sample of shipments selected by those establishments according to 

Census Bureau instructions.9

Standard Classification of Transported Goods10

From 1963 to 1993, the Census Bureau used the product classifications found in the Standard Transportation 

Commodity Code (STCC) system to classify Commodity Transportation Survey (CTS) and CFS shipments. 

Created by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) 

in the early 1960s to analyze commodity movements 

by rail, the STCC codes were useful for analyzing the 

most important aspects of the U.S. transportation 

system for the 1963 CFS through the 1993 CFS.

Deficiencies in the STCC system arose because the 

CFS is a shipper survey and collects information about 

shipments moving by all modes of transportation, not 

just shipments by rail. The STCC system frequently 

provided inadequate detail for identifying products that 

were significant for other modes, such as truck and air. 

The codes became increasingly inappropriate for tracking domestic product movements across all modes as 

a result of changes that included the deregulation of 

trucking;11 the enactment of the 1994 North American 

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); changes in logistics 

practices; the emergence of plastics and composite 

materials to replace metals and glass; the obsolescence 

of many categories of wood products; and the rapid 

development of high-tech electronic goods.12

9 Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, 

“Commodity Flow Survey Conference: July 8–9, 2005,” Transportation 

Research Circular, No. E-C088, January 2006. For more information 

about sample selection for the 2007 and past commodity flow surveys, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Economic Census: Transportation—

Commodity Flow Survey, Appendix C, “Sample Design, Data Collection, 

and Estimation,” EC02TCF-US, December 2004, pp. C-1–C-5. 10 Information for the following section was drawn from U.S. Bureau 

of Transportation Statistics, “Commodity Flow Survey,” <http://www

.bts.gov/programs/commodity_flow_survey/> (December 19, 2006). 11 Although calls to lessen federal oversight of the trucking 

industry began in 1962, during the Kennedy Administration, it was 

not until strong antiregulatory pressure was applied by the Carter 

Administration that the Interstate Commerce Commission began 

noticeably lessening its regulatory hold on the industry, culminating in 

the 1980 Motor Carrier Act. 12 The AAR continues to use the STCC system as a tariff mechanism, and the codes remain functional for tracking rail-only movement 

of goods.

For these reasons, the Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics (BTS) sponsored the development of a new 

commodity code system—the Standard Classification 

of Transported Goods (SCTG)—to collect and report 

CFS data, replacing the STCC in 1997. Created jointly 

by agencies of the United States and Canadian governments and based on the Harmonized System of 

commodity classification, the SCTG coding system 

specifically addresses the statistical needs concerning 

transported products.13

The Census Bureau began classifying commodities 

shipped using the SCTG coding system in 1997. In 

2007, as in past surveys, the CFS survey materials 

included a listing of SCTG codes and descriptions at 

the five-digit level to assist respondents with assigning 

a commodity code to each shipment. For shipments of 

more than one commodity, respondents used the fivedigit code for the major commodity—the commodity of 

greatest total weight in the shipment. 

Shipment Coverage

The 2007 CFS captured data on shipments originating from select types of business establishments (see 

Table 9-1) located in the 50 states and the District of 

Columbia. It did not cover shipments originating from 

business establishments located in Puerto Rico or the 

Island Areas.14 The CFS did not include shipments 

traversing the United States from a foreign location to 

another foreign location (e.g., from Canada to Mexico) 

or shipments from a foreign location to a U.S. location. 

It did include imported products at the point that they 

left the importer’s domestic location for shipment to 

another location and shipments transported through a 

13 The Harmonized System nomenclature is used as a basis for the 

collection of customs duties and international trade statistics by almost 

all countries (approximately 98 percent of world trade). Use of the system ensures that a customs administration produces statistics in exact 

accord with international classification standards.

Every item in the Harmonized System that is exported is assigned 

a unique ten-digit identification code. Every ten-digit item is part of 

a series of progressively broader product categories. For example, 

the Harmonized System number for concentrated frozen apple juice 

is 2009.70.0010. The concentrated frozen apple juice is aggregated 

into a broader category assigned a six-digit identifier described as 

apple juice (2009.70.). The six-digit identifier described as apple juice 

is aggregated into a broader category assigned a four-digit identifier 

(2009) described as fruit juices and vegetable juices, etc. The four-digit 

identifier is further aggregated into a broader category assigned a 

two-digit identifier (20) described as Preparations of Vegetables, Fruit, 

Nuts etc. The first six-digits of the classification number are universal, the last four may vary from country to country. World Customs 

Organization, “The Harmonized System: The language of international 

trade,” <http://www.gfptt.org/uploadededitorimages/00000313.pdf> 

(May 19, 2010). See also, U.S. Department of Transportation, “Report 4 

(R4),” <http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf/faf2

_reports/report4/rpt4_commodity_class.pdf> (December 17, 2007). 14 Although the 2007 CFS did not include Puerto Rico or the 

U.S. territories and possessions, the 2007 Economic Census did include 

Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
66 Chapter 9: The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

foreign territory with both the origin and destination 

being in the United States. The mileages calculated for 

these shipments excluded the international segments 

(e.g., shipments from New York to Michigan through 

Canada did not include mileages for Canada). The 

survey included export shipments, with the domestic 

destination defined as the U.S. port, airport, or border 

crossing of exit from the United States.

The 2007 CFS also did not cover certain industry areas 

with significant shipping activity, such as agriculture 

and government. As a result, the CFS did not cover 

shipments of agricultural products from the farm site 

to processing centers or terminal elevators (most likely 

short-distance local movements); however, it did cover 

the shipments of these products from the initial processing centers or terminal elevators onward.15

Mileage Calculations

A BTS mileage calculation team working at a secure 

data site within the Census Bureau estimated the 

distance traveled by each freight shipment sampled 

for the 2007 CFS using algorithms and an integrated, 

intermodal transportation network developed and 

updated expressly for this purpose by the Bureau of 

Transportation Statistics.16

Mileage Data for Pipeline Shipments

The CFS did not publish ton-miles and average miles 

per shipment for commodities transported through 

pipelines. For most of these shipments, respondents 

reported the shipment destination as a pipeline facility on the main pipeline network. Therefore, for the 

majority of these shipments, the resulting mileage 

represented only the access distance through feeder 

pipelines to the main pipeline network, and not the 

actual distance through the main pipeline network. 

Pipeline shipments are included in the U.S. totals for 

ton-miles and average miles per shipment. For security 

purposes, there are no pipeline networks available in 

the public domain with which to route petroleum-based 

products. Hence, any distance involving a pipeline was 

considered as solely pipeline mileage from origin ZIP 

Code to destination ZIP Code and calculated to equal 

great circle distance (i.e., the shortest distance between 

two points on the earth’s surface, taking into account 

the earth’s curvature).17

15 U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Economic Census: TransportationCommodity Flow Survey, pp. C-1–C-5. 16 For more information, see U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “How Freight Moves: Estimating 

Mileage and Routes Using an Innovative GIS Tool,” TR-001, June 2007. 17 Ibid., p. x.

DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING

Data Collection18

The Census Bureau’s National Processing Center (NPC) 

in Jeffersonville, IN, conducted the 2007 Commodity 

Flow Survey mailout and data collection. Data 

collection took place on a flow basis as establishments 

returned their one-week data for each of their four 

assigned reporting weeks of 2007. The NPC began 

mailing first quarter questionnaires December 22, 

2006, and completed mailing fourth quarter questionnaires December 7, 2007.19

Each establishment in the CFS sample received questionnaire CFS(07)-1000 by mail for each of its three 

reporting weeks in 2007. These three weeks were 

spread over the first three quarters of the year (one 

reporting week per quarter). The Census Bureau 

sent a second questionnaire—CFS(07)-2000—to 

establishments during the fourth quarter. By assigning 

different reporting periods to different establishments, 

the mailout covered shipment activity during all 52 

weeks of the year. 

The Census Bureau requested that an establishment 

provide the following information about each of its 

reported shipments: 

• Shipment identification number

• Date of shipment 

• Value

• Weight

• Commodity code from the Standard Classification of 

Transported Goods list and description

• Mode(s) of transportation (all that apply in order of 

use)

• Domestic destination or port of exit

• An indication of whether the shipment was an export

• The United Nations or North America (UN/NA) number for hazardous material shipments, if applicable

• Export mode of shipment and city and country of 

foreign destination, if applicable

18 Information for the following section was drawn from 

U.S. Census Bureau, “Commodity Flow Survey,” <http://www.census

.gov/svsd/www/cfsmain.html> (December 19, 2006). 19 U.S. Census Bureau, “Mailout and Follow-Up Procedures and 

Docuprint® Specifications for 2007 (CFS) Commodity Flow Survey,” 

Project 7103011, 7-162-COLL-8869, April 3, 2007, p. 3.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 9: The 2007 Commodity Flow Survey 67

U.S. Census Bureau

For shipments including more than one commodity, the 

establishment reported the commodity that made up 

the greatest percentage of the shipment’s weight.20

Mail and telephone follow-up. As with the mailout, 

the NPC conducted mail and telephone follow-up operations. Mail follow-up consisted of a complete reporting 

package (questionnaire, instructions, etc.) mailed to 

nonrespondents on a flow basis beginning one week 

after the establishment’s due date. 

The NPC conducted telephone follow-up only for the 

largest nonrespondent establishments. At the conclusion of the follow-up operations, an estimated 70 percent of establishments had supplied data that contributed to tabulation.21

Receipt, Check-In, and Data Processing22

Establishments returned completed questionnaires 

in the supplied envelopes to the NPC. The U.S. Postal 

Service delivered CFS returns in three groupings: 

1. Good receipts (in return envelopes) 

2. Undeliverable as addressed (UAA) receipts (in 

outgoing envelopes)

3. Other receipts (correspondence, envelopes with 

nonvisible barcode, miscellaneous, etc.)

NPC staff processed receipts on a first-in, first-out 

basis, with every effort made to check in receipts on 

the day they arrived. Staff sorted all “good” and UAA 

receipts by preprinted barcodes on the envelopes using 

laser sorters. The preprogrammed laser sorters separated each report form by quarter and organized the 

returns into “batches” of 20.23

20 U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Commodity Flow Survey,” Form 

CFS(07)-1000, October 2, 2006, and “2007 Commodity Flow Survey 

Instruction Guide,” Form CFS(07)-1100, October 24, 2007. 21 The response rate is based on the number of establishments 

providing at least one-quarter of the information requested by the 

questionnaire. 22 Information for the following section was drawn from 

U.S. Census Bureau, “Procedures for Check In and Batching of Multiunit 

Questionnaires Including Procedures for Screening for Analysts 

Review,” December 20, 2002; and U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Economic 

Census: Transportation—Commodity Flow Survey, Appendix C. 23 Correspondence and materials that could be associated with 

an establishment were logged into the check-in system, and staff 

transcribed the establishment’s Survey Unit Identification Number onto 

each form. These returns were reviewed to determine what action 

(including imaging) should be taken. Questionable returns (those that 

could not be determined to be correspondence) were referred to NPC 

supervisors for action. U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Commodity Flow 

Survey: Receipt, Check-In, and Batching Procedure—Working Draft #3,” 

Project 7103011, 7-CFS-COLL-9026, April 19, 2007.

Editing. To identify inconsistencies, errors, and critical 

omissions once data entry files were transmitted from 

the NPC, Census Bureau headquarters staff used a flowbasis edit process. The edit program assigned a series 

of flags for missing or incorrect data that required 

analyst intervention.24

Imputation of missing or incorrect data. Item nonresponse occurred when a data variable (either value 

or weight) was not reported or was determined to be 

invalid during the edit process. Establishment nonresponse, in turn, took place when an establishment 

failed to report shipment data for at least one reporting 

week. Analysts used imputation procedures to resolve 

item nonresponse and an adjustment of statistical 

weights to resolve establishment nonresponse. 

Disclosure review. For the 2007 CFS, the Census 

Bureau used a disclosure avoidance methodology 

featuring the systematic application of “noise.” This 

protected the identity of individual companies while 

minimizing the impact on most published data items.25

PUBLICATION PROGRAM

The Census Bureau published the 2007 Commodity 

Flow Survey (CFS) data in electronic format via the 

agency’s American FactFinder Web site beginning with 

a Preliminary Report in December 2008 that contained 

selected national-level estimates and a final series of 

reports in December 2009. The Census Bureau issued 

printed reports for the United States, hazardous materials, and exports. The Census Bureau released the 2007 

CFS data for the United States, census divisions and 

regions, individual states, and selected substate areas.26

24 For more information, see Chapter 6, “Data Collection and 

Processing.” 25 For more information on the use of protective noise in the 

Census Bureau’s economic censuses and surveys, see Richard A. 

Moore Jr., Paul B. Massell, and Jeremy M. Funk, “The Application of 

Protective Noise to Economic Programs,” Census Advisory Committee 

of Professional Associations Meetings, October 18–19, 2007.

26 For more information on 2007 Commodity Flow Survey publications, see U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “Commodity Flow 

Survey,” <http://www.bts.gov/publications/commodity_flow_survey

/index.html> (December 19, 2006). See also the U.S. Census Bureau’s 

American FactFinder at <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet

/EconSectorServlet?caller=dataset&sv_name=2007+Commodity+Flow+

Survey&_SectorId=*&ds_name=EC0700A1> (May 19, 2010).

69 Chapter 10: Data Dissemination History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Chapter 10:

Data Dissemination

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

American FactFinder (AFF). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Development of AFF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

NEW FOR THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS PUBLICATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Types of Data Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Advance Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Industry Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Geographic Area Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Comparative Statistics Report.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Bridge Between 2007 NAICS and 2002 NAICS Report.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Subject Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Summary Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Economy-wide key statistics (EWKS) file. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

ZIP Code Statistics Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Franchise Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Nonemployer Statistics Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Island Areas Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Commodity Flow Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Business expenses data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Survey of Business Owners (SBO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Census Bureau published data for all sectors 

covered by the 2007 Economic Census and associated 

surveys via its American FactFinder Internet Web site 

(http://factfinder.census.gov/). In contrast to past censuses, the agency did not publish 2007 data in printed 

publications, portable document format (PDF) files, or 

on CD-ROM/DVD-ROMs. 

ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION

Economic data have been published in printed volumes since marshals first collected it during the 1810 

decennial census. Despite the introduction of publicuse computer tape files in 1972, the agency continued 

disseminating most data in printed formats through the 

1992 Economic Census. 

The 1997 Economic Census introduced a marked shift 

from dual publication of economic census data to a 

dissemination program based primarily upon electronic 

publication. The increasing use of computers by private 

and public data users during the 1990s encouraged 

the agency to expand publication of electronically disseminated data. Technological advances in the 1990s 

permitted dissemination on more-compact and userfriendly CD-ROMs and the Internet.1 Following the 1997 

Economic Census, only a few printed reports were 

produced for public consumption; instead data users 

accessed and printed reports at the agency Internet 

Web site (http://www.census.gov) using portable document format (PDF) files, hypertext tables, as well as the 

agency’s American FactFinder.

The 2007 Economic Census completed the Census 

Bureau’s move away from printed publications and 

distribution of diskettes by disseminating all 2007 data 

via the Internet using American FactFinder. In addition 

to acknowledging data users’ preference for dissemination of data in a form they could manipulate, this shift 

eliminated printing costs and sped the agency’s ability 

to provide data to the public.

1 U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1997 Economic Census, 

POL-00-HEC, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2000, p. 118.
70 Chapter 10: Data Dissemination History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

American FactFinder (AFF)

The Census Bureau’s AFF is an Internet-enabled information system that makes a wide range of census 

information available to agency personnel and external 

users. The system is interactive, and data can be easily 

accessed, efficiently disseminated, and readily inquired 

into. Although the Census Bureau initially developed 

AFF to disseminate Census 2000 data, the system now 

disseminates data generated by programs throughout 

the agency (e.g., economic censuses and surveys, the 

census of population and housing, population estimates, and the American Community Survey). 

Development of American FactFinder

Spurred by the need to provide Census 2000 data 

more efficiently and in customizable formats, AFF has 

revolutionized the way the Census Bureau disseminates 

all its data. The agency introduced the first publicly 

accessible version of AFF (initially called the Data 

Access and Dissemination System [DADS]) in March 

1999 to disseminate the 1997 Economic Census, the 

American Community Survey (ACS), and 1990 census 

data. The agency “upgraded” AFF in December 2000 to 

incorporate performance and interface improvements 

and to accommodate Census 2000 data. The Census 

Bureau continues to enhance the information system as 

technology and data user requirements evolve.2

For more information about accessing data using the 

Census Bureau’s AFF, visit the system home page at 

<http://factfinder.census.gov> or the AFF tutorial at 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www

/using_american_factfinder/>.

NEW FOR THE 2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS

The Census Bureau introduced several new features 

and reports for the 2007 Economic Census. Notable 

additions include:

• Data for places with a large number of workers but 

few inhabitants. Places are shown if they have 5,000 

or more inhabitants or workers. The 2007 Economic 

Census marks the first time that the Census Bureau 

introduced the number of workers as a criterion, 

permitting the publication of data for economically 

important places with few inhabitants. (For example, 

2 For more Information on the development and introduction of 

AFF, see U.S. Census Bureau and Titan Systems Corporation, “American 

FactFinder System Requirements Study,” Census 2000 Evaluation R.3.b, 

June 6, 2002, pp. iii–3.

Lake Buena Vista, FL, had thousands of workers, but 

only 16 residents in 2000.)3

• Data for census designated places (CDPs). These 

unincorporated places, defined for statistical purposes by local agencies, were published for 2007 on 

the same basis as incorporated places.

• Nonemployer establishments and receipts to the 

economy-wide key statistics (EWKS)4 file in AFF, 

complementing the establishments, receipts, payroll, 

and employment data for businesses with paid 

employees. Although nonemployers account for less 

than 4 percent of all receipts, they represent approximately three-quarters of all businesses.5

• Expanded classification of all remaining service 

sector product lines (Sectors 51 to 81) based on 

the North American Product Classification System 

(NAPCS). These data are published in the Product 

Lines Reports subject series. In 2002, the Census 

Bureau classified product lines in four service sectors 

during the first phase of the NAPCS implementation. 

• Data on employer-provided benefits (health insurance, defined-benefit pensions, defined-contribution 

plans, and “other”) published at the national level for 

manufacturing in the Industry Reports and Summary 

Series Reports, and for retail trade, wholesale trade, 

and service industries in related surveys. The Survey 

of Business Owners also identifies the number of 

businesses providing various fringe benefits across 

all sectors.

• A question about franchising on 81 of the 560 

census questionnaires. This provided the first hard 

data available on the economic impact of franchising 

across many industries and served as the foundation 

for the new Franchising Report.

6

3 The 5,000 population threshold increases the number of towns 

and townships shown in the 12 northern states with strong minor civil 

divisions; the previous threshold was 10,000. At the same time, the 

5,000 threshold eliminates data for many small incorporated places, 

for which the previous threshold was 2,500 inhabitants. 4 EWKS are data for the United States, states, counties, places, 

and metropolitan areas for all industries. Items include the number 

of establishments, sales and receipts, annual payroll, and number of 

employees. 5 Nonemployer data are available for all sectors and subsectors, 

but only for those detailed industries with many nonemployers. While 

employer and nonemployer data items are separate, it is possible to 

add them together in AFF. 6 The Census Bureau inquired about franchising during past 

censuses, but limited these inquiries to the Accommodation and Food 

Services sector.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Chapter 10: Data Dissemination 71

U.S. Census Bureau

2007 ECONOMIC CENSUS PUBLICATIONS

The Census Bureau released the first economy-wide 

2007 Economic Census data to the public beginning 

with the Advance Report in early 2009 and ending 

with Subject Series and Summary Series Reports in late 

2011 (see Table 10-1). For the most current schedule of 

2007 Economic Census data releases, visit the Census 

Bureau’s Web site at <http://www.census.gov/econ

/census07/www/data_release_schedule/>.

Types of Data Products

The Census Bureau published 2007 Economic Census 

data in the following national and economy-wide 

reports between 2009 and 2011 through American 

FactFinder (AFF):

Advance Report. The Advance Report, released in 

early 2009, initiated the publication program with a 

preliminary look at 2007 data at the national level, by 

sector and subsector.

Industry Series Reports. Separate Industry Series 

Reports (covering each industry or group of related 

industries) present general statistics for establishments of firms with payroll (by kind of business7 for 

the United States). Statistics include the number of 

establishments; sales, receipts, revenue, or shipments; 

payroll; and employment.

7 The Census Bureau used an eight-digit “kind of business” 

classification code that identified the principal business activity of an 

establishment. The code provided finer details on the activities within 

certain industries. 

Geographic Area Series Reports. The Census Bureau 

prepared data for individual industries at the U.S., state, 

county, place and metropolitan-area levels. Coverage by 

geographic levels varies by economic census sector.8

Comparative Statistics Report. This report 

presented general statistics for establishments of 

firms with payroll for both 2007 and 2002. The report 

is classified according to the 2002 North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) to facilitate 

comparisons. Data are available for the United States 

and states.

Bridge Between 2007 NAICS and 2002 NAICS 

Report. This report presents general statistics for 

establishments of firms with payroll for 2007. It is 

classified according to the lowest common denominator categories between NAICS 2007 and NAICS 2002. 

Statistics shown include the number of establishments; 

employment; payroll; and value of sales, receipts, 

revenue, or shipments.

Subject Series Reports. Subject Series Reports

provide general statistics for establishments classified by enterprise and establishment-size category, 

by detailed product data, and by a variety of industryspecific special inquiries data that are summarized 

by NAICS industry for the United States and, in some 

cases, for states.

Summary Series Reports. General Summary Reports, 

which are published for mining, manufacturing, and 

construction, republish totals for the United States, states, 

and in some cases metropolitan areas, with numbers that 

8 For more information on the Geographic Area Series from the 

2007 Economic Census, see the Census Bureau’s “Geographic Coverage 

Tables,” at <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www/geography

/geographic_coverage_tables.html>.

Table 10-1. 

2007 Economic Census Publication Schedule by Quarter as of August 19, 2008

Publication or data product

 2008 2009 2010 2011

Qtr

4

Qtr

1

Qtr

2

Qtr

3

Qtr

4

Qtr

1

Qtr

2

Qtr

3

Qtr

4

Qtr

1

Qtr

2

Qtr

3

Advance Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X

Industry Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X

Geographic Area Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X

Comparative Statistics Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X

Bridge Between 2007 NAICS and 2002 NAICS Report. . . . X

Subject Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X X

Summary Series Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X X

ZIP Code Statistics Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X

Franchise Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X

Nonemployer Statistics Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X

Island Areas Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X X X

Commodity Flow Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

Business expenses data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

Survey of Business Owners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X X X
72 Chapter 10: Data Dissemination History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

generally supersede those published earlier and with 

some higher-level totals not previously published. The 

Geographic Area Series includes a U.S. Summary for 

other sectors where the U.S. data are consistent with 

previously published state totals.

Economy-wide key statistics (EWKS) file. This data 

set was continually built as other data sets were 

released from March 2009 to October 2010. EWKS presents four key statistics for every available industry and 

geographic area published. The four key statistics are 

(1) number of establishments, (2) value of sales, shipments, receipts, revenue, or business done, (3) annual 

payroll, and (4) number of employees.

ZIP Code Statistics Reports. These reports present data for establishments of firms with payroll by 

ZIP Code for eight sectors (Retail Trade; Professional, 

Scientific, and Technical Services; Administrative 

and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Educational Services; Health Care and 

Social Assistance; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; 

Accommodation and Food Services; and Other Services 

[Except Public Administration]).

Franchise Report. The Census Bureau asked a question about franchising on 81 variants of the 2007 

Economic Census questionnaires covering 271 industries. Establishment responses provided the first hard 

data available on the economic impact of franchising 

across many industries.

Nonemployer Statistics Report. This report presents 

counts of establishments and receipts for nonemployers (i.e., firms not subject to payroll tax and composed 

of self-employed individuals). The report contains data 

for the United States, states, counties, and core-based 

statistical areas (CBSAs).

Island Areas Report. For the 2007 Economic Census, 

the Census Bureau published a single report containing 

all data for Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the 

U.S. Virgin Islands. Data for each Island Area are available on AFF as follows:

• Puerto Rico. Published data are for all businesses 

and are presented for each NAICS sector. 

• Guam. Published data are for all businesses and are 

presented for Guam and its election districts.9

• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Published data are for all businesses and are 

9 U.S. Census Bureau, Guam: 2002 Economic Census of Island 

Areas, IA02-00A-GUAM (RV), March 2005.

presented for the Northern Mariana Islands and 

three municipalities: Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The 

Census Bureau did not report business activity for 

the Northern Islands.

• American Samoa. Published data are for all businesses and are presented for American Samoa and 

its districts and counties.10

• U.S. Virgin Islands. Published data are for all businesses and are presented for the U.S. Virgin Islands 

as a whole. As in previous censuses, the Census 

Bureau published additional data for St. Thomas 

and St. John (combined to prevent disclosure problems), St. Croix, and the towns of Charlotte Amalie, 

Christiansted, and Frederiksted.11

Commodity Flow Survey. The Census Bureau 

released data from the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey 

(CFS) for the following geographic levels: United States, 

census regions and divisions, states and selected 

CBSAs, and remainder of states. Data provided information on commodities shipped, their value, weight, 

origination, destination, and mode of transportation. 

The Census Bureau also published selected data on 

hazardous material shipments and exports. Commodity 

data for national tables are at the four-digit Standard 

Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) level. The 

data are available at the two-digit, and where possible, 

three-digit SCTG level for state reports.12

Business expenses data. Data corresponding to business expenses data in previous censuses are published 

for 2007 as part of the Industry Series for manufacturing 

and in the 2007 Annual Retail Trade Survey, the 2007 

Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, and the 2007 Service 

Annual Survey. Employer costs for fringe benefits are broken down into health care, pensions (defined-contribution 

plans versus defined-benefit plans), and other.

Survey of Business Owners (SBO). Data from the 

2007 SBO were published via AFF. The agency initiated the SBO data publication program with the release 

of “Preliminary Estimates of Business Ownership by 

Gender, Ethnicity, and Race (PRELIM)” data in July 2010. 

Additional data were released periodically, with the 

final data product—Characteristics of Business Owners 

(CBO)—in June 2011.13

10 U.S. Census Bureau, American Samoa: 2002 Economic Census of 

Island Areas, IA02-00A-SAMOA, April 2005. 11 U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Virgin Islands: 2002 Economic Census of 

Island Areas, IA02-00A-VI (RV), April 2005. 12 For more information on the SCTG, see Chapter 9, “The 2007 

Commodity Flow Survey.” 13 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau, “Survey of 

Business Owners: 2007 Data Release Schedule,” <http://www.census

.gov/econ/sbo/releaseschedule07.html> (July 22, 2009).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix A: Provisions of Title 13 A-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix A:

Provisions of Title 13, United States Code, 

Relating to the 2007 Economic Census

TITLE 13, UNITED STATES CODE—CENSUS

CHAPTER 1. ADMINISTRATION

Subchapter I—General Provisions

Section 1. Definitions

As used in this title, unless the context requires 

another meaning or unless it is otherwise provided—

(1) “Bureau” means the Bureau of the Census;

(2) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce; and

(3) “respondent” includes a corporation, company, 

association, firm, partnership, proprietorship, 

society, joint stock company, individual, or other 

organization or entity which reported information, 

or on behalf of which information was reported, 

in response to a questionnaire, inquiry, or other 

request of the Bureau.

Section 2. Bureau of the Census

The Bureau is continued as an agency within, and 

under the jurisdiction of, the Department of Commerce.

Section 5. Questionnaires; number, form, and scope of 

inquiries

The Secretary shall prepare questionnaires, and shall 

determine the inquiries, and the number, form, and 

subdivisions thereof, for the statistics, surveys, and 

censuses provided for in this title.

Section 6. Information from other Federal departments 

and agencies; acquisition of reports from other 

governmental and private sources

(a) The Secretary, whenever he considers it advisable, may call upon any other department, 

agency, or establishment of the Federal Government, or of the government of the District 

of Columbia, for information pertinent to the 

work provided for in this title.

(b) The Secretary may acquire, by purchase or otherwise, from States, counties, cities, or other 

units of government, or their instrumentalities, 

or from private persons and agencies, such 

copies of records, reports, and other material 

as may be required for the efficient and economical conduct of the censuses and surveys 

provided for in this title.

(c) To the maximum extent possible and consistent with the kind, timeliness, quality and 

scope of the statistics required, the Secretary 

shall acquire and use information available 

from any source referred to in subsection (a) or 

(b) of this section instead of conducting direct 

inquiries.

Section 7. Printing; requisitions upon Public Printer; 

publication of bulletins and reports

The Secretary may make requisition upon the Public 

Printer for miscellaneous printing necessary to carry 

out the provisions of this title. He may further have 

printed by the Public Printer, in such editions as he 

deems necessary, preliminary and other census bulletins, and final reports of the results of the several 

investigations authorized by this title, and may publish 

and distribute such bulletins and reports.

Section 8. Authenticated transcripts or copies of certain 

returns; other data; restrictions on use; disposition of 

fees received

(a) The Secretary may, upon written request, furnish to any respondent, or to the heir, successor, or authorized agent of such respondent, 

authenticated transcripts or copies of reports 

(or portions thereof) containing information 

furnished by, or on behalf of, such respondent 

in connection with the surveys and census 

provided for in this title, upon payment of 

the actual or estimated cost of searching the 

records and furnishing such transcripts or 

copies. 

(b) Subject to the limitations contained in sections 

6(c) and 9 of this title, the Secretary may furnish copies of tabulations and other statistical 

materials which do not disclose the information reported by, or on behalf of, any particular 

respondent, and may make special statistical 
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compilations and surveys, for departments, 

agencies, and establishments of the Federal 

Government, the government of the District of 

Columbia, the government of any possession 

or area (including political subdivisions thereof) 

referred to in section 191 (a) of this title, State 

or local agencies, or other public and private 

persons and agencies, upon payment of the 

actual or estimated cost of such work. In the 

case of nonprofit agencies or organizations, 

the Secretary may engage in joint statistical 

projects, the purpose of which are otherwise 

authorized by law, but only if the cost of such 

projects are shared equitably, as determined by 

the Secretary.

(c) In no case shall information furnished under 

this section be used to the detriment of any 

respondent or other person to whom such 

information relates, except in the prosecution 

of alleged violations of this title.

(d) All moneys received in payment for work or 

services enumerated under this section shall 

be deposited in a separate account which may 

be used to pay directly the costs of such work 

or services, to repay appropriations which initially bore all or part of such costs, or to refund 

excess sums when necessary.

Section 9. Information as confidential; exception

(a) Neither the Secretary, nor any other officer or 

employee of the Department of Commerce 

or bureau or agency thereof, may, except as 

provided in section 8 of this title— 

 (1) use the information furnished under the 

 provisions of this title for any purpose 

 other than the statistical purposes for 

 which it is supplied; or

 (2) make any publication whereby the data 

 furnished by any particular establish 

 ment or individual under this title can be 

 identified; or 

 (3) permit anyone other than the sworn officers

 and employees of the Department or 

 bureau or agency thereof to examine the 

 individual reports.

No department, bureau, agency, officer, or 

employee of the Government, except the 

Secretary in carrying out the purposes 

of this title, shall require, for any reason, copies of census reports which have been retained 

by any such establishment or individual. Copies of census reports which have been so 

retained shall be immune from legal process, 

and shall not, without the consent of the 

individual or establishment concerned, 

be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial or 

administrative proceeding.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section 

relating to the confidential treatment of data 

for particular individuals and establishments, 

shall not apply to the censuses of governments 

provided for by subchapter III of chapter 5 of 

this title, nor to interim current data provided 

for by subchapter IV of chapter 5 of this title 

as to the subjects covered by censuses of 

governments, with respect to any information 

obtained therefor that is compiled from, or 

customarily provided in, public records.

Section 12. Mechanical and electronic development

The Secretary is authorized to have conducted mechanical and electronic development work as he determines 

is needed to further the functions and duties of carrying out the purposes of this title and may enter into 

such developmental contracts as he may determine to 

be in the best interest of the Government.

Subchapter II—Officers and Employees

Section 21. Director of the Census; duties

The Bureau shall be headed by a Director of the 

Census, appointed by the President, by and with the 

advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall 

perform such duties as may be imposed upon him by 

law, regulations, or orders of the Secretary.

Section 22. Qualifications of permanent personnel

All permanent officers and employees of the Bureau 

shall be citizens of the United States.

Section 23. Additional officers and employees

(a) The Secretary may establish, at rates of compensation to be fixed by him without regard 

to the Classification Act of 1949, as many 

temporary positions as may be necessary to 

meet the requirements of the work provided 

for by law. Bureau employees who are transferred to any such temporary positions shall 

not lose their permanent civil service status by 

reason of the transfer. The Secretary may make 

appointments to such temporary positions 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix A: Provisions of Title 13 A-3

U.S. Census Bureau

in conformity with the civil service laws and 

rules.

(b) In addition to employees of the Department 

of Commerce, employees of other departments and independent offices of the Government may, with the consent of the head 

of the respective department or office, be 

employed and compensated for field work 

in connection with the work provided for by 

law without regard to section 301 of the Dual 

Compensation Act.

(c) The Secretary may utilize temporary staff, 

including employees of Federal, State, or local 

agencies or instrumentalities, and employees 

of private organizations to assist the Bureau in 

performing the work authorized by this title, 

but only if such temporary staff is sworn to 

observe the limitations imposed by section 9 

of this title.

Section 24. Special employment provisions

(a) The Secretary may utilize the services of nontemporary employees of the Bureau (by assignment, promotion, appointment, detail, or otherwise) in temporary positions established for 

any census, for not to exceed the period during which appropriations are available for that 

census. Whenever the Secretary determines 

that the services of an employee which have 

been utilized under this section are no longer 

required in such a temporary position, he may, 

without regard to the provisions of any other 

law, return the employee to a continuing position, with rank and compensation not less than 

that which he held in his last permanent position in the Bureau: provided, That no employee 

shall, by reason of his service in a temporary 

position under this subsection, lose the protection of any law or regulation with respect to his 

separation, suspension, furlough, or reduction 

in rank or compensation below the level held 

in his last permanent position in the Bureau. 

Service by a nontemporary employee in a temporary position under this subsection shall be 

creditable for step-increases (both periodic and 

longevity) under title VII of the Classification 

Act of 1949, as amended, as though it were a 

continuation of service in his last permanent 

position.

(b) As used in this title with respect to appointments or positions, “temporary’’ shall be 

construed to mean not in excess of one year, 

or not in excess of the specific period during which appropriations are available for the 

conduct of a particular census, whichever is 

longer. No employee of the Bureau who holds 

only a temporary appointment within the 

meaning of this section shall be considered as 

other than strictly temporary for purposes of 

any other provision of law relating to separations, suspensions, or reductions in rank or 

compensation. 

(c) The enlisted men and officers of the uniformed 

services may be appointed and compensated 

for service in temporary enumerator positions for the enumeration of personnel of the 

uniformed services. 

(d) The Secretary may fix compensation on a 

piece-price basis without limitation as to the 

amount earned per diem, and payments may 

be made to enumerators for the use of privateautomobiles on official business without regard 

to section 4 of the Travel Expense Act of 1949, 

as amended (5 U.S.C. 837), but at rates not in 

excess of the rates provided by that Act.

(e) The Secretary may authorize the expenditure 

of necessary sums for travel expenses of persons selected for appointment for attendance 

at training courses held by the Department 

of Commerce with respect to any of the work 

provided for by law.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law 

prohibiting the expenditure of public money 

for telephone service, the Secretary, under such 

regulations as he shall prescribe, may authorize reimbursement for tolls or charges for 

telephone service from private residences or 

private apartments to the extent such charges 

are determined by the Secretary to have been 

incurred to facilitate the collection of information in connection with the censuses and 

surveys authorized by this title.

Section 25. Duties of supervisors, enumerators, and 

other employees

(a) Each supervisor shall perform the duties 

imposed upon him by the Secretary in the 

enforcement of chapter 5 of this title in 
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accordance with the Secretary’s orders and 

instructions.

(b) Each enumerator or other employee detailed to 

serve as enumerator shall be charged with the 

collection in his subdivision of the facts and 

statistics called for on such schedules as the 

Secretary determines shall be used by him in 

connection with any census or survey provided 

for by chapter 5 of this title.

Section 26. Transportation by contract

The Secretary may contract with field employees for 

the rental and use within the continental limits of the 

United States of means of transportation, other than 

motorcycle, automobile, or airplane, and for the rental 

and use outside of the continental United States of 

any means of transportation, which means may be 

owned by the field employee. Such rental contracts 

shall be made without regard to section 4 of the Travel 

Expense Act of 1949, as amended (5 U.S.C. 837). The 

rentals shall be at rates equivalent to the prevailing 

rental rates of the locality. The rental contracts within 

the continental United States may be entered into only 

when the use by the field employee of such other 

means of transportation is safer, more economical, or 

more advantageous to the Government than use of his 

motorcycle, automobile, or airplane in conducting the 

census.

CHAPTER 5. CENSUSES

Subchapter I—Manufactures, Mineral Industries,

and Other

Section 131. Collection and publication; five-year 

periods

The Secretary shall take, compile, and publish censuses 

of manufactures, of mineral industries, and of other 

businesses, including the distributive trades, service 

establishments, and transportation (exclusive of means 

of transportation for which statistics are required by 

law to be filed with, and are compiled and published 

by, a designated regulatory body), in the year 1964, 

then in the year 1968, and every fifth year thereafter, 

and each such census shall relate to the year immediately preceding the taking thereof.

Section 132. Controlling law; effect on other agencies

To the extent that the provisions of this subchapter or 

subchapter IV of this chapter conflict with any other 

provision of this title or other law, pertaining to the 

Secretary or the Department of Commerce, the provisions of this title shall control; but nothing in this title 

shall be deemed to revoke or impair the authority of 

any other Federal agency with respect to the collection 

or release of information.

Subchapter IV—Interim Current Data

Section 182. Surveys

The Secretary may make surveys deemed necessary to 

furnish annual and other interim current data on the 

subjects covered by the censuses provided for in this 

title.

Subchapter V—Geographic Scope, Preliminary

and Supplemental Statistics, and Use of

Sampling

Section 191. Geographic scope of censuses

(a) Each of the censuses authorized by this 

chapter shall include each State, the District 

of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 

and as may be determined by the Secretary, 

such other possessions and areas over which 

the United States exercises jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty. Inclusion of other areas 

over which the United States exercises jurisdiction or control shall be subject to the concurrence of the Secretary of State.

(b) For censuses taken in the Virgin Islands, Guam, 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, or any possession or area not specifically designated in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary may use census information 

collected by the Governor or highest ranking Federal official, if such information was 

obtained in accordance with plans prescribed 

or approved by the Secretary.

(c) If, pursuant to a determination by the Secretary 

under subsection (a) of this section, any census 

is not taken in a possession or area over which 

the United States exercises jurisdiction, control, or sovereignty, the Secretary may include 

data obtained from other Federal agencies or 

government sources in the census report. Any 

data obtained from foreign governments shall 

be obtained through the Secretary of State.
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U.S. Census Bureau

Section 193. Preliminary and supplemental statistics

In advance of, in conjunction with, or after the taking of each census provided for by this chapter, the 

Secretary may make surveys and collect such preliminary and supplement statistics related to the main 

topic of the census as are necessary to the initiation, 

taking, or completion thereof.

Section 195. Use of sampling

Except for the determination of population for purposes of apportionment of Representatives in Congress 

among the several States, the Secretary shall, if he 

considers it feasible, authorize the use of the statistical 

method known as “sampling” in carrying out the provisions of this title.

Section 196. Special censuses

The Secretary may conduct special censuses for the 

government of any State, or of any county, city, or 

other political subdivision within a State, for the 

government of the District of Columbia, and for the 

government of any possession or area (including political subdivisions thereof) referred to in section 191(a) of 

this title, on subjects covered by the censuses provided 

for in this title, upon payment to the Secretary of the 

actual or estimated cost of each such special census. 

The results of each special census shall be designated 

“Official Census Statistics.’’ These statistics may be 

used in the manner provided by applicable law.

CHAPTER 7. OFFENSES AND PENALTIES

Subchapter I—Officers and Employees

Section 211. Receiving or securing compensation for 

appointment of employees

Whoever—

(1) receives or secures to himself any fee, reward, or 

compensation as a consideration for the appointment of any person as supervisor, enumerator, 

clerk, or other officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, 

referred to in subchapter II of chapter 1 of this title: 

or

(2) in any way receives or secures to himself any 

part of the compensation paid to any person so 

appointed—

shall be fined not more than $3,000 or imprisoned not 

more than five years, or both.

Section 212. Refusal or neglect of employees to perform 

duties

Whoever, being an employee referred to in subchapter 

II of chapter 1 of this title, and having taken and subscribed the oath of office, neglects or refuses, without 

justifiable cause, to perform the duties enjoined on 

such employee by this title, shall be fined not more 

than $500.

Section 213. False statements, certificates, and 

information

(a) Whoever, being an officer or employee referred 

to in subchapter II of chapter 1 of this title, wilfully and knowingly swears or affirms falsely 

as to the truth of any statement required to 

be made or subscribed by him under oath by 

or under authority of this title, shall be guilty 

of perjury, and shall be fined not more than 

$2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, 

or both.

(b) Whoever, being an officer or employee referred 

to in subchapter II of chapter 1 of this title—

 (1) willfuIIy and knowingly makes a false cer-

 tificate or fictitious return; or 

 (2) knowingly or willfuIIy furnishes or causes 

 to be furnished, or, having been such an 

 officer or employee, knowingly or willfully 

 furnished or caused to be furnished, 

 directly or indirectly, to the Secretary or to 

 any other officer or employee of the 

 Department of Commerce or bureau or 

 agency thereof, any false statement or 

 false information with reference to any 

 inquiry for which he was authorized and 

 required to collect information provided for 

 in this title

—shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Section 214. Wrongful disclosure of information

Whoever, being or having been an employee or staff 

member referred to in subchapter II of chapter 1 of this 

title, having taken and subscribed the oath of office, 

or having sworn to observe the limitations imposed 

by section 9 of this title, publishes or communicates 

any information, the disclosure of which is prohibited 

under the provisions of section 9 of this title, and 

which comes into his possession by reason of his being 
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employed (or otherwise providing services) under the 

provisions of this title, shall be fined not more than 

$5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Subchapter II—Other Persons

Section 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; 

false answers

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, 

refuses or willfully neglects, when requested 

by the Secretary, or by any other authorized 

officer or employee of the Department of 

Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or 

authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his 

knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any 

census or survey provided for by subchapters 

I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying 

to himself or to the family to which he belongs 

or is related, or to the farm or farms of which 

he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined 

not more than $100.

(b) Whoever, when answering questions described 

in subsection (a) of this section, and under the 

conditions or circumstances described in such 

subsection, willfully gives any answer that is 

false, shall be fined not more than $500. 

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

title, no person shall be compelled to disclose 

information relative to his religious beliefs or 

to membership in a religious body.

Section 222. Giving suggestions or information with 

intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population

Whoever, either directly or indirectly, offers or renders to an officer or employee of the Department of 

Commerce or bureau or agency thereof engaged in 

making an enumeration of population under subchapter II, IV, or V of chapter 5 of this title, any suggestion, 

advice, information, or assistance of any kind, with the 

intent or purpose of causing an inaccurate enumeration 

of population to be made, shall be fined not more than 

$1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Section 223. Refusal, by owners, proprietors, etc., to 

assist census employees

Whoever, being the owner, proprietor, manager, superintendent, or agent of any hotel, apartment house, 

boarding or lodging house, tenement, or other building, refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by 

the Secretary or by any other officer or employee of the 

Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, 

acting under the instructions of the Secretary, to furnish the names of the occupants of such premises, or 

to give free ingress thereto and egress therefrom to any 

duly accredited representative of such Department or 

bureau or agency thereof, so as to permit the collection 

of statistics with respect to any census provided for 

in subchapters I and II of chapter 5 of this title, or any 

survey authorized by subchapter IV or V of such chapter insofar as such survey relates to any of the subjects 

for which censuses are provided by such subchapters I 

and II, including, when relevant to the census or survey 

being taken or made, the proper and correct enumeration of all persons having their usual place of abode in 

such premises, shall be fined not more than $500. 

Section 224. Failure to answer questions affecting 

companies, businesses, religious bodies, and other 

organizations; false answers

Whoever, being the owner, official, agent, person in 

charge, or assistant to the person in charge, of any 

company, business, institution, establishment, religious body, or organization of any nature whatsoever, 

neglects or refuses, when requested by the Secretary or 

other authorized officer or employee of the Department 

of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, to answer 

completely and correctly to the best of his knowledge 

all questions relating to his company, business, institution, establishment, religious body, or other organization, or to records or statistics in his official custody, 

contained on any census or other schedule or questionnaire prepared and submitted to him under the authority of this title, shall be fined not more than $500; and 

if he willfully gives a false answer to any such question, he shall be fined not more than $10,000.1

Section 225. Applicability of penal provisions in certain 

cases

(a) In connection with any survey conducted by 

the Secretary or other authorized officer or 

employee of the Department of Commerce or 

bureau or agency thereof pursuant to subchapter IV of chapter 5 of this title, the provisions 

of sections 221, 222, 223, and 224 of this title 

shall apply—

1 The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (Title 18, Sections 3551, 

3559, and 3571) changes these penalties to up to $5,000 for failure to 

report and $10,000 for intentionally providing false information.
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U.S. Census Bureau

 (1) with respect to the answering of ques-

 tions and furnishing of information, only 

 to such inquiries as are within the scope 

 of the schedules and questionnaires and of 

 the type and character heretofore used in 

 connection with the taking of complete 

 censuses, under subchapters I and II of 

 chapter 5 of this title, or in connection 

 with any censuses hereafter taken pursu-

 ant to such subchapters;

 (2) only after publication of a determination 

 with reasons there for certified by 

 the Secretary, or by some other authorized 

 officer or employee of the Department of 

 Commerce or bureau or agency thereof 

 with the approval of the Secretary, that the 

 information called for is needed to aid 

 or permit the efficient performance of 

 essential governmental functions or ser-

 vices, or has significant application to the 

 needs of the public, business, or industry 

 and is not publicly available from nongov-

 ernmental or other governmental sources;

 (3) in the case of any new survey, only after

 public notice, given by the Secretary or 

 other authorized officer or employee of 

 the Department of Commerce or bureau 

 or agency thereof at least thirty days in 

 advance of requesting a return, that such 

 survey is under consideration.

(b) The provisions for imprisonment provided by 

section 222 of this title shall not apply in connection with any survey conducted pursuant 

to subchapter II of chapter 3 of this title, or to 

subchapter IV of chapter 5 of this title.

(c) The provisions of sections 221, 222, 223, and 

224 of this title shall not apply to any censuses 

or surveys of governments provided for by 

subchapters III and IV of chapter 5 of this title, 

nor to other surveys provided for by subchapter IV of such chapter which are taken more 

frequently than annually.

(d) Where the doctrine, teaching, or discipline of 

any religious denomination or church prohibits the disclosure of information relative to 

membership, a refusal, in such circumstances, 

to furnish such information shall not be an 

offense under this chapter. 

Subchapter III—Procedure

Section 241. Evidence

When any request for information, made by the 

Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the 

Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, 

is made by registered or certified mail or telegram, the 

return receipt therefor or other written receipt thereof 

shall be prima facie evidence of an official request in 

any prosecution under such section. 

History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix B:

Historical Development of the Economic Census 

in the United States

ECONOMIC CENSUSES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

BEGINNINGS OF THE ECONOMIC CENSUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

 1810 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

1820 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

1830. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

1840 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

EXPANSION OF THE CENSUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

 1850. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

1860 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

1870. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

1880. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4

1890. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

1900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

ECONOMIC CENSUSES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

THE CENSUS BUREAU AND THE GROWTH OF THE ECONOMIC CENSUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

 Permanent Census Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

1905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

Economic Census of Puerto Rico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

1910 Census Act and Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

1910. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

1915. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-7

Special Censuses in 1917 and 1918 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

1920–1927 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

1930. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

1931–1933. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-10

1935 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-11

1937. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-11

1940. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

WORLD WAR II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

POST-WAR ECONOMIC CENSUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13

The Electronic Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-14

Watkins Commission: 1953–1954. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-14

1954. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-15

1958. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-16

1963. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-16

1967. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-17

1972. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18

Standard Statistical Establishment List (SSEL). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18

1977. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18

1982. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-19

1987. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-19

1992. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-20

1997. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-22

2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-23
B-2 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

ECONOMIC CENSUSES IN THE NINETEENTH

CENTURY

BEGINNINGS OF THE ECONOMIC CENSUSES

1810

The United States first inquired into the state of the 

nation’s economy during the 1810 census of population. In an act of May 1, 1810, Congress directed that, 

“it shall be the duty of the several marshals, secretaries, and their assistants aforesaid, to take, under the 

direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and according to such instructions as he shall give, an account of 

the several manufacturing establishments and manufactures within their several districts, territories, and 

divisions.” The act did not outline specific questions 

or prescribe a schedule, leaving those matters to the 

Secretary of the Treasury’s discretion.1

To facilitate data collection, the Treasury Department 

divided manufactured products into 25 broad categories, encompassing more than 220 kinds of goods. As 

the U.S. marshals and their assistants conducted the 

decennial census, they also visited the manufacturing establishments in their assigned areas to obtain 

economic data—generally on the quantity and value of 

products manufactured. 

The enumeration was conducted from August 1810 to 

July 1811, at a total cost of $40,000. In March 1812, 

Congress authorized $2,000 for the Treasury Department to prepare a statistical report on the kind, quantity, and value of goods manufactured and the number 

of manufacturing establishments in each state, territory, district, and county. The May 1813 report noted 

that the economic data were of poor quality because 

of serious undercounting and omissions during the 

enumeration. These shortcomings likely figured into 

the 1810 valuation of the nation’s total manufactures at 

about $173 million; however, the actual figure probably 

exceeded $200 million.2

1820

The 1820 census collected data on manufactures 

similar to the kind collected in 1810. It also collected 

additional information on the location of establishments, types of raw materials used (kind, quantity, 

and cost), numbers of employees (men, women, and 

children), machinery (kind of machinery and quantity of 

machinery in operation), expenditures (capital, wages, 

1 Act of May 1, 1810. 

2 Tench Coxe, A Statement of the Arts and Manufactures of the 

United States for the Year 1810 (Philadelphia, PA: A. Cornman, 1814), 

pp. ii and iii. 

and contingent expenses), and production (nature and 

names of articles manufactured, value, demand, and 

sales). Federal marshals and their assistants collected 

the data, and the U.S. Department of State published 

the results for each state, territory, and district. 

As a result of insufficient funds to pay marshals and 

the neglect (or refusal) of many establishments to provide the required information, the Department of State 

did not attempt to compute U.S. totals because the 

data were incomplete. Data from 1810 and 1820 are 

not comparable because marshals counted household 

manufactures (goods produced at home) in 1810 but 

not in 1820.3

1830

The poor quality of data collected during the previous two censuses resulted in the marshals making no 

attempt to obtain manufactures data during the 1830 

census.4

1840

Congress resumed collecting manufactures’ statistics 

as well as data on mining and fisheries in 1840 following the rapid growth in commercial fishing, commerce, 

and mining since the 1820 census. Marshals and their 

assistants used a single questionnaire, ‘‘Schedule of 

Mines, Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures, Etc.,’’ 

to collect data on these subjects. The census divided 

manufacturing into 30 categories according to the 

basis of the manufactured product (machinery, paper, 

furniture, etc.), and included an ‘‘all other manufactures’’ classification. Census takers collected statistics 

on the quantity and value of goods produced, amount 

of capital invested, number of employees, and number 

of establishments. After classification of mine operations (i.e., iron, lead, salt, stone, etc.), marshals questioned mine operators about the quantity and value of 

materials produced, employment, and capital invested 

in mining operations. Commercial fishermen responded 

to questions regarding quantity (and sometimes value) 

of fish products, employment, and capital invested. 

Marshals tabulated the returns for manufacturing, fishing, commerce, and mining and published statistical 

tables on the ‘‘commerce and industry of the country.’’ 

However, the 1840 census results reflected a considerable undercoverage of the national economy.5

3 Carroll D. Wright and William C. Hunt, The History and Growth of 

the U.S. Census (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1900), 

pp. 26–27. 4 Ibid., p. 29.

5 Ibid., pp. 309–12. See list of inquiries to manufactures in the 

1840 census. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-3

U.S. Census Bureau

EXPANSION OF THE CENSUSES

1850

In a report of the Senate Committee on the Library, 

Senator Rufus Choate of Massachusetts acknowledged 

the deficiencies in the economic data collected during previous censuses, stating that, “. . . in view of 

the manifest and palpable, not to say gross, errors of 

the late census, the [members of the Senate Committee on the Library] feel bound to suggest to the Senate 

the necessity of some legislation with a view to prevent similar errors and inaccuracies in the census to 

be taken in 1850.” Subsequently, in a March 3, 1849, 

act, Congress established the Census Board, specifically tasked with correcting these inaccuracies in data 

collection, and selected board members “not for their 

political opinions, but for their scientific attainments 

and knowledge of the matters they are to investigate.”6

The newly established Census Board consisted of the 

Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Postmaster General. The Census Board nominated Joseph 

C. G. Kennedy, a statistician and newspaper editorowner from Pennsylvania, to serve as secretary, and the 

Secretary of the Interior formally appointed Kennedy 

‘‘superintendent’’ of the Census Office in 1850. As 

superintendent, Kennedy’s responsibilities included 

designing and printing the schedules of inquiries and 

collecting and publishing data on the nation’s population, manufacturing, mining, fishing, and commerce.7

The Census Board consulted with prominent statisticians to develop six schedules of inquiries. Schedule 5 

collected economic data from every corporation, company, or individual having annual production valued at 

$500 or more for the year ending July 1, 1850.8 The 

schedules also asked respondents to supply the following data:

• Name of business, manufacture, or product 

• Amount of capital invested in real and personal 

estate in the business 

• Quantities, kinds, and values of raw materials used

• Kind of motive power (water or steam), machinery, 

structure, or resource used in the manufacturing 

process

6 Wright and Hunt, “History and Growth of the U.S. Census,”

pp. 40–41. 7 Ibid., p. 40. 

8 For a time, the government used the words ‘‘schedule’’ and ‘‘questionnaire’’ interchangeably to refer to the report form completed either 

by a respondent or a census enumerator. In more recent years, the 

Census Bureau has generally used the term ‘‘questionnaire.’’ 

• Average number of male and female workers 

employed

• Average monthly cost of male and female labor

• Quantities, kinds, and values of annual production

Although federal marshals and their assistants continued to collect census data, clerks working under the 

supervision of Superintendent Kennedy prepared statistics for publication. The Census Board published the 

first general census results in June 1853. Partial data 

for manufactures were available in September 1854, 

and complete economic statistics for the 1850 census 

were released in December 1859.9

Following the enumeration, the Census Board reported 

that the total value of manufactures (including fisheries and the products of mines), as reflected in the 1850 

census, exceeded $1 billion—a 500 percent increase 

since 1810, compared to a 75 percent growth in population. Although the undercount continued, the economic and decennial censuses were considerably more 

accurate than the previous censuses.10

1860

A significant change to the published results followed 

the 1860 census when Superintendent Kennedy offered 

analysis of census statistics. In the 1862 Preliminary 

Report on the Eighth Census, Kennedy described the 

increasing impact of manufacturing and commerce 

in the United States, estimating that one-third of the 

entire population in 1860 was supported, directly 

or indirectly, by manufacturing. He compared various industries, interpreted the data to show how and 

why sections of the economy expanded, stabilized, or 

decreased, and illustrated interrelationships among the 

production and socioeconomic factors. 

1870

For the 1870 census, the Census Board modified 

several of the economic schedules in an attempt to 

collect more detailed data. For example, the ‘‘products 

of industry’’ inquiry collected additional information on 

machinery and machine power sources, cost of labor, 

and number of months the establishment was in operation. The motive power and machinery inquiry was 

subdivided to identify the kind of motive power, horsepower (if steam or water), and the number of machines 

used. Also, the inquiry concerning the average number 

9 Wright and Hunt, “History and Growth of the U.S. Census,” p. 47. 10 George F. Warren and Frank A. Pearson. Prices (New York: John 

Wiley and Sons, 1933), pp. 11–13, 25–27, cited by Frederick G. Bohme, 

‘‘U.S. Economic Censuses, 1810 to the Present,’’ Government 

Information Quarterly, Volume 4, Number 3 (1987), p. 224. 
B-4 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

of hands employed was revised to cover males (older 

than 16 years), females (older than 15 years), and children. Despite these changes, statistics on industry and 

wealth contained basic tabulations closely resembling 

those of 1850 and 1860. 

1880	

In March 1879, a new census law implemented major 

changes in economic data collection for the census of 

1880.11 These changes included:

• Tailoring schedules to specialized businesses.

• Expanding the scope of the censuses. 

• Replacing the federal marshals and their assistants 

with census supervisors and ‘‘experts,’’ appointed by 

the President and confirmed by the Senate.12

• Implementing a schedule of fines and/or imprisonment for census workers who breached respondent 

confidentiality, falsified census records, or participated in other forms of misconduct. 

The Census Office expanded the number of general 

economic questions used for the 1880 census and 

designed 49 special schedules, containing more than 

2,000 inquiries tailored for manufacturing industries. 

Although the same item appeared on several (or on 

the general schedules and also on one or more special 

schedules), more than 700 inquiries were unique to an 

individual economic sector.13

During the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses, mining 

and mineral industries inquiries were included on the 

‘‘products of industry’’ schedules. For 1880, the Census 

Office created 42 schedules specific to mining and mineral industries. (The 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses 

collected these data from the “products of industry” 

schedules). The mining and mineral industries schedules contained almost 3,000 inquiries, of which 1,600 

were unique to specific schedules.14

The 1880 census included five schedules for commercial fisheries to inquire about the amount and kind of 

fish taken, type of equipment used, employment, and 

finances. Of these schedules, commercial fishermen 

11 Act approved March 3, 1879, for the conduct of the tenth census, 

20 Stat. 473. 12 For the economic census, ‘‘experts’’ and ‘‘special agents’’ (college 

professors, engineers, economic statisticians, and others with training 

and experience in the appropriate subject-matter areas) were authorized to collect, classify, and analyze statistics on manufacturing, mineral industries, or commercial fisheries in 279 large cities and towns. 13 For a general description of the schedules, see Wright and Hunt, 

p. 63. Individual inquiries on the schedules are listed on pp. 316–63. 14 Although schedules for copper mines asked more than 120 

questions, the median number of items on the mining and mineral 

industries special schedules was 53. 

received a basic schedule, and more-detailed schedules 

were prepared for dealers of fresh and salt fish and for 

fishing activities. 

Although the 1850 census collected some data on 

telegraph facilities, the 1880 census marked the first 

major effort to compile detailed statistics on transportation and communications, including the collection 

and publication of data on steam railroads, steamboat 

companies, incorporated express companies, and telegraph companies. The Census Office asked 375 questions designed to collect information on the railroads’ 

financial and physical characteristics.15

The 1880 census also contained a special survey on 

wages and prices. Three schedules, with a total of 167 

questions, collected statistics on wages in the manufacturing industries and building trades and on average 

retail prices of the ‘‘necessaries of life.’’ 

The insurance industry (specifically life insurance) merited several questions in the 1860 census. By 1880, 15 

schedules collected data on the organization, finances, 

and insurance in force for life, fire, and marine insurance companies.16

The rise of organized labor and trade associations 

prompted the government, for the first and only time 

in the censuses, to include a series of inquiries on labor 

unions and trade societies (number, objectives and 

methods, membership, receipts, and expenditures) and 

on the number, location, causes, and results of strikes 

and lockouts. The census used four schedules containing a total of 101 questions to collect this information. 

The economic statistics compiled in the 1880 census were more comprehensive than in any previous census. The use of experts and special agents 

generally resulted in returns being more complete 

and consistent, which led to more-accurate data on 

the nation’s economy. The Census Office published 

the compendium summarizing census data in early 

15 Financial characteristics included income, expenses, and analysis 

of earnings, while physical characteristics encompassed track mileage, 

amount and kind of rolling stock (locomotives and cars), and fuel used 

to power locomotives. The census requested a detailed report from 

each railroad on virtually every facet of its operations, including timber 

conservation practices and data on employees and others killed or 

injured in accidents.

In addition to questions about the railroads’ current characteristics, 

there was a special inquiry on the history of their construction. From 

this, the Census Office tabulated statistics on mileage built and existent, by groups of states, for individual companies, and annually from 

1830 to 1880. The special schedules asked fewer and less-detailed 

questions of steamboat companies (21 questions), express companies 

(30), telegraph companies (24), and telephone/telegraph companies 

(16). 16 As a result of difficulties experienced in collecting and tabulating 

the data, no report was issued on this subject, except for a preliminary 

statement in the statistical compendium. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-5

U.S. Census Bureau

1883; manufacturing statistics and transportationcommunications data in October 1883; and the mineral 

industries data in July 1886. Additionally, the Census 

Office published several monographs in the mid-1880s 

(on water power used in manufacturing; precious 

metals; and petroleum, coke, and building stone). The 

office published the last 1880 publication—the 1880 

statistical atlas—following the 1890 census. 

189017

The 1890 Censuses of Manufactures and Mineral Industries followed the basic procedures established for the 

1880 census. Specialists and agents visited establishments in 1,042 manufacturing and commercial centers, 

bulletins announced preliminary census results, and in 

many instances, the same schedule formats were used. 

The 1890 census was the first to use administrative 

records (those kept by governmental or private organizations on their day-to-day operations) to compile 

economic census data, including indebtedness—such 

as real estate mortgages—of private corporations and 

individuals. Census agents compiled data on mortgages made during the period 1880 to 1890 from real 

estate recorders’ offices. Collected data included a 

description of the property, provisions of the mortgage, 

and the addresses of the mortgagor and mortgagee. 

The Census Office mailed schedules (and postage-paid 

return envelopes) to the mortgagors (or the mortgagees if the mortgagors did not respond), requesting 

additional information about their mortgages (whether 

or not they had been fully paid and, if not, how much 

was owed). Respondents mailed their completed schedules to the Census Office.18

Additionally, the 1890 census covered Alaskan manufactures for the first time.19 The census also expanded 

its inquiries into national transportation (first asked in 

17 The Census Bureau, for much of its history, used the term 

‘‘economic censuses’’ to cover all of its economic data-collection activities. For 1992, on the advice of the Advertising Council, the agency 

used the term ‘‘economic census’’ primarily to assist its promotional 

activities and because data users frequently did not understand what 

‘‘economic censuses’’ meant. 18 U.S. Census Bureau, Report of the Superintendent of the Census 

to the Secretary of the Interior 1890 (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1890), pp. 25–27. 19 Ibid., pp. 38–39. In the early 1880s, Ivan Petroff, a special 

Census Office agent, traveled to Alaska (in accordance with instructions 

from the Superintendent of the Census) to report on the number of 

inhabitants. As a result of his work, he (1) produced a brief statistical 

review of Alaska in geographic divisions, with tables of population, 

(2) provided a review of the fur trade, fisheries, mineral, and agricultural resources, (3) described the geography and topography of Alaska, 

(4) furnished a historical sketch of Alaska from its discovery to the year 

1880, and (5) wrote notes on Alaskan ethnology. However, this effort 

did not constitute an economic census of that territory. 

1880) to include coverage extended to sailing vessels 

and rapid-transit facilities in cities (including cable railways, railways operated by animal power, and electric 

street railroads).20

1900

The census of 1900,21 modeled on the 1890 census, 

included coverage of manufactures, mines and quarries, street and electric railroads, and, for the first time, 

central electric light and power stations. It compiled 

manufacturing information on the number of establishments, capital invested, number of wage earners and 

total wages paid, cost of materials, and value of products in 1,042 cities and towns. Most manufacturing 

establishments reported information on a general questionnaire (about 513,000 of 640,000 establishments 

responding to the census). Thirty-two industry-specific 

questionnaires were used to enumerate the remaining 

establishments.22

The Census Office published manufacturing data in 

four volumes, with summary data published in the 

1900 statistical abstract and atlas. The Census Office 

also disseminated economic data in 59 unique bulletins on various special subjects in manufacturing that 

included shipbuilding, slaughtering and packing, and 

lumbering, as well as in bulletins on manufacturing 

for each of the states and territories except Alaska and 

Hawaii.23

The Census Office staff compiled statistics about street 

and electric railroads, on such topics as number of 

companies, length of rail lines, cost of construction and 

equipment, employees, and passengers. Data compiled 

for central electric light and power companies included 

number of stations, cost of construction and equipment, earnings, expenses, and power generated.24

20 Wright and Hunt, “History and Growth of the U.S. Census,”

pp. 812–21. 21 Statistics for manufacturing were for the year 1900. Data for mining, street and electric railroads, and electric light and power stations 

were for 1902, but the Census Office released these results as part of 

the 12th Decennial Census publication series. See U.S. Census Bureau, 

Bureau of the Census Catalog of Publications 1790–1972 (Washington, 

DC: Government Printing Office, 1974). 22 U.S. Census Office, Census Reports, Volume VII, Twelfth Census of 

the United States Taken in the Year 1900, Manufactures, “Part 1: United 

States by Industries” (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1902), p. xlviii. 23 Data for Alaska and Hawaii appeared in the regular census 

reports. 24 For details of the publications for the 1900 census, see the 

Census Catalog, pp. 28–33. 
B-6 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

ECONOMIC CENSUSES IN THE TWENTIETH

CENTURY

THE CENSUS BUREAU AND THE GROWTH OF

THE ECONOMIC CENSUS

Permanent Census Act

Moves to establish a permanent agency responsible for 

conducting the census began soon after the 1840 census. In a June 17, 1844, report, the American Statistical 

Society urged Congress to establish a permanent 

bureau of statistics to avoid the errors of the 1840 

census. In the decades that followed, committees and 

professional associations continued to lobby for a permanent agency. In 1888, Superintendent of the Census 

Francis Amasa Walker recommended that the task of 

taking the census, at the very least, be assigned to an 

already existing, organized, and permanently operating 

agency (specifically the Bureau of Statistics and Labor 

in the Department of the Interior).25

Lobbyists for a permanent census bureau persisted, 

strengthened by continued efforts of the American 

Statistical Society and the National Board of Trade26

and by continued dissatisfaction with census results. 

Congress eventually rewarded proponents’ efforts with 

passage of the Permanent Census Act in March 1902.27

The act established the Census Bureau (referred to as 

the Census Office in the act) as a permanent agency in 

the U.S. Department of the Interior.28 It also directed 

that a census of manufactures would be conducted 

every 5 years (quinquennially) beginning in 1905.29

The 1902 act mandated several specialized interdecennial censuses (taken between 1902 and 1937) 

that included street railways and telephone and 

25 John Cummings, “The Permanent Census Bureau: A Decade of 

Work,” Publications of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 13, 

No. 104, December 1913, pp. 605–7. 26 In 1890, the National Board of Trade formed a committee to study 

the feasibility of a permanent census-taking agency. The committee was 

also tasked with developing recommendations to help avoid concentrating demographic and economic inquiries in a single year. In response 

to the committee’s recommendations, Congress asked the Commissioner of Labor to prepare a plan for a permanent census agency. The 

U.S. House of Representatives and Senate held hearings on the agency’s 

creation in 1897, only to conclude their sessions without action other 

than to address the situation in the future. A. Ross Eckler, The Bureau of 

the Census (New York: Praeger Publishers Inc., 1972), p. 9. 27 Permanent Census Act of 1902. 32 Stat. 51. Also cited in U.S. 

Bureau of the Census, Legislation Relating to the Bureau of the Census

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1917), pp. 5–8. 28 The name changed to the ‘‘Bureau of the Census’’ in 1903, when 

the agency became part of the new Department of Commerce and 

Labor. Legislation continued to refer to the ‘‘Census Office,’’ however. 

The Census Bureau became part of the Department of Commerce in 

1913 after the Department of Labor’s separate establishment. 29 In his book, The Bureau of the Census, pp. 9–10, A. Ross Eckler 

states on that a mid-decade economic census would not only serve the 

purpose of increasing the amount of economic data, but also would 

keep the agency’s employees busy when not engaged in decennial 

census activities. 

telegraph companies. In 1922, the ‘‘street railways’’ 

survey expanded to include motor buses and, in 1932, 

trolley buses. Although the ‘‘telegraph’’ classification 

included only land telegraph and ocean cable systems 

in 1902, the agency added wireless systems in 1907. 

Other special censuses included enumerations of water 

transportation in 1906, 1916, and 1926; express businesses in 1907; and commercial fisheries in 1908.30

1905	

Prior to the 1905 census, the Census Bureau created 

an index of manufactures names and addresses using 

the 1900 census results, city directories, trade publications, and state and local government lists. Using the 

index, the agency sent preliminary questionnaires to 

manufacturing establishments in October 1904 asking 

for basic information on their establishments (name 

and address, period of operation, and kind of business). 

The Census Bureau used the preliminary questionnaire 

data to update its index and—for the first time—mail 

the census questionnaires to establishments. Questionnaires were mailed in early December 1904. Enumerators visited nonrespondent establishments beginning in 

January 1905.31

The schedules used in the 1905 census were the same 

as those used in 1900. The agency redefined the scope 

of the census to cover only manufacturing establishments under the ‘‘factory system,’’ excluding the neighborhood and household industries and trades32 that 

were included previously. Upon completion, the agency 

retabulated the results from the 1900 manufactures 

census using the new definition to provide comparability between censuses.33

Economic Census of Puerto Rico

The Census Bureau conducted the first economic census of Puerto Rico (for manufactures) for the year 1909. 

With the exception of 1929, the agency conducted 

a census in Puerto Rico at 10-year intervals through 

1949, after which it was taken concurrently with censuses of retail and wholesale trade and selected service 

industries, for the years 1954 and 1958. (In 1952 and 

30 The Census Bureau also conducted censuses of commercial fisheries in 1963 and 1967, but discontinued the program after 1967 due 

to a lack of interest by data users. 31 The Census Bureau employed 835 enumerators to conduct visits 

to nonrespondent establishments. These enumerators consisted of permanent Census Bureau employees and temporary employees hired specifically for the 1905 census. U.S. Bureau of the Census, Manufactures 

1905, “Part I: United States by Industries” (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1907), pp. xxvi–xxviii. 32 Examples of these industries include custom tailoring, carpentering, taxidermy, and, in general, contract work done for individual 

customers. The census also excluded establishments that produced 

products with an annual value of less than $500. 33 Manufactures 1905, “Part I: United States by Industries,” p. xxvii. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-7

U.S. Census Bureau

1956, the Commonwealth Government of Puerto Rico 

conducted censuses of manufactures with more limited 

coverage than the stateside census.) The census in 

Puerto Rico has been part of the stateside economic 

census program since 1963.34

1910 Census Act and Confidentiality

The 1910 Census Act strengthened respondents’ 

confidentiality, particularly as it related to economic 

data. The Census Bureau informally considered data 

collected during earlier censuses confidential,35 but 

the 1910 law codified that data furnished by business, 

manufacturing, and mining establishments: 

. . . shall be used only for the statistical purposes for 

which it is supplied. No publication shall be made 

by the Census Office whereby the data furnished by 

any particular establishment can be identified, nor 

shall the Director of the Census permit anyone other 

than the sworn employees of the Census Office to 

examine the individual reports.36

The Census Bureau acknowledged the importance of 

confidentiality by noting in the volume containing 

results of the 1910 manufactures census that: 

It is essential to the success of the manufactures 

census that every concern should be assured explicitly by law that its business will not be disclosed to 

competitors, to the general public, to State and local 

officials, or even to officials of the Federal Government outside of the Census Bureau. Only with such 

a pledge of confidential treatment can the Bureau of 

the Census report expect manufacturers to furnish 

data promptly and accurately.37

1910

The Census Bureau used one general schedule, one 

administrative and general office schedule, and 62 

special questionnaires for the 1910 Census of Manufacturing Establishments.38 Establishments completed and 

returned their questionnaires to the Census Bureau, 

and special agents visited nonrespondents. 

34 An act to provide for the thirteenth and subsequent censuses 

(July 2, 1909), 36 Stat. 1, extended the 1910 censuses, including 

manufactures, to include ‘‘Porto Rico.’’ For general information on the 

continuation of the census in Puerto Rico, see U.S. Census Bureau, 

1963 Economic Censuses: Procedural History (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1968), p. 105. 35 Wright and Hunt, “History and Growth of the U.S. Census,”

pp. 136, 145, 150, and 156. 36 Stat. 1. See Section 30 (25). 37 U.S. Bureau of the Census, “Manufactures 1909: General Report 

and Analysis,” Thirteenth Census of the United States, Vol. VIII, 

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1913), p. 18. 38 Ibid., p. 797. 

The Census Bureau and the U.S. Geological Survey used 

a single schedule to collect data for mines and quarries. (This was done to decrease respondent burden, 

since the agencies collected similar data.) The Census 

Bureau assigned 1,227 special agents and 76 regular 

employees to enumerate factories, mines, and quarries. 

In sparsely settled areas, decennial census enumerators 

visited manufacturing and mining establishments.39

For the first time, the 1910 Economic Census collected 

data from custom sawmills and gristmills and steam 

laundries. Under the definitions used in the two previous censuses of manufactures, mills that sawed lumber 

or ground grain for a fee did not fall under the factory 

system. The census covered steam laundries because 

they had become an important industry. Consolidating 

some categories reduced the number of separate industry tabulations published.40

An amendment to the 1902 Census Act, passed 

February 25, 1910, required the Census Bureau to 

enumerate the number of animals slaughtered for food 

purposes and the number of hides produced during the 

year. This necessitated an enumeration of all butchering 

establishments, many of which would not have been 

included under the general rules defining the factory 

system.41

1915

For the 1915 Census of Manufactures, the Census 

Bureau sought help from prominent manufactures and 

representative commercial and trade groups to conduct 

the census, as well as from Congress, the Department 

of Agriculture, the Bureau of Corporations, and state 

statistical organizations, to carry out the census. The 

Director of the Census Bureau and the chief statistician 

for manufactures visited large industrial cities to obtain 

suggestions on the form and content of the schedules 

from economic census participants.42

The Census Bureau published bulletins containing preliminary results by 1917; however, the United States’ 

entry into World War I (April 1917) delayed preparation 

of the final printed reports until after the armistice in 

November 1918.43

39 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Report of the Director to the Secretary 

of Commerce and Labor Concerning the Operations of the Bureau for 

the Year 1909–10 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1911), 

p. 36. 40 Ibid., p. 35. 41 Ibid. 42 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1914

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1914), pp. 19–20. 43 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1917

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1917), pp. 16–17; and 

Census Catalog, pp. 219–21. 
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Special Censuses in 1917 and 1918

The urgent need for industrial data during World 

War I resulted in a number of special economic censuses. In late 1917 and early 1918, the Census Bureau 

conducted a number of mail censuses for the War 

Trade, War Industries, Shipping, Federal Reserve, and 

Commercial Economy Boards, the Food Administration, 

and the Council of National Defense. These censuses 

covered such commodities as iron and steel; wool 

machinery and woolen manufactures; kapok fiber, 

jute, and silk; leather stocks and manufactured leather 

goods; antimony and graphite crucibles; commercial 

greenhouses; materials used in the manufacture of 

explosives; and dental gold production.44

1920–1927

The growing need for detailed economic statistics 

prompted Congress to direct the Census Bureau (in the 

act providing for the decennial census of 1920)45 to 

conduct censuses of manufactures on a biennial basis 

and to collect and publish economic statistics for the 

years 1921, 1923, 1925, 1927, and for every tenth 

year thereafter. Inquiries of “economic and sociological 

importance” included:46

• The size of establishments and hours of labor.

• The absolute and relative magnitude of the various 

branches of industry and their growth and decline. 

• The industrial importance (with increase or decrease) 

of individual states and large cities. 

In planning the 1921 Census of Manufactures, Census 

Bureau officials consulted the National Association of 

Manufacturers, the Census Bureau Advisory Committee (including members of the American Economic 

Association), civic associations (such as chambers of 

commerce), trade associations, and government and 

private-sector statisticians. These organizations and 

individuals provided recommendations that helped the 

Census Bureau design questionnaires, publicize the 

census, and encouraged industry acceptance of the 

census.47

To reduce expenses and expedite the processing 

and publication of results, the Census Bureau omitted certain items included in previous censuses of 

44 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1918

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1918), pp. 11–15. 45 An act to provide for the fourteenth and subsequent censuses 

(March 3, 1919), 40 Stat. 1291. 46 Ibid., Section 29(8). 47 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1920

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1920), pp. 29–30. 

manufactures (capital invested, age and sex distribution of employees,48 rent and taxes, primary horsepower used, and kind and quantity of fuel used in 

manufacturing). Additionally, it collected limited data 

on the number of wage earners and value of production from manufacturing establishments reporting 

products valued at less than $5,000 for 1921.49

For the first time in an economic census, the Census 

Bureau used a punch card tabulating system (similar to 

the one introduced during the 1890 decennial census 

for tabulating population data) to tabulate the 1921 

census data from manufactures, mines, and quarries.50

The Census Bureau issued preliminary summary reports 

of census results via press releases related to a particular industry or group of industries. A summary bulletin 

presented statistics for the United States by industries and for all industries combined by state. Mining 

data were published to reflect geographic distribution 

of operations, land controlled by mining operators, 

characteristics of organization, scale of operations, and 

amount and kind of power used. The general report of 

economic data included analytical tables and tabulations, selected by mineral industry and state, to facilitate comparisons with the mining statistics published 

annually by the U.S. Geological Survey.51

The procedures and coverage of the 1923 census were 

virtually the same as those of 1921. The 1923 mailout 

operation was more successful than in 1921, due 

in part to the expanded cooperation of chambers of 

commerce. In many large cities, chamber representatives were sworn in as census agents and supervised 

the census in their areas. The Census Bureau received 

approximately 65 percent of the returns by mail. By 

June 1924, almost 95 percent of the establishments 

had been canvassed by mail or by personal enumeration. Preliminary statistics first appeared in press 

releases, and final data were published in industry 

bulletins. A one-volume compendium report was published in January 1926.52

For 1925, the Census Bureau again benefitted from 

the cooperation of local chambers of commerce and 

48 U.S. Census Bureau, Biennial Census of Manufactures 1927

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1930), p. 3. 49 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘Manufactures 1919,’’ Fourteenth Census 

of the United States. . . 1920, Vol. VIII (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1923), p. 9. Previously, data had been obtained from 

establishments with annual production valued at $500 or more. 50 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1921

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1921), pp. 13–14. 51 Ibid., pp. 16–17. 52 Ibid., p. 23, and Annual Report of the Director of the Census to 

the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1923

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1923), pp. 14–15. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-9

U.S. Census Bureau

professional groups to encourage response to the 

census. Respondents returned about 65 percent of the 

schedules by mail (approximately 130,000 of 200,000 

sent). Census Bureau staff prepared press releases of 

preliminary results, plus the usual industry bulletins, 

and released the one-volume final report in December 

1927.53

The 1927 census included 335 industries. Approximately 65 percent of the respondents returned their 

schedules by mail. The previous publication sequence 

of press release, industry bulletin, and final volume 

was followed, with the one-volume final report published in April 1930.54

1930

Encompassing censuses of manufactures and mineral 

industries, construction industries, distribution (including retail and wholesale trades), and hotels, the 1930 

census was broader in scope than any previous census. 

These censuses covered activities for the year 1929. 

The Census Bureau undertook the construction census 

in response to a post–World War I construction boom.55

In 1920, fewer than 850,000 workers were employed in 

contract construction, and total private construction for 

that year was valued at $5.4 billion. By 1928, the last 

full year before the start of the Depression, more than 

1.6 million workers were employed in this field, and 

total private construction was valued at $9.2 billion.56

When planning the first census of construction 

industries, the Census Bureau consulted an advisory 

committee composed of representatives of national 

contractors’ associations and individual construction 

companies. This cooperative effort produced one basic 

questionnaire designed to collect the following data:

• Organization of the establishment 

• Number of salaried employees and total salaries paid 

• Number of skilled and unskilled workmen employed 

• Total annual wages 

• Length of working day and week 

• Expense for equipment, operation, and overhead 

53 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1925 

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1925), pp. 8–10. 54 Biennial Census of Manufactures 1927, pp. 3–12. 55 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘Construction Industry,’’ Fifteenth Census of 

the United States: 1930 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1933), p. 2. 56 U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Statistics of the United States, 

Colonial Times to 1970 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1975), Part 1, p. 137; and Part 2, p. 618. 

• Total value of materials and building equipment 

installed 

To mail questionnaires to construction establishments, 

the Census Bureau prepared an address list of such 

establishments (approximately 144,000 names and 

addresses) compiled from the records provided by 

contractors’ associations, private statistical agencies, 

chambers of commerce, city officials, and postmasters. 

Census Bureau clerks added additional names and 

addresses to the list collected from telephone and city 

directories.57

The Census Bureau mailed the construction census 

questionnaire to establishments engaged in construction (except industrial concerns, public utilities, 

municipalities, or common carriers that maintained 

construction crews to repair or maintain their own 

property). Nonrespondents received two reminder letters, and in cities with populations of 100,000 or more, 

enumerators employed by the decennial census visited 

nonrespondent establishments.58

The Census Bureau compiled detailed statistics only 

for establishments reporting gross receipts of at least 

$25,000 during the 1929 calendar year. A punch card 

system mechanically tabulated the data, and clerks 

and statisticians reviewed the tabulations to ensure 

accuracy. The results were published in a single, bound 

volume in December 1932.59

Data from the 1930 Census of Distribution (i.e., retail 

and wholesale trade) were collected solely via a field 

canvass. The retail trade inquiries covered operations of 

establishments involved in some manner of retail trade, 

including restaurants and some service businesses (such 

as automobile repair shops) that sold merchandise in 

addition to their services. Inquiries collected data on 

the numbers of stores, personnel, payroll, stocks, sales, 

operating expenses, seasonal employment characteristics, credit business, receipts from sales of meals and 

automotive services, value of returned goods and allowances, and type of organization. The Census Bureau 

classified retail establishments according to their principal sales items or popular designation and published 

preliminary results as press releases.60 In February 1933, 

a one-volume final report included a summary of data by 

57 ‘‘Construction Industry,” Fifteenth Census: 1930, pp. 2–4. 58 Ibid. 59 Ibid., pp. 4–5. 60 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘Retail Distribution: 1929,’’ Fifteenth Census 

of the United States: 1930: Distribution, Vol. I (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1933), pp. 13–14. 
B-10 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

states, counties, and incorporated places, and separate 

tables for each state.61

Wholesale trade included all establishments engaged in 

the purchase, sale, or distribution of goods on a conventional wholesale basis, plus other special categories 

such as cash-and-carry wholesalers, drop shippers 

(middlemen who secured orders from buyers and had 

merchandise shipped directly from the manufacturer to 

the buyer), manufacturers’ sales branches, and cooperative marketing associations. Virtually all merchandising establishments not in the retail group were covered 

by the census of wholesale trade.62

The census of wholesale trade compiled data on the 

number of establishments; number of employees; 

salaries and wages; stocks; and net sales, credit sales, 

sales to ultimate consumers, and sales to industrial 

consumers.

Enumerators visited each of approximately 1.5 million 

establishments involved in wholesale trade to complete 

one of the six questionnaires.63 Clerks tabulated the 

wholesale data by kind of business (chemical products wholesaler, drug wholesaler, etc.), by geographic 

area (division and state), and by type of organization 

(proprietorship, partnership, etc.).64 The Census Bureau 

published preliminary results as press bulletins and 

released the final bound volume in December 1933. 

The Census Bureau planned a mailout/mailback census of hotels (which included only establishments with 

at least 25 guestrooms) using the directory of names 

and addresses it compiled of about 27,000 hotels in 

February 1930. However, because of changes in ownership, duplications, and classification problems, a field 

canvass was necessary, using decennial census enumerators. Ultimately, clerks compiled data for approximately 15,500 hotels (70 percent of which returned 

questionnaires by mail, while enumerators contacted 

the remainder). The agency published tabulations on 

the number of hotels, number of rooms, seating capacity of dining rooms, receipts, employment, salaries 

and wages, and number of proprietors and firm members. These data were classified by plan of operation 

(American, European, and mixed), type of occupancy 

61 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1930

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1930), p. 17. 62 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘Wholesale Distribution: Summary for the 

United States,’’ Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1933), p. 7. 63 Annual Report of the Director of the Census: 1930 (Washington, 

DC: Government Printing Office, 1930), p. 17. 64 “Wholesale Distribution,” Fifteenth Census: 1930, p. 8. 

(transient, permanent, or mixed), and geographic division and state.65

The procedures, coverage, and publication program for 

the 1930 manufactures census closely resembled those 

of the biennial censuses for 1921 through 1927. There 

were 165 questionnaires used to collect data for 238 

industry categories. One major difference in coverage was that whereas the first four biennial censuses 

of manufactures included only firms reporting annual 

production valued of at least $5,000, the minimum for 

the 1930 census was $500.66

The scope of the 1930 Census of Mines and Quarries 

differed considerably from the 1920 Census of Mineral 

Industries. The 1930 census excluded the petroleum 

and natural gas industries and did not collect data 

for capital, land holdings, rents, royalties, taxes, or 

detailed breakdowns by kind of employees. The census 

covered the sand and gravel, glass-sand, and moldingsand industries, and the quarrying of limestone carried 

on in connection with the manufacture of lime and 

cement. Questionnaires included new inquiries as to 

distribution of sales, equipment purchased, and mobile 

power equipment. A number of industries were consolidated and reclassified for the questionnaire. The 

data-collection methods and the publication program 

remained unchanged from previous censuses.67

The 1930 publication program included several special 

reports on economic topics, including sales distribution of products from manufacturing plants; products 

of manufacturing industries; materials used in manufacturing; and location of industrial plants. With the 

addition of the censuses of distribution, construction 

industries, and hotels, the continuation of the manufactures and mineral industries censuses, and the coverage of special topics, the 1930 census was broader in 

scope than any of the previous economic censuses. 

1931–1933

Congress reduced Census Bureau funding and personnel authorizations for the 1931 and 1933 Censuses of 

Manufactures, and the Census Bureau had to adopt new 

methods to reduce the cost of the enumeration.68 The 

65 U.S. Census Bureau, “Census of Hotels, 1930” Fifteenth Census of 

the United States: 1930 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1931), pp. 1–3. 66 U.S. Census Bureau, Fifteenth Census of the United States: 

Census of Manufactures: 1929, Volume I, General Report (Washington, 

DC: Government Printing Office, 1933), p. 1. 67 U.S. Census Bureau, Fifteenth Census of the United States: Mines 

and Quarries: 1929, General Report and Reports for States and for 

Industries (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1933), 

pp. 3–5. 68 U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Report of the Director of the Census 

to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1932 

(Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1932), p. 9. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-11

U.S. Census Bureau

1931 census covered 310 industries, but discontinued 

some inquiries (e.g., on salaried employees, power 

equipment, and coal consumption69). The Census Bureau 

mailed questionnaires in January 1932, and establishments returned approximately 60 percent by mail. 

Officials of local chambers of commerce and census 

employees (in large industrial centers) conducted a telephone follow-up of nonrespondents. Decreased funding 

resulted in fewer field follow-ups and delayed the publication of census results. The Census Bureau released 

individual industry bulletins over a 2-year period 

(1933–1934) and a final one-volume report in 1935.70

The agency reduced the number of special questionnaires for 1933, making greater use of the general questionnaire and of a short-form questionnaire for smaller 

establishments. The census used the mailout/mailback 

enumeration, with telephone follow-ups, and about 75 

percent of the questionnaires were returned by mail. The 

published volume containing final census results warned 

data users that fewer personal follow-ups had resulted 

in incomplete coverage in some areas.71

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s ‘‘New Deal’’ policies, and their economic data requirements, triggered 

several special economic census projects, such as the 

1933 Business Census. This census included retail 

distribution, wholesale distribution, and a new category, ‘‘Services, Amusements, and Hotels.’’ The service 

classification consisted of personal services (including 

barber shops and beauty parlors), mechanical repair 

services (such as radio shops), and miscellaneous services (such as parking lots). The agency collected data 

exclusively in a field enumeration funded by the Civil 

Works Administration.72

1935

The 1935 Census of Manufactures provided about 

the same level of detail as did the 1930 census. The 

Census Bureau mailed questionnaires in January 1936 

and instructed establishments to hold their questionnaires until enumerators visited. Enumerators collected 

69 U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of 

Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1933 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1933), p. 20. 70 U.S. Census Bureau, Biennial Census of Manufactures 1931

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1935), p. 3; U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of Commerce 

for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1934 (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1934), pp. 18–19; and Annual Report of the Secretary 

of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1935 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1935), p. 23. 71 U.S. Census Bureau, Biennial Census of Manufactures 1933

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1935), pp. 3–4. 72 Annual Report of the Secretary 1934, pp. 24–25. 

data from every establishment, including those that 

had not received questionnaires by mail.73

The 1935 Census of Business covered retail trade, 

wholesale trade, the construction industries, and service establishments (personal, business, repair, custom, 

and miscellaneous services) in an extensive field operation funded by the Works Progress Administration.74

The census also included a miscellaneous business category encompassing many types of establishments not 

canvassed in any previous census including:

• Advertising agencies (received mailed questionnaires 

and a follow-up visit)

• Radio broadcasting stations (received mailed questionnaires, a follow-up letter, and a follow-up visit)

• Banks (data collected by mail by the Federal Reserve 

Board, Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal 

Deposit Insurance Corporation; follow-up visits were 

supervised by the Census Bureau)

• Insurance companies (received mailed questionnaires and a follow-up visit) 

The goal of the 1935 Census of Business was to canvass every recognizable place of business and appraise 

the effects of the economic depression. To that end, a 

field enumeration collected data from real estate agencies, financial institutions other than banks (e.g., stock 

brokerages and finance companies), hotels, places of 

amusement, transportation (e.g., buses, trucks for hire, 

and warehousing), nonprofit organizations, property 

management firms, and miscellaneous business.75

The Census Bureau tabulated some of these data at a 

special office opened in Philadelphia76 and published 

the final business census results in 14 volumes (3 

each for retail trade, wholesale trade, selected service 

industries, and construction; 1 for transportation and 

warehousing; and 1 for the miscellaneous topics), plus 

a series of special reports. The agency also published a 

one-volume census of manufactures report.77

1937

In 1937, the Census Bureau conducted only the census of manufactures. Although the agency reduced 

the number of special questionnaires used, it collected more product detail than in previous censuses, 

73 U.S. Census Bureau, Biennial Census of Manufactures 1935

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1938), pp. 3–5. 74 Annual Report of the Secretary 1935 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1935), p. 19. 75 Ibid., p. 20. 76 Ibid., p. 19. 77 For a list and descriptions of these reports, see the Census 

Catalog, pp. 144–149 and 238–241. 
B-12 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

including data on finished-product and work-inprogress inventories.78

The Census Bureau developed the 1937 mailing list 

from 1935 census files, trade directories, license 

lists, etc., and mailed questionnaires in January 1938. 

Nonrespondents received two follow-up letters, in 

February and March. Enumerators visited the remaining 

nonrespondent establishments between April and June 

1938, after which the agency made a final attempt to 

obtain data from nonrespondents by mail. 

The preliminary data from the 1937 Census of 

Manufactures appeared first in press releases. The 

Census Bureau published final results via pamphlets 

and finally as a single volume released in December 

1939.79

1940

The 1940 decennial census included a field enumeration of businesses (retail and wholesale trades; selected 

service establishments, places of amusement, hotels, 

and tourist camps; and construction), manufactures, 

and mineral industries, for the 1939 data year.80

The Census Bureau did not canvass the majority of the 

establishments classified in the 1935 miscellaneous 

business category (e.g., banks, advertising agencies, 

and radio stations).81 The agency shifted coverage 

of places of amusement and hotels to the selected 

service industry group. Furthermore, it modified the 

1935 retail classifications for 1940 and published a 

special table on ‘‘reconciliation of classifications’’ to 

facilitate comparisons of 1935 and 1940 tabulations. 

The agency also extended the censuses of retail and 

wholesale trades and selected service industries to 

Puerto Rico.82

Coverage of the census of manufactures was similar 

to that of 1937, but the enumeration shifted from a 

mailout/mailback operation with follow-up visits to a 

field enumeration. Enumerators asked a new question 

78 U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of 

Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1938 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1938), p. 24. 79 See the U.S. Census Bureau, Biennial Census of Manufactures 

1937: Part I (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1939). 80 U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of 

Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1940 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1940), p. 44. 81 The Census Bureau changed the scope of the census of selected 

service establishments by adding the miscellaneous business classifications. U.S. Census Bureau, Sixteenth Census of the United States: 

1940 Census of Business: Volume I, Retail Trade, Part 1, United States 

Summary (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1943), p. 3. 

The reconciliation tables are contained in an appendix to the printed 

volume. 82 Fred A. Gosnell, ‘‘The 1939 Business Census Gets Under Way,’’ 

Journal of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 34, December 

1939, pp. 667–70. 

on capital expenditures for plants and equipment and 

another on personnel, collected data on gender, and 

produced detailed categories of nonmanufacturing 

employees.83

With the exception of a field enumeration for stone, 

clay, and sand and gravel industries, the Census 

Bureau collected 1939 data for mineral industries by 

mail enumeration. The Census Bureau conducted a 

mail enumeration of the bituminous coal industry with 

the cooperation of the Bituminous Coal Division of 

the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior. 

Bureau of Mines field offices distributed and collected 

the questionnaires from coal industry establishments.84

In addition to distributing press releases and pamphlets, the Census Bureau published data in 10 volumes (5 for the census of business, 3 for the census 

of manufactures, and 2 for the census of mineral 

industries). The country’s involvement in World War II 

interrupted preparation of planned special reports, and 

some were abandoned, including subject reports for 

retail trade. The agency published the last volume of 

data in June 1943. 

WORLD WAR II

Title 14 of the Second War Powers Act, passed March 

27, 1942, permitted the Secretary of Commerce to 

dispense with or curtail any regular census of the 

U.S. Department of Commerce in order to undertake 

more urgent statistical work deemed vital to the war 

effort. Periodic economic censuses were replaced by 

war-related surveys that provided statistics needed by 

the Office of Price Administration, the War Manpower 

Commission, the Office of Defense Transportation, 

and other agencies charged with the nation’s defense. 

Executive Order 9152 of April 29, 1942, specifically 

canceled the 1941 Census of Manufactures and, later, 

the 1943 Census of Manufactures. The Census Bureau 

did not conduct a census in 1945 because Congress 

did not appropriate the necessary funds.85

83 U.S. Census Bureau, Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940: 

Manufactures 1939, Volume 1: Statistics by Subject (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1942), pp. 1 and 3. 84 U.S. Census Bureau, Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940: 

Mineral Industries 1939, Volume I: General Summary and Industry 

Statistics (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1944), p. 1. 85 U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary of 

Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1942 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1942), p. 15. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-13

U.S. Census Bureau

POST-WAR ECONOMIC CENSUSES

The Census Bureau conducted the 1947 Census of 

Manufactures, the first since 1939, via a mailout/

mailback operation86 in accordance with the Fifteenth 

Census Act of June 18, 1929.87

A major innovation of the 1947 census was the introduction of the 1945 Standard Industrial Classification 

(SIC) Manual for classifying industries covered by the 

census. (Prior to World War II, the Census Bureau developed and used its own classifications.) The Census 

Bureau sent precanvass cards to about 525,000 possible manufacturing firms before mailing the questionnaires. The cards requested responses to questions 

about the establishment’s name and address, corporation affiliation, manufacturing process used, types of 

products, and number of employees.88 Response to 

these inquiries enabled the Census Bureau to eliminate 

addresses for nonmanufacturing establishments and 

determine which of the 212 questionnaires should be 

sent to each.89

The 1947 census collected statistics on work hours 

from all industries and collected data on the total number of employees, not just production workers. These 

more complete employee data permitted the Census 

Bureau to present data for industries by the total number of employees rather than the number of production 

workers.90

Further innovations in the 1947 census included:91

• Use of the Social Security Administration’s Old Age 

and Survivors Insurance (OASI) records to ensure 

more-complete coverage in the census. Staff reconciled the OASI establishment and industry classifications and those of the census. This improved 

coverage was an important initial step in further 

integrating Census Bureau and other federal agencies’ statistics. 

• Data collection from firms manufacturing products 

valued at $5,000 or more during the census year, 

providing coverage more comparable to other federal programs. 

86 Field enumerators canvassed approximately 15,000 sawmills, 

which had highly mobile and sporadic operations. 87 Stat. 21, cited in Frederick G. Bohme, ‘‘U.S. Economic Censuses 

1810 to the Present,’’ Government Information Quarterly, Volume 4, 

Number 3 (1987). 88 The post office assisted the Census Bureau by verifying the presence or absence of establishments at specified addresses. 89 The Census Bureau used a simplified questionnaire for small 

establishments to reduce reporting burden and processing costs. Similar 

simplified questionnaires had been used in 1933. U.S. Census Bureau,

Census of Manufactures: 1947: Vol. I, General Summary (Washington, 

DC: Government Printing Office, 1950), pp. 1–22. 90 Ibid. 91 Ibid. 

• Grouping value figures into approximately 1,000 

product classes, in addition to gathering statistics 

for individual products ordinarily published in the 

census of manufactures. The Census Bureau used 

these classes when the number of reporting establishments was too small to permit showing data for 

individual products.

• Discontinued publication of data on cost of materials 

and value of products for the United States, major 

industry groups, and all geographic areas because 

of the unknown amount of duplication contained 

in these data. The Census Bureau did publish these 

data for most individual industries and released 

data on value added by manufacture and number 

of employees for industry groups and individual 

industries. 

• A field enumeration of selected areas to judge the 

completeness of the census, the nature of problems 

involved in coverage, and types of establishments 

missed or classified incorrectly. 

• Tabulating and publishing data for 147 standard 

metropolitan areas.92

As in the past, the 1947 census results appeared first 

as preliminary reports, then as final reports, and finally 

in three volumes that included a general summary, 

statistics by industry, and statistics by state. 

On June 19, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 

80-67193 authorizing the Census Bureau to conduct 

economic censuses for 1949 and every fifth year thereafter. The first application of the new law came with 

the 1948 Business Census, which included retail trade, 

wholesale trade, and selected service industries.94

Significant changes in the scope of the 1948 Business 

Census included: 

• The exclusion of the contract construction industry; 

the limitation of the census to those areas where 

coverage was mandatory under the new law (the 48 

States, the District of Columbia, Alaska, and Hawaii, 

but not Puerto Rico). 

92 Forerunners of the present statistical areas designated by the 

Office of Management and Budget, these are one or more counties 

around a central city or urbanized areas with 50,000 or more inhabitants. Contiguous counties were included if they had close social and 

economic ties with the area’s population nucleus. 93 An act to provide for the collection and publication of statistical information by the Bureau of the Census, 62 Stat. 478 (Public Law 

80-671 was later incorporated into Title 13, U.S. Code—Census). 94 The law authorized censuses of mineral industries and transportation in 1949, but Congress did not appropriate funds for them, and 

they were not taken until 1954 (minerals) and 1963 (transportation). 

See the “1963” section of this appendix. 
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U.S. Census Bureau

• A reduced emphasis on employment and payroll 

information. 

• The compilation of data on the number of trucks 

operated by business establishments. 

The census collected only a limited amount of information from most small, single establishments, but 

obtained more detailed data from a 1-in-10 sample.95

The Census Bureau established 308 temporary field 

offices for the 1948 census and carried out an address 

listing operation. Between May and November 1949, 

enumerators left 1 of 12 questionnaires (5 for selected 

service establishments, 5 for wholesalers, and 2 for 

retail stores) at most single-establishment firms, with 

instructions that it be completed and returned to the 

Census Bureau by mail. Enumerators completed the 

questionnaires for multiestablishments by interview, 

unless an establishment’s management specifically 

requested other arrangements. 

The second phase of the 1948 Business Census consisted of data collection, coding, and editing. Clerks 

recorded the receipt of questionnaires in listing books 

for each enumeration district. Nonrespondents received 

a reminder card and then a follow-up visit. If a questionnaire contained incomplete or incorrect data, an 

enumerator visited the establishment to complete or 

correct the questionnaire. For the first time, preliminary editing of questionnaires took place at the Census 

Bureau’s field offices, and the agency paid enumerators 

on a per diem rather than a piece-rate basis.96

After the field canvass, the Census Bureau 

reenumerated 2,500 representative small (substate) 

areas, revealing an undercoverage of 8.2 percent of 

service establishments and 3.6 percent of retail establishments. The undercoverage reflected a failure to list 

and canvass small businesses, particularly those with 

no employees.97

As usual, the Census Bureau published preliminary 

results and final reports, the latter in bound volumes 

(three for retail trade, two for wholesale, and two for 

service industries). In addition to the usual tabulations 

(receipts, sales, payroll, number of establishments, 

etc.), the Census Bureau published special tabulations 

on retail store sales by merchandise line and wholesale sales by commodity line. Publications presented 

95 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Business 1948, Retail 

Trade—General Statistics, Part I (Washington, DC: Government Printing 

Office, 1952), pp. 1–3. 96 Ibid. 97 Ibid.

statistics for 147 standard metropolitan areas (referred 

to as MSAs), in addition to states, counties, and cities.98

The Electronic Computer

Processing and tabulation technology took a leap 

forward during World War II when the War Department 

began exploring the use of electronic digital computers 

to process ballistic information. In 1943, the National 

Defense Research Council approved the design and 

construction of the Electronic Numeric Integrator and 

Computer (ENIAC) to be used by the Department of 

Defense’s Ballistic Research Laboratory. The ENIAC was 

built over the course of 3 years by a team of engineers 

led by John W. Mauchly and his former student 

J. Presper Eckert.

During the ENIAC project, Mauchly met with Census 

Bureau officials to discuss nonmilitary applications for 

electronic computing devices. In 1946, Mauchly and 

Eckert secured a contract from the National Bureau of 

Standards to begin work on a computer for the Census 

Bureau—the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC).

Mauchly and Eckert began building the UNIVAC I in 

1948 and delivered the completed machine to the 

Census Bureau in March 1951. The computer, effectively an updated version of the ENIAC, read data from 

punch cards or magnetic computer tape, produced 

tabulations, and printed or stored the results on magnetic tape.

Census Bureau analysts used the UNIVAC I to tabulate 

part of the 1950 Census of Population and Housing 

and the entire 1954 Economic Census. Throughout the 

1950s, the UNIVAC also played a key role in several 

monthly economic surveys. The agency purchased a 

second UNIVAC I following the success of its first, and 

then bought a more powerful UNIVAC 1105 computers prior to the 1960 census, thus setting the Census 

Bureau on a path toward ever more powerful and 

advanced computer technology to collect and tabulate 

census data in the decades to come.

Watkins Commission: 1953–1954

Although Congress appropriated funds for planning 

and preparatory operations in fiscal years 1952 and 

1953, it did not provide funds in the fiscal year 1954 

budget for the actual taking of the economic census. 

Instead, it allocated money only for special surveys of 

manufactures and business. As a result, the Census 

Bureau terminated work on the economic censuses in 

98 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘The Economic Censuses of the United 

States: Historical Development,’’ by Charles G. Longham, Working Paper 

No. 38 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1973), p. 15. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-15

U.S. Census Bureau

May 1953.99 Termination of the census programs provoked considerable alarm in many government agencies and in business and academic communities. In 

1953, in response to complaints about the cancellation 

of the census, the Secretary of Commerce appointed a 

number of academicians, business executives, economists, and other specialists not affiliated with the 

Census Bureau to a commission, chaired by Dr. Ralph 

J. Watkins, director of research for Dun and Bradstreet, 

Inc. The Watkins Commission reviewed the overall economic census and, in March 1954, recommended that 

the economic censuses be resumed.100

Congress enacted Public Law 83-467 in June 1954, 

providing for censuses of manufacturing, mineral 

industries, and other business (including the distributive trades and service establishments) in the year 

1955 relating to the year 1954 instead of censuses in 

1954 relating to the year 1953. The economic censuses 

became an integrated economic statistical program in 

which data for retail trade, wholesale trade, manufacturing establishments, and construction, mineral, and 

service industries were collected for the same benchmark years.101

1954

The 1954 Census of Business (retail and wholesale 

trades and selected service industries) marked the 

Census Bureau’s first attempt since 1890 to compile 

census statistics from administrative records. Employers were enumerated via mailout/mailback questionnaires, and 1954 income tax records supplied by the 

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided selected data 

items (such as employment, payroll, and sales) for 

retail nonemployers with 1954 sales of at least $2,500 

and for service nonemployers.102 (Nonemployers are 

employers without paid employees.)

Income tax records did not contain the kind-of-business 

classifications necessary to determine which questionnaire should be mailed to a particular establishment, 

so the Census Bureau matched the IRS list with other 

lists—such as the employee master files from the Social 

99 United States Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the 

Secretary for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1952 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1953), p. 40. 100 United States Department of Commerce, Appraisal of Census 

Programs: Report of the Intensive Review Committee to the Secretary of 

Commerce (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1954), 

pp. 8–10. 101 Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census, s.v. ‘‘Economic Census,’’ by Paul 

T. Zeisset (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2000), p. 187. 102 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Business 1954, 

Vol. I, Retail Trade: Summary Statistics (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1957), p. 1. 

Security Administration (SSA)—that contained kind-ofbusiness classifications.103

For mining companies, the Census Bureau supplemented the mailing list with information provided by 

such agencies as the Bureau of Mines and the Federal 

Power Commission.104

The Census Bureau conducted a mailout/mailback 

precanvass in fall 1954 to secure accurate and up-todate information for multiestablishment companies and 

to correct and consolidate the IRS list. The precanvass 

asked multiestablishment companies to provide data 

about their names and addresses, employment, types 

of activities, etc.105

The Census Bureau excluded wholesale firms without employees and retail and service nonemployers 

with sales and receipts below the cutoff points from 

the census. Nonemployers, although large in number, 

accounted for only a small percentage of retail sales 

volume and service receipts for 1954.106

Prior to the mailout of the economic census questionnaires in early 1955, the Census Bureau prepared a 

mailing list using administrative records. For large companies, the mailing list used the 1953 Annual Survey 

of Manufactures (ASM).107 Census Bureau headquarters 

staff supervised the mailout and follow-up operations 

for, generally, establishments with at least six employees. Field offices oversaw these operations for smaller 

companies. Respondents returned the questionnaires 

by mail. Nonrespondents received follow-up letters, 

and the Census Bureau telephoned or visited establishments that did not respond to the letters.108

As in past censuses, the Census Bureau published 1954 

census results in preliminary bulletins, final reports, 

103 The names on these lists could often be linked through the use 

of the employer identification number (EIN) assigned to each case by 

the SSA, and matched mechanically on punch card collating equipment. 104 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Mineral Industries 

1954, Vol. 1, Summary and Industry Statistics (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1958), p. 9. 105 Frank A. Hanna, Compilation of Manufacturing Statistics 

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1959), pp. 142–143. 106 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Business: 1954, 

Vol. I, Retail Trade: Summary Statistics, p. 1; and Vol. III, Wholesale 

Trade: Summary Statistics (Washington, DC: Government Printing 

Office, 1957), p. 1. 107 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Manufactures 1954, 

Vol. I, Summary Statistics (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1958), p. xvii. The ASM was first conducted in 1949 to provide data for 

intercensal years. The survey covered all large establishments (those 

having 100 employees or more from 1954 through 1967 and, from 

1972, those with 250 employees or more) and a representative sample 

of smaller establishments. Large establishments remained in the ASM; 

however, the Census Bureau replaced smaller establishments every 5 

years. During census years, the ASM questionnaire became the first 

two pages of the questionnaire used for the economic census. 108 Frederick G. Bohme, ‘‘U.S. Economic Censuses 1810 to the 

Present,’’ Government Information Quarterly, Volume 4, Number 3 

(1987), p. 235. 
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U.S. Census Bureau

and bound volumes. In addition to the usual summary, 

industry, subject, and area reports, special tabulations were produced for central business districts.109

Using the 1954 definition of a central business district, 

the agency also published retroactive retail trade and 

selected service data for 1948.

1958

The Census Bureau mailed questionnaires (similar to 

the 1954 questionnaires) between January and May 

1959 from the newly established census operations 

office in Jeffersonville, IN. (The Jeffersonville office also 

handled receipt, check-in, clerical editing and coding, and card punching.)110 The Census Bureau also 

introduced more sophisticated computer systems and 

expanded computerized processing to include mailing list controls, more extensive editing, some coding 

operations, and other functions previously performed 

manually or with punch card equipment for the 1958 

Economic Census.111

For the 1958 Economic Census, the Census Bureau 

introduced a new statistical geographic area for the 

business census—the ‘‘major retail center’’ (MRC)—

which represented outlying business areas like shopping centers. The agency published MRC data in a 

series of 97 reports, each covering a standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) and included information 

for central cities and their central business districts. 

The Census Bureau also included Guam and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands to the geographic scope of the economic 

censuses for the first time.112

1963

Although a census of transportation was authorized 

for 1949 and 1953 in Public Law 80-672, Congress did 

not appropriate funds for such a census until 1963.113

The census of transportation collected data on the 

109 Central business districts were newly defined geographic entities encompassing the downtown business areas of large cities. 110 U.S. Department of Commerce, Annual Report of the Secretary 

of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1958 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1958), p. 27. 111 Duncan and Shelton, Revolution in United States Government 

Statistics: 1926–1976 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1978) pp. 135–136. 112 U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census of Business 1958,

Vol. I, Retail Trade: Summary Statistics (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1961), pp. 1 and APP-17. 113 Earlier economic censuses had collected data on transportation, 

but these had covered only specific areas of transportation, such as 

water transportation (in periodic censuses between 1880 and 1926) 

and street and electric railways, together with affiliated motorbus lines 

(in censuses of electrical industries taken at 5-year intervals between 

1902 and 1926). 

nation’s transportation that augmented (without duplication) those data already collected by other government agencies and the private sector. To achieve this 

objective, the Census Bureau developed the following 

surveys to fill specific gaps in the nation’s transportation data collection:114

• The Passenger Transportation Survey. This survey 

produced statistics showing national and regional 

passenger patterns and their relationship to socioeconomic and geographic factors. The Census 

Bureau collected data quarterly through personal 

interviews from a probability sample of about 6,000 

households. 

• The Truck Inventory and Use Survey (TIUS). This survey collected data on the nation’s truck resources, 

such as the number of trucks classified by physical characteristics, occupational use, intensity of 

vehicle utilization, and geographic distribution of 

vehicles. The Census Bureau mailed questionnaires 

to a sample of about 100,000 truck and truck-tractor 

owners selected from state motor vehicle registration records. 

• The Commodity Transportation Survey (CTS). This 

survey collected data concerning the geographic 

distribution of tons and ton-miles of commodities, 

by type, shipped by the manufacturing sector. The 

survey obtained basic information from a probability 

sample of bills of lading or other shipping records 

maintained in company files. 

• The Motor Carrier Survey. This survey produced 

statistics concerning ‘‘for-hire’’ carriers not subject 

to economic regulation by the Interstate Commerce 

Commission. The Census Bureau conducted a complete mailout/mailback enumeration of bus companies and public warehouses that also provided trucking services, plus a mailout/mailback enumeration 

of a probability sample of trucking firms. 

At the request of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s 

Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, the 1963 Economic 

Census resumed the collection of data from commercial fisheries following a 55-year hiatus. The census 

included a mailout/mailback enumeration of commercial fisheries that had supplied employment data to 

the Social Security Administration. The questionnaires 

contained inquiries on employment, payroll, receipts, 

characteristics of vessels, and landed catch. The 

114 Bohme, ‘‘U.S. Economic Censuses,’’ p. 237. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-17

U.S. Census Bureau

Census Bureau used a sample of administrative records 

to compile limited statistics for part- and full-time fishermen who did not have paid employees.115

The 1963 Censuses of Retail and Wholesale Ttrades, 

selected service industries, manufactures, and mineral industries closely resembled those conducted in 

1958. The Census Bureau again updated its computer 

systems and expanded the use of electronic equipment to automate geographic coding of establishment 

addresses, to better control mailout and follow-up 

operations as well as systems for reporting progress on 

census operations, and to expedite the transfer of data 

from Jeffersonville to the computer facility at Census 

Bureau headquarters. The 1963 Economic Census also 

saw the substitution of magnetic tape for punch cards 

in developing the census mailing list and launched the 

production of computer-generated news stories for 

releasing census results and for automatically mailing 

these stories to news outlets.116

The Census Bureau obtained selected information, 

such as value of receipts and sales, from nonemployers’ tax returns. It also used administrative records to 

assemble mailing lists and obtain preliminary industry 

classifications for employer firms to be included in the 

mailout/mailback enumeration. In total, about 3 million establishments were asked to complete questionnaires (which were mailed between November 1963 

and March 1964). The agency also derived statistics for 

approximately 1.5 million nonemployer establishments 

from administrative records. 

For more information on the 1963 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, 1963 Economic Census: 

Procedural History, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington D.C., 1968.

1967

In 1967, Congress modified Title 13 of the 

U.S. Code—Census, changing the reference years for 

the economic censuses to those ending in “2” and ‘‘7.’’ 

This was done to distribute the staff and computer 

workload generated by the economic and demographic censuses more evenly. The 1967 Economic 

Census included censuses of retail and wholesale 

trades, selected services, construction and mineral 

industries, manufactures, commercial fisheries, and 

115 U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Commercial Fisheries, 1963

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1966), pp. 1, 15–23. 

Because the mailing list used to collect data from commercial fisheries 

was later found to be incomplete, a supplemental vessel survey was 

conducted in 1964. 116 U.S. Census Bureau, 1963 Economic Census: Procedural History, 

p. 22. 

transportation; it also included the enterprise statistics 

program.117, 118

The Census Bureau expanded the scope of the 1967 

Economic Census to include:119

• Conducting a census of construction industries (the 

first since 1939), which, for the first time, included 

Puerto Rico. 

• Adding architects and engineers, law firms, and 

arrangement of passenger transportation (travel 

agents and tour operators) to the census of selected 

service industries. 

• Adding the National Travel Survey (called the 

Passenger Transportation Survey in 1963), 

the Truck Inventory and Use Survey, and the 

Commodity Transportation Survey to the census of 

transportation. 

• Doubling the Commodity Transportation Survey 

sample size in the major population centers to 

improve the quality of the point-of-origin to pointof-destination commodity flow data, and extending 

the survey’s scope to include printing and publishing 

establishments (except newspaper and periodical 

publishers). 

Data for all nonemployers in retail trade and selected 

service and construction industries were obtained from 

IRS income tax records. In addition, the Census Bureau 

expanded the use of these records to compile statistics for selected single-establishment small employers 

(firms with few employees during 1967).120

In total, the Census Bureau used administrative records 

for 60 percent (about 2.9 million establishments) covered by the economic census.121

The census of commercial fisheries expanded to collect 

statistics on the number of vessel operators, catch, 

fishing gear, and various vessel characteristics. The 

Census Bureau obtained some basic information (gross 

receipts and industry classification) from the IRS and 

Social Security Administration for part- and full-time 

fishermen without paid employees. The agency did 

117 Arthur W. Horowitz, ‘‘1967 Economic Censuses,’’ Statistical 

Reporter, No. 67-3 (September 1966), pp. 41–42. 118 The enterprise statistics program provided periodic and comprehensive company-wide data, including company support organizations 

and selected financial activities. 119 U.S. Census Bureau, 1967 Economic Censuses: Procedural 

History (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1972), pp. iv–vi. 120 For details, see U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Business 1967,

Vol. I, Retail Trade: Subject Reports (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1971), p. A-1; and Census of Manufactures 1967, Vol. I: 

Summary and Subject Statistics (Washington, DC: Government Printing 

Office, 1971), pp. 7 and 11. 121 U.S. Census Bureau, 1967 Procedural History, p. 4. 
B-18 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

not publish the 1967 data from administrative records 

because of classification problems.122

For more information on the 1967 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, 1967 Economic Censuses: 

Procedural History, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington D.C., 1972.

1972

For the 1972 Economic Census, the Census Bureau 

mailed 2.9 million questionnaires between December 

1972 and February 1973. It collected additional 

information using administrative records from approximately 2.6 million additional establishments. 

The 1972 Economic Census incorporated several 

changes, including:123

• Collecting construction industries data in Guam and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

• Precanvassing all out-of-scope activities of companies that reported on an establishment basis in 

previous economic censuses. 

• Increasing the sample size for the National 

Transportation Survey from 18,000 households 

(in 1967) to 24,000. 

• Conducting the first Survey of Minority-Owned 

Business Enterprises (SMOBE). The SMOBE presented tabulations by major Standard Industrial 

Classification industry or industry group by race 

(Black, Asian American, American Indian, and 

‘‘Other’’) and Hispanic origin for metropolitan statistical areas. After 1972, the Census Bureau collected 

these data along with data for counties and places 

with specified numbers of minority-owned firms. 

The published data from the SMOBE was usually 

limited to legal form of organization and receipt- and 

employment-size of firm. 

The first reports from each of the censuses appeared 

within 1 year of the period covered by the 1972 

censuses. Recognizing the increasing ability of data 

users to work with data in large quantities, the Census 

122 U.S. Census Bureau, 1967 Census of Commercial Fisheries

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1970), pp. 1–2. 123 See U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Construction Industries 

1972, Volume I: Industry and Special Statistics (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1976), p. v (fn); U.S. Census Bureau, 

Census of Wholesale Trade 1972, Volume I: Summary and Subject 

Statistics (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1976), 

p. A-1; U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Transportation 1972, Volume I: 

National Travel Survey (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1973), p. ix; and 1972 Survey of Minority-Owned Enterprises, Special 

Report: Minority-Owned Businesses—Black, MB72-1 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1974), p. 1. 

Bureau also issued public-use computer tape files of 

economic census statistics. 

Standard Statistical Establishment List

In 1977, The Census Bureau made changes in its 

precanvassing of all known multiestablishment companies. (The agency conducted this precanvass once 

every 5 years, so the company and establishment 

address records quickly became obsolete.) Following 

the 1972 Economic Census, the Census Bureau created 

the Standard Statistical Establishment List (SSEL) and 

began an annual Company Organization Survey (COS) 

to update the SSEL’s address files. The SSEL was a central, multipurpose computerized name and address file 

of all known single- and multiestablishment employers 

(and nonemployer agricultural establishments) in the 

nation. Through the combined use of the SSEL file number and the employer identification number, the Census 

Bureau linked and identified the affiliation of parent 

companies, subsidiary firms, and their establishments 

throughout all phases of economic activity.124

For more information on the 1972 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, 1972 Economic Census: 

Procedural History, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington D.C., 1976.

1977

The 1977 Economic Census covered retail trade, wholesale trade, service industries, construction industries, 

mineral industries, manufactures, and transportation; 

the enterprise statistics program; the SMOBE; and 

the Survey of Women-Owned Business Enterprises 

(SWOBE).125 Between December 1977 and April 1978, 

the Census Bureau mailed more than 3 million questionnaires and obtained data for about 4 million small 

firms from administrative records. 

In preparation for the 1977 census, the Census Bureau 

also conducted the 1976 Recordkeeping Practices 

Survey. This survey obtained information on the ability 

of respondents to provide data not previously requested 

in the Census Bureau’s economic censuses and surveys. 

As a result, the Census Bureau began to:126

124 U.S. Census Bureau, Technical Paper 44, The Standard 

Statistical Establishment List Program (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1979), pp. 1–3. 125 The SWOBE collected more specific information about the demographic and economic characteristics of women-owned businesses 

and their owners. U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1977 Economic 

Censuses (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1980), pp. 4–6. 126 Ibid., pp. 10–11. 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-19

U.S. Census Bureau

• Collect additional data needed to improve the gross 

national product accounts.127

• Expand the coverage of the service industries 

census. 

• Develop a common set of commodity lines for all 

types of operations in the wholesale trade census. 

• Develop a better geographic coding system to 

improve the classification of data by areas. 

• Improve the quality of the national travel survey. 

• Conduct evaluation programs. 

In expanding product-line detail for the census of 

manufactures and census of mineral industries, the 

Census Bureau gave priority to the growing need for 

more data to compare domestic output to imports 

and exports. Section 608, ‘‘Uniform Statistical Data on 

Imports, Exports, and Production,’’ of the 1974 Trade 

Act mandated that a comparability study be made of 

the commodity classification systems used for imports, 

exports, and domestic production. This 1975–1976 

study was a joint effort of the Census Bureau and the 

International Trade Commission and resulted in proposed modifications that would make data collected for 

individual products or groups of products more compatible with each other. Some of the product line classifications for the 1977 censuses were developed or 

revised as a result of the study. The censuses incorporated new product-line classifications, identified during 

the trade act review, for questionnaires that had not 

already cleared the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB).128 Changes identified after OMB clearance were 

not used for the 1977 Economic Census, but were 

included in the 1982 census. 

The 1977 census coverage included nonregulated 

motor carriers and public warehousing as well as the 

National Transportation Survey, Truck Inventory and 

Use Survey, and Commodity Transportation Survey. 

While the Census Bureau based the last three surveys 

on probability samples, it obtained data for nonregulated (by the Interstate Commerce Commission) motor 

carriers and public warehousing firms with employees 

in an enumeration of establishments in the same manner as the other economic censuses.129

127 These accounts broadly represent the production, income, and 

expenditure activities of the economy (including corporations, government and households). 128 Ibid., pp. 3–4. 129 U.S. Census Bureau, 1977 Census of Transportation: 

Nonregulated Motor Carriers and Public Warehousing (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1978), p. iv. 

Coverage of service industries expanded for 1977 to 

include privately owned hospitals; elementary and secondary schools; colleges, universities, and professional 

schools; junior colleges and technical institutes; labor 

unions; and political organizations.

For more information on the 1977 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1977 Economic 

Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 

D.C., 1980.

1982

The Census Bureau mailed more than 3 million 1982 

Economic Census questionnaires and classification 

forms between December 1982 and March 1983. (See 

Chapter 5, “Preparations for Data Collection,” for information about classification forms.) The enumeration 

included censuses of retail trade and wholesale trade; 

service, construction, and mineral industries; manufactures; and transportation; the Surveys of Minority- and 

Women-Owned Businesses; the Survey of Characteristics of Business Owners (an expanded version of the 

1977 special survey of women-owned businesses); and 

the enterprise statistics program.130 The census also 

included the first collection of data for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on retail trade, 

wholesale trade, manufacturing, and construction and 

service industries.131 Some of the service industries 

included for the first time in the 1977 census were 

dropped for 1982.132

For more information on the 1982 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1982 Economic 

Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 

D.C., 1987.

1987

The general plan for the 1987 Economic Census 

program was similar to that of 1982, but included a 

number of significant changes in specific censuses. For 

retail trade, the number of broad merchandise lines 

increased from 34 to 41, providing data users more 

detailed information on the kinds of merchandise sold 

by different kinds of retail establishments. The agency 

dropped the major retail center reports due to increasing costs.

The census of service industries collected data on 

health services as well as educational services; social 

130 U.S. Census Bureau, 1972 Census of Retail Trade, Geographic 

Area Series, United States (Washington, DC: Government Printing 

Office, 1984), pp. iii–v. 131 U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1982 Economic Censuses 

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1987), pp. 4–7. 132 Ibid., p. 6.
B-20 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

services; museums, art galleries, and botanical and 

zoological gardens; membership organizations (except 

religious organizations); rooming and boarding houses; 

etc. In addition, the census collected additional information on international service transactions. Four 

more industries reported data on exported services—

advertising agencies; accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services; research, development, and testing 

services; and legal services. 

The Census Bureau published retail trade and service industries data for individual ZIP Codes (for 

employer establishments only) and moved published 

data on establishments with no paid employees from 

the Geographic Area Series to a new Nonemployer 

Statistics Series.

133

The census of transportation was similar to that 

conducted in 1982 except for the cancellation of the 

Commodity Transportation Survey as a result of the 

deficit-reduction guidelines mandated by the 1986 

Deficit Reduction Act.134

For construction industries, the Census Bureau collected data on the value of construction work done 

rather than receipts, as was the case previously. 

In addition, the number of construction questions 

increased from 8 to 24, to tailor inquiries to particular 

industries.135

The census of manufactures collected aggregate 

data on the foreign content of domestically produced 

products for the first time.136 Additionally, as a result 

of revisions to the Standard Industrial Classification 

system for 1987 and the United States’ adoption of the 

Harmonized Coding system as the official classification for import and export statistics, the Census Bureau 

published comprehensive data on exporting manufacturers and made production statistics more comparable 

with foreign trade statistics.137

133 U.S. Census Bureau, 1987 Census of Service Industries, 

Geographic Area Series, United States, SC87-A-52 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1991), pp. iv–v; and U.S. Census Bureau, 

Guide to the 1987 Economic Censuses and Related Statistics, EC87-R-2, 

January 1990, pp. iii–v. 134 1987 Guide, p. 87. 135 U.S. Census Bureau, 1987 Census of Construction Industries, 

Industry Series, United States Summary, CC87-1-28 (Washington, DC: 

Government Printing Office, 1990), pp. iii–v. 136 1987 Guide, p. 52; and U.S. Census Bureau, 1987 Census of 

Manufactures, Subject Series, MC87-S-1, General Summary 

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1991), p. A-5. 137 The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, 

developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization, is 

an internationally standardized system of names and numbers for 

classifying traded products. For more information, see U.S. Census 

Bureau, ‘‘Guide to Foreign Trade Statistics,’’ <http://www.census.gov

/foreign-trade/guide/sec1.html> (August 11, 2008).

The 1987 censuses witnessed the following significant 

data-processing changes:138

• Use of minicomputers, which gave analysts interactive access to microrecords and summary data, 

reduced the amount of paper listings, and improved 

data quality. 

• Upgrades to the Census Bureau’s automated photocomposition system, the TIPS II. Laser printers in 

each of the subject-matter divisions (business, 

construction, and industry) significantly reduced 

the time required to produce photo-composed 

proof copies of data tables, which contributed to 

the release of the final publications several months 

earlier than they had been in 1982. 

• Establishment of the Economic Programming 

Division in January 1987 to better utilize computer 

programming personnel. The staff and programming 

activities for the census or census-related surveys 

were consolidated into one division to allow computer staff to move among projects as required. 

• Data published in manipulable form on CD-ROM and 

diskette. The publication of data on computer tape 

was discontinued.

Effective June 1983, the Office of Management and 

Budget established a new set of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): consolidated metropolitan statistical 

areas (CMSAs) and primary metropolitan statistical 

areas (PMSAs). These replaced the two former types of 

metropolitan areas (standard metropolitan statistical 

areas and standard consolidated statistical areas). The 

Census Bureau used the two-level system to report data 

for 21 metropolitan areas in 1987.139

For more information on the 1987 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1987 Economic 

Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 

D.C., 1992.

1992

The 1992 Economic Census covered retail trade; 

wholesale trade; service industries; transportation, 

communications, and utilities; finance, insurance, and 

real estate; construction industries, manufactures, and 

mineral industries; and the Truck Inventory and Use 

138 U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1987 Economic Censuses

(Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1992), p. 7. 139 Ibid. For further information on the statistical area definitions, 

see the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Metropolitan Statistical 

Areas (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1983). 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-21

U.S. Census Bureau

Survey.140 The program also included the 1992 Survey 

of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, the 1992 

Survey of Women-Owned Businesses, the 1992 Survey 

of Characteristics of Business Owners, and the 1992 

Enterprise Statistics Program. The census and surveys 

were conducted in the 50 states and the District of 

Columbia.141 The 1992 Economic Census of Outlying 

Areas collected data on retail and wholesale trades, service industries, manufactures, and construction industries in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.142

By adding coverage of financial, insurance, real estate 

industries, communications, and utilities, and several 

industry groups within transportation, the 1992 census 

marked the most significant expansion of the census 

in half a century. Together with the censuses of agriculture and governments, published separately, the 

economic census covered approximately 98 percent of 

the nation’s economic activity. The economic census, 

per se, increased from covering about 75 percent of 

economic activity in 1987 to approximately 85 percent 

in 1992. 

The Census Bureau introduced various industry-specific 

output measures for some of the newly covered industries. For most industries, the basic output measures 

varied from sales (for retail establishments) to operating receipts (for taxable service establishments), 

revenue (for tax-exempt establishments), value of 

shipments (for manufactures), or value of construction 

(for construction industries). Several newly covered 

industries included as operating revenue items that 

were nonoperating for most industries, such as rents, 

interest, investment income, grants, contributions, 

and gifts. This required adjustment in the data to be 

collected. For the finance, insurance, and real estate 

industries, the Census Bureau asked for total revenue and used a supplemental question on the major 

sources of revenue; this separated the components so 

users could tailor output measures for their own use. 

The item on ‘‘sources of revenue’’ also provided important information that could be used by the agency to 

140 The Census Bureau, for much of its history, used the term 

‘‘economic censuses’’ to cover all of its economic data-collection activities. For 1992, on the advice of the Advertising Council, the agency 

used the term ‘‘economic census’’ primarily to assist its promotional 

activities and because data users frequently did not understand what 

‘‘economic censuses’’ meant. 141 U.S. Census Bureau, 1992 Census of Transportation, 

Communications, and Utilities, Geographic Area Series, UC92-A-1, 

Summary (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1995), p. A-2. 142 Data for the individual outlying areas were published in U.S. 

Census Bureau, 1992 Economic Census of Outlying Areas, Geographic 

Area Series, OA92-E-1 through -7 (Puerto Rico [OA92-E-1 through -4], 

Virgin Islands [OA92-E-5], Guam [OA92-E-6], and Northern Mariana 

Islands [OA92-E-7]) (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 

1994–1995). 

identify secondary activity. Similarly, the questionnaire 

for transportation, communications, and utilities asked 

for operating revenues basis data.143

In the past, the IRS supplied the Census Bureau with 

gross receipts or sales (less returns and allowances) for 

relevant businesses. In 1992, the agency asked the IRS 

also to supply administrative gross rents and interest 

income for partnerships and corporations from IRS 

administrative records. These data did not comprise 

total revenue (e.g., dividend and royalty income and 

net capital gains were not included), but did include 

additional major sources of revenue for the newly covered industries.144

Because of a lack of data in past censuses on the 

contribution of services to the volume of exports, the 

Census Bureau asked respondents to report information 

on exported services for additional service industries 

as well as for selected financial services. These financial services included depository banking, business 

credit and other nondepository institutions, securities, 

brokers and dealers, and electric utilities.145

In the census of manufactures, the number of purchased 

services categories expanded from three to eight, and 

the Census Bureau collected additional information on 

an auxiliary questionnaire. The agency restructured 

the receipts inquiry for the census of construction to 

improve data quality and response. It also streamlined inquiries on manufacturing output and materials 

consumed to reduce reporting burden and improve 

response rates. As required by the 1988 Women-Owned 

Business Act, the Census Bureau collected information 

on women-owned corporations for the first time in 

1992.146

In an effort to improve and accelerate response, the 

Census Bureau:147

• Used more effective direct-mail techniques. 

• Standardized the size of most economic 

questionnaires. 

• Improved instructions and streamlined transmittal 

letters.

• Increased the emphasis on mandatory reporting. 

143 U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1992 Economic Census, 

EC92-R-5 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1996), 

pp. 65–66. 144 Ibid., pp. 63, 65–66. 145 Ibid. 146 U.S. Census Bureau, 1992 Census of Manufactures, Subject 

Series, MC92-S-1, General Summary (Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office, 1996), pp. v–viii. 147 History of the 1992 Economic Census, pp. 6–7. 
B-22 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

• Implemented more effective follow-up strategies; 

e.g., using questionnaire follow-ups for singleestablishment companies and multiestablishment 

companies. 

• Listed a toll-free telephone number on all 

questionnaires. 

The Census Bureau implemented a proactive “company 

contact” program to encourage the nation’s largest 

establishments to respond. In December 1991, the 

agency mailed an information booklet to the 10,000 

largest establishments with details about the 1992 

Economic Census. The 1,000 largest establishments 

received special attention, including a contact person in 

the agency to whom any questions could be directed.148

In November 1992 (about 1 month before the census 

mailout), the Census Bureau called each company 

contact person at the 1,000 largest companies to notify 

them that the questionnaires would soon be mailed. 

A second call placed in January 1993 ensured that the 

firms received the census packages, and a third call to 

nonrespondent firms occurred in April 1993. Census 

Bureau analysts encouraged reporting and collected 

data by telephone from nonrespondents that had not 

reported by late June 1993.149

Census reports for 1992 were for the first time published on the Internet in PDF format, as well as in print. 

In addition, selected data extracts were provided as 

text files on the Census Bureau’s new Web site.

For more information on the 1992 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1992 Economic 

Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 

D.C., 1996.

1997

While the economic coverage of the 1997 census was 

similar to preceding enumerations, budget cuts compelled the Census Bureau to reduce the operation’s 

overall scope, with the principal casualty being the 

enterprise statistics program. Other aspects of the census were in jeopardy during census planning, including 

data collection for the mineral and construction industries, the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, the Surveys 

of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises, 

and the census of outlying areas; however, Congress 

provided the majority of funds needed to continue 

collecting these vital data. Statistics for mining and 

148 Ibid., pp. 76–77. 149 Ibid.

construction below the state level were, however, 

curtailed.150

The most significant change to the 1997 Economic 

Census was the replacement of the Standard Industrial 

Classification (SIC) system with the North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS). The increasing obsolescence of the SIC codes (by the mid-1990s, 

the fastest-growing industry sector was “business 

services, not elsewhere classified”) and the passage 

of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 

produced tremendous pressure for an overhaul of the 

SIC. This situation resulted in the development of the 

NAICS, a cooperative effort among the Census Bureau, 

the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the statistical 

agencies of Canada and Mexico, and replaced the three 

separate national systems used by the NAFTA signatories. In February 1997, the Office of Management and 

Budget directed the Census Bureau to adopt the NAICS 

for the 1997 Economic Census.151

In other preparations for the 1997 enumeration, the 

Census Bureau undertook a significant upgrading of its 

data-processing infrastructure. It replaced the local area 

network servers with more powerful equipment and 

faster systems and applications. Ultimately, the Census 

Bureau moved away from subject area–specific processing to more ‘‘generalized’’ processing for data edits and 

data analysis.152

To collect the 1997 Economic Census data, the Census 

Bureau mailed questionnaires to approximately 4.3 

million companies in December 1997. The agency used 

administrative records from the IRS and the SSA to 

compile basic economic information on a further 1.5 

million small employer businesses and some 14 million 

nonemployer businesses. Telephone and mail follow-up 

operations continued into June 1998.153

The Census Bureau published nearly all of the 1997 

Economic Census data electronically. This required 

a greater degree of product standardization than in 

150 U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘What Are the Economic Program 

Implications of the 1997 Budget?’’ Minutes and Report of Committee 

Recommendations: Census Advisory Committee of Professional 

Associations, October 24–25, 1996, p. 34. 151 The Census Bureau used classified establishments using the 

NAICS in the 50 states and District of Columbia (with the exception 

of portions of wholesale trade and construction industries). At their 

request, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas postponed the transition 

from the SIC to NAICS until the 2002 Economic Census. Office of 

Management and Budget, North American Industry Classification 

System: United States 1997 (Lanham, MD: Bernam Press, 1998), p. 22. 

For more detailed information on the development and implementation 

of the NAICS, see Chapter 3, ‘‘The Introduction of the North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS)’’ in U.S. Census Bureau, History 

of the 1997 Economic Census (Washington, DC, Government Printing 

Office, 2000). 152 History of the 1997 Economic Census, pp. 59–60. 153 Ibid.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix B: Historical Development B-23

U.S. Census Bureau

previous censuses, as well as user-access software 

improvements. (Standardization across product lines 

was critical for the cross-referencing permitted through 

the manipulation of electronic data files.) 

Electronic publication of data for the 1997 Economic 

Census took four forms:154

• Print images in portable document format (PDF) on 

the Census Bureau’s Web site.

• “Drill down” static hypertext tables on the Census 

Bureau’s Web site, for the first time linking definitions, maps, and more detail in the first true application for the Web.

• The American FactFinder (AFF) system, allowing 

database query on the Census Bureau’s Web site.

• CD-ROMs, with software providing access similar to 

that in AFF, but with more extensive data selection 

and downloading options.

An Advance Report, issued in March 1999, initiated 

the publication program, with a preliminary look at the 

1997 census tabulations, including the first data ever 

published on a NAICS basis. In addition to the standard 

data reports series, the Census Bureau also released 

the Bridge Between NAICS and SIC, which showed 

1997 data cross-tabulated by both the old and the new 

classification systems, identifying the lowest common 

denominators between the two.155

For more information on the 1997 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, History of the 1997 Economic 

Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 

D.C., 2000; or <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec97

/pol00-hec.pdf>.

2002

The 2002 Economic Census mailed questionnaires and 

used administrative records to compile statistics on 

approximately 23 million business establishments covering 96 percent of the nation’s economic activity. The 

2002 Economic Census was the first time the NAICS 

was used with the collection, tabulation, and dissemination of census data for all industries in the states and 

Island Areas. Although the Census Bureau introduced 

the NAICS in the 1997 Economic Census, the system 

154 History of the 1997 Economic Census, pp. 3–4, 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/ec97/pol00-hec.pdf> (May 26, 2010); 

and U.S. Census Bureau, ‘‘Guide to the 1997 Economic Census,’’ 

<http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/guide.html>. 155 History of the 1997 Economic Census, pp. 119–120, 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/ec97/pol00-hec.pdf> (May 26, 2010).

initially was not used for the surveys of minority- and 

women-owned businesses or for the Island Areas.156

Following the successful implementation of the NAICS, 

the governments of the United States, Canada, and 

Mexico began development and implementation of a 

joint classification system for the products of industry—the North American Product Classification System 

(NAPCS). The NAPCS is a market-oriented classification 

system for products that can be linked to the NAICS 

industry structure. The NAPCS promotes improvements 

in the identification and classification of services products in particular.157

Most questionnaire inquiries remained consistent 

with those asked in 1997. However, following consultation with professional organizations and data 

users, the Census Bureau added inquiries concerning e-commerce, leased employees, and supply chain 

activities. Although content changes were minor, the 

Census Bureau’s Economic Directorate developed or 

redesigned several critical databases, database tools, 

and computer systems to upgrade its infrastructure, 

facilitate electronic reporting, and reduce operational 

costs. Notable improvements included: 

• Redesign of the Business Register (BR), which 

replaced the Standard Statistical Establishment List. 

The BR provided analysts a central repository for 

administrative records and support for collection, 

processing, and tabulation for all economic programs, as well as research into business ownership, 

demographics, etc.158

• Development of the Economic Metadata Repository 

(EMR) and the Generalized Instrument Design 

System (GIDS), which improved overall consistency 

and quality of forms design, as well as facilitated 

data capture. The Census Bureau’s expanded use of 

electronic data reporting in 2002 meant the agency 

had to coordinate the content of the paper-based 

questionnaires, requiring a database to house the 

content and software to compose electronic and 

paper-based questionnaires. The agency developed 

the EMR to store questionnaire content and the GIDS 

156 For more information on the development of the NAICS, see the 

History of the 1997 Economic Census, Chapter 3, “Introduction of the 

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).” 157 For more information on the development and implementation 

of the NAPCS, see U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 2002 

Economic Census, Chapter 3, “Industry and Product Classification,” 

EC02-00R-HIST, September 2002, pp. 21–27. 158 Eddie J. Salyers, “An Assessment of Current Quality Assurance 

Practices and Ongoing Work to Develop a Comprehensive Quality Plan 

for U.S. Census Bureau Business Register,” 18th International Roundtable on Business Survey Frames, Beijing, China, October 18–22, 2004, 

pp. 1–2.
B-24 Appendix B: Historical Development History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

to compose the 545 electronic and paper-based 

questionnaires from the EMR’s content.

• Development of an optical mark recognition (OMR)/

key from image (KFI) system for capturing data 

from the paper questionnaires. This system used 

questionnaire information provided by the GIDS to 

create and register templates for each of the more 

than 5,000 unique questionnaire pages used in the 

census. 

The KFI system streamlined data capture of the 

paper questionnaires by eliminating much of the 

manual keying and automatically capturing the 

check-box responses. It also provided the images 

for the edit referral review processes used to check 

that the data was captured correctly. 

• Expanded availability of electronic reporting, with 

electronic questionnaires and reporting software 

tools available via the Internet. Electronic reporting 

reduced respondent burden, improved data quality, 

and sharply reduced paper handling costs. 

At the conclusion of the 2002 data collection, review, 

and dissemination cycle, the Census Bureau published 

all 2002 data products electronically. Data users 

downloaded reports and tables, or created custom 

tabulations via the Internet, CD-ROM, and the agency’s 

American FactFinder Web site.159

For more information on the 2002 Economic Census, 

see U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 2002 

Economic Census, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington D.C., 2006; or <http://www.census.gov

/prod/ec02/ec02-00r-hist.pdf>.

159 U.S. Census Bureau, Procedural History of the 2002 Economic 

Census, Chapter 1, “Introduction,” EC02-00R-HIST, September 2006, 

pp. 1–10, <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/ec02-00r-hist.pdf> 

(May 26, 2010).
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix C: Geographic Areas C-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix C:

Definitions and Descriptions of Geographic Areas

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

UNITED STATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

CENSUS REGIONS AND DIVISIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Regions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Census Divisions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

STATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

COUNTIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

PLACES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN AREAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

ZIP CODES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

AREAS NOT TABULATED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Census Tracts and Blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian Homeland Areas (AIANHH). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

INTRODUCTION1

The boundaries used for the geographic areas for the 

2007 Economic Census were those in effect on January 1, 2007. Boundary changes occurring after these 

effective dates are not recognized in the 2007 Economic Census and are not reflected in the data tabulations. The boundaries used by the Census Bureau for 

counties and selected incorporated places are based 

on responses to the annual Boundary and Annexation 

Survey (BAS).2

To qualify as an economic census place, a place had to 

meet a specified population threshold. The count used 

for qualification was the higher of:

• Population estimates for July 1, 2007 (for all areas 

except census designated places, for which the 

1 The information in this appendix is drawn from the minutes of the 

2007 Geographic Interface Team, <http://cww.census.gov/econ/epcd

/GIT/GIT-meetings.htm> (July 13, 2007) and the User Guide to the 2007 

Economic Census, <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www

/geography/>. 2 The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the BAS annually to collect 

information about selected legally defined geographic areas. The BAS 

is used to update information about the legal boundaries and names 

of all governmental units in the United States. The Census Bureau uses 

the boundary information collected in the BAS to tabulate data for various censuses, surveys, and other Census Bureau programs. U.S. Census 

Bureau, “2007 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS),” 

<http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html> 

(July 13, 2007).

corrected Census 2000 population was used; that 

is, the Census 2000 population adjusted for Count 

Question Resolution [CQR]3).

• The number of persons employed in the area, as 

determined in Census 2000.

UNITED STATES

The United States comprises the 50 states and the 

District of Columbia.

CENSUS REGIONS AND DIVISIONS

Regions

The Census Bureau recognized four regions within 

the 50 states and the District of Columbia: Northeast, 

Midwest, South, and West. Each region was identified 

by a one-digit code. Puerto Rico and the Island Areas 

were not part of any region; they were assigned a 

region code of 9. Each of the regions was composed of 

one or more census divisions.4

3 The CQR adjustments are based on the results of a comparison 

of the count obtained in the 2000 Census of Population, and state and 

local data supporting a different count. The CQR adjustment is recognized by the Census Bureau for certain purposes, but is not an “official” 

population count. 4 U.S. Census Bureau, “Census Regions and Divisions of the United 

States,” <http://www.census.gov/geo/www/us_regdiv.pdf> 

(July 13, 2007).
C-2 Appendix C: Geographic Areas History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Census Divisions

The Census Bureau recognized nine census divisions 

within the 50 states and the District of Columbia: East 

North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, 

Mountain, New England, Pacific, South Atlantic, West 

North Central, and West South Central. Divisions are 

identified by a one-digit code. Puerto Rico and the 

Island Areas were not part of any division and were 

assigned a division code of 0. Census divisions contained two or more states each.5

STATES

For the 2007 Economic Census, the Census Bureau 

recognized the following areas as states or statistically 

equivalent entities:

• The 50 states of the United States

• The District of Columbia

• The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

• American Samoa

• Guam

• The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

• The Virgin Islands of the United States

• Offshore Areas

The state codes used for the economic census were the 

two-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 

state codes. The FIPS codes were assigned in alphabetic 

sequence for the 50 states and the District of Columbia 

(e.g., 01 for Alabama, 02 for Alaska, etc.). For census 

processing, codes were assigned in a separate alphabetic sequence following the states for Puerto Rico and 

the Island Areas.6

For special situations involving Nationwide, Foreign, 

Offshore Areas, and Undistributed entities, stateequivalent codes were used as follows:

United States—a state-equivalent code of “00” was 

used in the FIPS state code field. This code was provided in the stub file for publication purposes only. The 

geographic coding system did not assign this code to 

any establishment records.

Nationwide—The geocoding system assigned a 

Nationwide state equivalent code of “97” to any establishment that could not be assigned an acceptable 

5 Ibid.

6 The Island Areas comprise American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of the 

United States. 

confidence-level geocode or when the post office 

name was “nationwide.” Establishments so coded 

were resolved to a valid state code during subsequent 

processing.

Foreign—Foreign establishments of U.S. companies 

were assigned a foreign state equivalent code of “98” 

in the FIPS state code field and were not tabulated in 

any census report. The county and place codes in these 

records were filled with zeroes. Further, any establishment record that met any of the conditions below also 

were assigned foreign state codes:

State

abbreviation

State name equivalent

represented by 

abbreviation ZIP Code

ZZ Foreign (assigned by the 

Economic Planning and 

Coordination Division 

[EPCD])

00000 or blank

AE Armed Forces, Europe 09000-09899

AA Armed Forces, 

the Americas

34000-34099

AP Armed Forces, Pacific 96200-96699

Offshore Areas—The mineral industries geographic 

code structure provided for a two-digit FIPS state code 

or a three-digit pseudo-county code. The codes for 

offshore areas were:

Area

State 

abbreviationOffshore 

state

Offshore 

county

Offshore totals OT 80 886

Atlantic AT 81 886

Northern Gulf 

of Mexico

NG 82 886

Pacific PC 83 886

The offshore area codes were not assigned directly 

by the geographic coding system, but by the Census 

Bureau’s Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(MCD) where applicable. Where the geocoding system assigned addresses identified as “offshore” or 

“onshore,” the appropriate FIPS state code and the 

county, minor civil division, and place codes were 

zero-filled.

Undistributed—The Undistributed category for each 

state was used by the Census Bureau for selected 

industries that had operations not designated to 

specific counties. The appropriate FIPS state code was 

retained, and the remaining geographic classification 
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix C: Geographic Areas C-3

U.S. Census Bureau

codes were zero-filled. As for the offshore areas, the 

codes were not assigned by the geographic coding system. In this case, the Economic Programs Directorate 

assigned codes were applicable. For data presentation 

purposes, a county-level record designated “undistributed” and county code of “000” was included within 

each state record’s stub file.

COUNTIES

The Census Bureau recognized the following areas as 

counties or as entities statistically equivalent to counties for the 2007 Economic Census:

In all states except Alaska and Louisiana—Counties.

In Alaska—Boroughs, census areas, city and 

boroughs, and municipalities.

Louisiana—Parishes.

District of Columbia—The District of Columbia was 

recognized as the statistical equivalent of both a state 

and a county. In this case, the state and county were 

coextensive (i.e., had the same boundaries).

Maryland, Missouri, Nevada and Virginia—

Independent cities are independent of any county 

and, thus, constitute primary divisions of their states. 

Independent cities differ from coextensive cities and 

counties because no county exists for an independent 

city. The data tabulated and presented for independent cities were identical to the data for their county 

equivalents. 

Hawaii—Kalawao County, which had no functioning 

local government, was included with Maui County 

for statistical purposes in the 2007 Economic Census 

publications.

Puerto Rico—Municipios were recognized as the statistical equivalents of counties. Municipios are grouped 

into nine commercial regions for economic census data 

presentation purposes only. No place-level data were 

tabulated for Puerto Rico; the place code fields on all 

Puerto Rico records were zero-filled. The geographic 

coding system assigned the FIPS state, county, Puerto 

Rico Commercial Region, and core based statistical area 

(CBSA) codes. The minor civil division and place code 

fields on all Puerto Rico records were zero-filled.

American Samoa—Districts and islands were recognized as the statistical equivalent of counties. For data 

presentation purposes, minor civil divisions (known 

as counties in American Samoa) and Rose and Swains 

Islands were recognized as place equivalents. Geographic codes below the state level were not assigned 

directly by the geographic coding system. The county, 

minor civil division, and place code fields for American 

Samoa records were zero-filled. The Census Bureau’s 

Company Statistics Division (CSD) clerically researched 

and assigned the remaining geocodes required for data 

presentation.

Guam—For data presentation purposes, election 

districts (minor civil divisions) in Guam were recognized as county equivalents. No place-level data were 

tabulated for Guam. Geographic codes below the state 

level were not assigned directly by the geographic 

coding system, and the county, minor civil division, 

and place code fields were zero-filled. The CSD clerically researched and assigned the remaining geocodes 

required for data presentation.

Northern Mariana Islands—Municipalities were 

recognized as the statistical equivalents of counties. 

No place-level data were tabulated for the Northern 

Mariana Islands. Geographic codes below the state 

level were not assigned directly by the geographic 

coding system, and the county, minor civil division, 

and place code fields were zero-filled. The CSD clerically researched and assigned the remaining geocodes 

required for data presentation.

Virgin Islands of the United States—Each island 

was recognized as the statistical equivalent of a county, 

and place-level data were tabulated for three towns: 

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, and Fredericksted. Geographic codes below the state level were not assigned 

directly by the geographic coding system, and the 

county, minor civil division, and place code fields were 

zero-filled. The CSD clerically researched and assigned 

the remaining geocodes required for data presentation.

PLACES

Places for the 2007 Economic Census were identified 

by five-digit FIPS codes. A four-digit census place code 

also was used for internal processing. These place 

codes were assigned in alphabetic sequence within 

state and state-equivalent areas. Additional placeequivalent codes were assigned in the sequence, as 

needed. For the 2007 Economic Census, the Census 

Bureau recognized the following areas as places or as 

statistically equivalent entities. Collectively, these are 

referred to as “economic places”:

Incorporated places—Incorporated places were recognized for economic census data tabulations if they 

had populations of 5,000 or more in the latest population estimates or had 5,000 or more workers in Census 

2000. New places that were reported to the Census 

Bureau and legally incorporated on January 1, 2007, 

were recognized if they met the population or worker 
C-4 Appendix C: Geographic Areas History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

threshold. In cases where a city and a county were 

coextensive, both were recognized, and the data for 

the city were identical to the data for the county. The 

2007 Economic Census marks the first time that the 

number of workers has been introduced into the criterion, and helps make sure that economically important 

places are published, even if they have few inhabitants. 

For example, Lake Buena Vista, FL, has many thousands 

of workers, but had only 16 residents in 2000. The 

worker data are primarily from Census 2000 tabulated 

by place of work, so that all sectors can by included.7

Census designated place (CDP)—For the first time, 

the Census Bureau tabulated economic census data for 

CDPs with 5,000 or more inhabitants or 5,000 or more 

workers.8

Consolidated city—Six consolidated governments 

in the United States included separate incorporated 

municipalities. These consolidated cities were the 

result of legal action between a city and its surrounding county—and any governmental units within that 

county—and were represented in census publication as 

a single entity. Each consolidated city had a five-digit 

FIPS place code. 

Balance of consolidated city—For the 2007 

Economic Census, the Census Bureau recognized the 

“balance of” a consolidated city, which excluded the 

incorporated place(s) that were recognized separately 

as places. The balance of a consolidated city may refer 

to a whole consolidated city if none of the included 

places has a population of 5,000 or more. (An entity 

containing a population of 5,000 or more was treated 

as a separate place and is excluded from the balance of 

the consolidated city.) Each such balance of a consolidated city had a five-digit FIPS place code. 

Towns or townships in selected states—Townships 

in Michigan (including charter townships), Minnesota, 

New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; and towns in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New 

York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin with a 

population of 5,000 or more inhabitants or 5,000 or 

more workers were recognized in the 2007 Economic 

7 U.S. Census Bureau, “Guide to the 2007 Economic Census: What’s 

New for 2007,” <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/guide/index

.html> (December 18, 2007). 8 CDPs are defined by local statistical area committees and have 

sometimes been referred to as unincorporated places. Some CDPs, 

such as East Los Angeles, are quite large. The same 5,000 population/worker threshold will apply all places. At the same time, the 

5,000 threshold eliminates data for many small incorporated places, 

for which the previous threshold was 2,500 inhabitants. The 5,000 

threshold increases the number of towns and townships shown in 

the 12 northern states with strong minor civil divisions; the previous 

threshold was 10,000 population. U.S. Census Bureau, “Guide to the 

2007 Economic Census: What’s New for 2007,” <http://www.census

.gov/econ/census07/guide/index.html> (December 18, 2007).

Census. If a town or township qualified as an economic 

place and contained an incorporated place that was recognized separately for economic census data presentation, the Census Bureau recognized the balance of the 

special economic urban area (SEUA) as a separate placeequivalent if it had a population of 5,000 or more.

Balance of county—included those areas not recognized as places or place-equivalents under the above 

definitions. A census place code of “9999” and a FIPS 

code of “99999” indicated “balance of county.”

METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN AREAS

Metropolitan and micropolitan areas are also referred to 

as core based statistical areas (CBSAs). The CBSAs were 

established by the Statistical Policy Office of the Office 

of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and included two different 

types of areas—metropolitan statistical areas and micropolitan statistical areas. Both of these areas included 

at least one population core and adjacent territory with 

a high degree of social and economic integration with 

the core area. Metropolitan areas included an urbanized 

area with a population of at least 50,000, while micropolitan areas included an urban cluster with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. Both kinds of CBSAs were 

defined by county, including those in the New England 

states. CBSAs could be combined to form larger combined statistical areas (CSAs). Metropolitan statistical 

areas with large populations could be subdivided into 

metropolitan divisions (MDs). 

The 2007 Economic Census recognized the boundaries 

for CBSAs and contained codes for all the area types.

Internal files also provided codes for OMB-defined New 

England city and town areas (NECTAs)9—geographic 

9 New England states have traditionally been defined by NECTAs 

instead of CBSAs. A NECTA is a geographic and statistical entity, 

defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for use in 

describing aspects of the New England region of the United States. A 

NECTA is a region associated with a core urban area with a population 

of at least 10,000, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of 

social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting and employment. NECTAs are analogous to CBSAs and are similarly 

classified as either metropolitan NECTAs (corresponding to metropolitan statistical areas) or micropolitan NECTAs (corresponding to micropolitan statistical areas). A micropolitan NECTA has an urban core with 

a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000, while a metropolitan NECTA has an urban core with a population of at least 50,000.

The principal difference between a CBSA and a NECTA is that 

NECTAs use New England towns as building blocks instead of counties. 

In the New England region, towns (which are minor civil divisions) are 

a much more important level of government than counties. Because 

of this, NECTAs are usually a much closer approximation to metropolitan areas in New England than metropolitan statistical areas. For 

more information, see Office of Management and Budget, OMB Bulletin 

No. 06-01: Update on Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their 

Use, “Appendix-Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Metropolitan Divisions, 

Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, New England 

City and Town Areas, and Combined New England City and Town 

Areas,” December 5, 2005. pp. 2–3.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix C: Geographic Areas C-5

U.S. Census Bureau

entities defined using cities, towns, and other types 

of legal minor civil divisions as building blocks and 

conceptually similar to CBSAs. No data were published 

for NECTAs.

The codes for metropolitan statistical areas and micropolitan statistical areas consisted of five digits. Metropolitan division codes also consisted of five digits. All 

codes were assigned based on an alphabetic sort of 

titles within each category of area. 

ZIP CODES

ZIP Codes are administrative entities of the U.S. Postal 

Service. As such:

• They do not coincide with the Census Bureau’s 

geographic or political areas.

• They change according to postal requirements.

• They do not have specific boundaries.

• Their implied boundaries do not necessarily follow 

clearly identifiable physical features.

ZIP Codes are summarized in the 2007 Economic Census 

for individual five-digit ZIP Codes in the retail trade sector and several of the services sectors. These statistics 

are limited to a count of the establishments in each 

industry by sales/receipts/revenue-size range of establishments. No data are summarized for nine-digit ZIP 

Codes.

Note that these ZIP Codes are reported by businesses 

or coded from addresses. They are not the ZIP Code 

tabulation areas (ZCTAs) published following the decennial census.

AREAS NOT TABULATED

Although the 2007 Economic Census did not tabulate 

data for the following types of areas, the codes for 

these entities were provided in the code structure as a 

reference.

Census Tracts and Blocks

The geocoding system assigned specific census tract 

and block numbers to as many economic establishments as possible. These census tract and block 

numbers were stored in the Census Bureau’s Business 

Register and were used as linkages to the higher level 

geographic codes required for economic census data 

publications. No economic census data were tabulated 

at the tract or block level.

American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian

Homeland Areas (AIANHH)

The FIPS code scheme for American Indian, Alaska 

Native, or Hawaiian Homeland areas is state-based, 

and the Census Bureau uses the codes for processing. 

Since many of the geographic entities for which data 

are collected, processed, and published cross state 

boundaries, the Census Bureau assigns the FIPS codes 

nationwide. The agency grouped the codes into code 

ranges for the various geographic entity types, and the 

geocoding system assigned AIANHH codes to establishments coded to the tract and block level.

Description Code range

American Indian reservation and/or 

off-reservation trust land entities 

(federally recognized tribes only)

0001-4999

Hawaiian Homelands 5000-5499

Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs) 

(formerly tribal jurisdiction statistical 

areas [TJSAs])

5500-5999

Alaska Native village statistical areas 

(ANVSAs)

6000-7999

Tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs) 8000-8999

State recognized American Indian 

reservations 

9000-9499

State designated American Indian 

statistical areas (SDAISAs)

9500-9998

History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix D: Glossary of Terms D-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix D:

Glossary of Terms

A

account manager (AM)/account management

The Census Bureau assigned analysts to serve as AMs 

for approximately 1,300 of the nation’s largest companies. These AMs communicated regularly with company 

reporting officials before and during census collection 

operations, negotiated reporting arrangements (e.g., 

arrangements for organizing and mailing census questionnaires according to the company’s preferences), 

encouraged and assisted electronic reporting, followed 

up for nonresponse, and otherwise worked to facilitate 

complete, timely response. AMs also provided these 

services by visiting up to 200 of the largest companies. This work was supported by a customer relationship management computer application that displays 

company organization and collection information from 

the Business Register, schedules calls, and records the 

results of company contacts.

administrative records

Under authority of Title 26, U.S. Code, the Internal 

Revenue Service supplies information on business 

taxpayers that includes name, address, and other identifying facts; industrial and other classifications; measures of sales/receipts/revenue, payroll, employment, 

expenses, inventories, and assets; and other content 

needed to conduct Census Bureau statistical programs 

authorized by Title 13, U.S. Code, Chapter 5. The Social 

Security Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics also provide data—chiefly industrial classifications. 

These administrative data are the foundation of the 

Business Register; further, the economic census considerably reduces reporting burden on businesses by 

using administrative data in lieu of direct collection to 

represent smaller single units with paid employees and 

all businesses without paid employees—accounting for 

about 40 percent of covered employer establishments 

and more than 80 percent of all covered establishments, including nonemployers.

alternate reporting unit (ARU)

ARU is a term used by the Census Bureau to describe a 

unit that includes all the domestic establishments for 

a company that operates in a specified industry. ARUs 

apply to networked industries where the production of 

goods or services cannot be attributed to a single individual physical location. ARU report forms, designated 

as “Consolidated,” collect consolidated data for revenue/receipts, employment, payroll, kind of business, 

and other industry-specific data. Establishment listings 

collect end-of-year operating status, kind of business, payroll, and employment for individual physical 

locations.

auxiliary

See “enterprise support establishment.”

B

basis of reporting

The economic census is conducted on an establishment 

basis. A company operating at more than one location is required to provide data for each store, factory, 

shop, or other location. Each establishment is assigned 

a separate industry classification based on its primary 

activity and not that of its parent company.

births

Births are establishments that have zero employment in 

the first quarter of the initial year and positive employment in the first quarter of the subsequent year.

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

Part of the Department of Commerce, the BEA’s goal is 

to provide a clear picture of the United States economy 

by preparing, developing, and interpreting the national 

income and product accounts (summarized by the 

gross domestic product) as well as aggregate measures 

of international, regional, and state economic activity.
D-2 Appendix D: Glossary of Terms History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Part of the Department of Labor, the BLS is the principal 

fact-finding agency for the federal government in the 

broad field of labor economics and statistics.

Business Register (BR)

The Census Bureau’s BR, which resides in an Oracle®

database, provides the mailing list (frame) upon which 

the economic census data collection is based; further, 

it serves as the repository for federal administrative 

data that the census uses in lieu of direct collection 

for most smaller single units. The BR also receives 

census response data from electronic instruments and 

from data capture from paper forms and serves as the 

processing database for front-end edits that perform 

basic coverage and validity checks. Once these frontend edits are complete, the Census Bureau staff uses 

an interactive BR problem-solving application to review 

edit referrals and make corrections. The response data 

then go to the Micro-Analytical Database for further 

processing. Other BR services that are important to 

the census include support and control for data collection and support for account management and other 

respondent-assistance activities.

C

Census File Number (CFN)

Identifies each business location (or establishment). 

The CFN is uniquely assigned by the Census Bureau, 

has ten digits, and is printed on each official census 

form.

classification form

The classification form is intended to collect information on the industry in which a business operates. Classification forms collect the minimum amount of information necessary to properly classify businesses, while 

at the same time making the reporting process as easy 

as possible for respondents. (For more information, see 

Chapter 5, “Preparations for Data Collection.”)

company

A company (or “enterprise”) is comprised of all the 

establishments that operate under the ownership or 

control of a single organization. A company may be a 

business, service, or membership organization; consist 

of one or several establishments; and operate at one 

or several locations. It includes all subsidiary organizations, all establishments that are majority-owned by the 

company or any subsidiary, and all the establishments 

that can be directed or managed by the company or 

any subsidiary.

Company Organization Survey (COS)

The COS is the Census Bureau’s main tool for identifying changes in a multiunit enterprise structure in noncensus years (a multiunit enterprise owns more than 

one establishment). In the COS Report of Organization 

form, a company identifies establishments that have 

been sold, closed, continued, started, and acquired; 

reports for each establishment’s first quarter and 

annual payroll, and employment during the pay period 

that includes March 12; indicates any large foreign 

equity positions; and indicates controlling interests 

held by other domestic or foreign-owned organizations.

This survey samples only the larger multiunit enterprises each year. As a result, some intercensal multiunit 

births exist as single-establishment enterprises on the 

Census Bureau’s register until the enterprise is selected 

for the COS or until the next quinquennial census. Similar timing problems exist in identifying deaths, acquisitions, and divestitures of multiunit establishments. 

Computerized Self-Administered Questionnaire

(CSAQ)

An electronic questionnaire used to facilitate the entry 

of data by respondents.

D

data users

Data users are the final consumers of economic census data. They include key federal users, such as the 

Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Council of Economic 

Advisors, the Federal Reserve Board, the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics, and the Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics; other federal agencies; state and local governments; businesses; trade and professional associations; economic researchers; academic audiences; other 

nonprofit organizations; and the general public. The 

Census Bureau also consults with key data users about 

economic census content.

deaths

Establishment deaths are establishments that appear in 

the records for one time period but do not appear in the 

records for a subsequent time period, usually because 

of a closure, but sometimes associated merely with the 

relocation of an establishment in a multiunit firm.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix D: Glossary of Terms D-3

U.S. Census Bureau

E

e-commerce

E-commerce (or electronic commerce) is any business 

transaction for which the price or essential terms were 

negotiated over an online system such as an Internet, extranet, electronic data interchange network, or 

electronic mail system. E-commerce does not include 

transactions negotiated via facsimile machine or 

switched telephone network, or payments made online 

for transactions in which terms were negotiated offline.

economic census

The economic census (or “census” in this publication) 

is a periodic statistical program that obtains information about virtually every U.S. business and publishes 

our nation’s most used and useful business statistics. 

The Census Bureau conducts the census every 5 years. 

It provides information for calendar years ending in “2” 

and “7.”

Economic Metadata Repository/Collection

This database stores collection metadata, including 

question wording; descriptive text and codes for industry, product, and other classifications; name and other 

attributes of associated data variables; validity checks 

and other behavior for electronic instruments; and 

related instrument design/composition information. 

Census analysts use the Questionnaire User Interface to 

prepare and maintain these metadata, and the General 

Instrument Design System (see entry) uses the metadata to automate composition/layout of collection 

instruments.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

The EIN uniquely identifies every corporate or partnership entity in the United States. EINs are assigned by 

the Internal Revenue Service to organizations with paid 

employees. An organization may have one or several 

EINs, and an EIN may cover one or several locations. 

The EINs have nine digits and are reported on the 

census form.

enterprise

An enterprise (or “company”) is comprised of all the 

establishments that operate under the ownership or 

control of a single organization. An enterprise may 

be a business, service, or membership organization; 

consist of one or several establishments; and operate 

at one or several locations. It includes all subsidiary 

organizations, all establishments that are majorityowned by the enterprise or any subsidiary, and all the 

establishments that can be directed or managed by the 

enterprise or any subsidiary.

enterprise support establishment

An enterprise support establishment is an establishment that primarily provides services to other subsidiaries or establishments of the same enterprise, and does 

not provide, or provides limited, services to the general 

public or another company. For example, an enterprise 

support establishment may provide oversight, management, administrative, or information services. In prior 

economic censuses, enterprise support establishments 

were called auxiliary establishments.

establishment

An establishment is a single physical location where 

business is conducted or where services or industrial 

operations are performed. A company may have one or 

many establishments. Examples include product and 

service sales offices (retail and wholesale), industrial 

production plants, processing or assembly operations, 

mines or well sites, and support operations (such as 

an administrative office, warehouse, customer service 

center, or regional headquarters). Each establishment 

should receive, complete, and return a separate census 

form.

F

Feith® Document Database

The Feith Document Database records digital images of 

scanned paper questionnaires. It makes these images 

available to an interactive image retrieval and display 

application that supports problem-solving and analysis.

firm

While generally synonymous with a company or enterprise defined above, the term “firm” is also applied to 

that part of a company that is present in a given data 

cell. For example, a business with establishments in 

multiple states is counted as one firm in each state, but 

also one firm at the national total. Similarly, a business with establishments in more than one industry is 

counted as one firm in each industry category in which 

it operates, but only one firm in higher-level aggregations. Thus, while establishments are additive, firm 

counts are not.
D-4 Appendix D: Glossary of Terms History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

G

Generalized Instrument Design System (GIDS)

GIDS uses information from the Economic Metadata 

Repository/Collection to automate composition of 

more than 560 distinct collection instruments (electronic and paper versions), each tailored to a group 

of related industries. Further, a “Surveyor” component 

of the system presents electronic instruments, known 

as Computerized Self-Administered Questionnaires 

(CSAQs), on respondents’ desktop computers, guides 

respondents through the inquiries, and performs 

simple validity and consistency checks on the data 

they enter. Lastly, GIDS produces templates of paper 

questionnaires that supply answer zone coordinates 

required by the key-from-image data capture system. 

gross domestic product (GDP)

GDP is the most important current measure of our 

nation’s economic performance. Estimated quarterly by 

the Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP is a measure of 

the total market value of all final goods and services 

produced in our country during any quarter or year. 

GDP equals total consumer spending, business investment, and government spending and investment, plus 

the value of exports, minus the value of imports. GDP 

estimates are based on current statistics from the 

Census Bureau and other sources. Every 5 years, GDP 

estimates are benchmarked to the economic census.

I

industry

An industry is the most detailed category available 

in the North American Industry Classification System

(NAICS) to describe business activities. The NAICS 

provides hundreds of separate industry categories, 

unique categories that reflect different methods used 

to produce goods and services. Statistical agencies use 

industry categories to classify, collect, process, publish, 

and analyze business statistics. The census uses industry categories to customize census forms, combine 

information from establishments in the same industry, 

and publish census statistics.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The IRS is the U.S. Treasury Department agency responsible for collecting taxes and for administering business and individual tax programs.

Island Areas (IA)

IAs, formerly Outlying Areas (OA), are islands outside 

the United States that are included in the economic 

census. Islands included are Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.

L

leased employee

A leased employee is a full- or part-time employee of 

a business or organization that has contracted with an 

employee leasing service (also known as a professional 

employer organization) to obtain human resource management services. The employee leasing company provides a wide range of human resource and personnel 

management services, such as payroll accounting, payroll tax return preparation and filing, benefits administration, recruiting, and labor relations management, to 

the client business. The employee leasing company and 

client organization operate as coemployers with regard 

to the human relations responsibilities to the employees covered by their contract. The employee leasing 

company pays wages and employment taxes of the 

leased employees out of its own accounts. 

Although a question on leased employees was added 

in 2002, it was not included in the 2007 Economic 

Census.

legal form of organization

a. Corporation—an enterprise legally incorporated 

under state laws.

b. Partnership—an unincorporated enterprise owned by 

two or more persons having financial interest in the 

business.

c. Sole proprietorship—an unincorporated enterprise 

owned by one person.

d. Nonprofit organization—an enterprise with nonprofit 

status (tax-exempt)—in Puerto Rico only.

e. Other (association, trust, joint venture, estate, etc.)—

an enterprise that is formed by another legal form of 

organization.
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix D: Glossary of Terms D-5

U.S. Census Bureau

M

macro-analytical review

This family of processes and interactive applications 

support thorough quality review for tabulated data. 

They include the Macro-Analytical Review System 

(MARS) that presents a variety of analytical computations and comparisons, the Outliers System that identifies extreme period-to-period changes in summary data 

for a particular industry and/or geographic area, and 

a reconciliation application that compares economic 

census data with corresponding data from current surveys. An analyst toolkit, which is a new development 

for 2007, strengthened macro-analytical review by 

integrating analytical functions within a portal environment; phased toolkit development will continue for the 

2012 census.

merchandise line (ML)

This is also known as a product line. It is an inquiry for 

the Retail Trade sector and Accommodation and Food 

Services sector requesting composition of sales by 

merchandise category. Merchandise categories basically 

follow a departmental concept and are used in assigning kind-of-business code of establishments.

Micro-Analytical Database (MADb)

After front-end edit processing is complete, the 

Business Register marks eligible establishment records, 

and those records are loaded into the MADb, also an 

Oracle® database, for further processing by back-end 

trade edits. Separate front- and back-end processing databases are needed to permit sufficient daily 

throughput for the very large daily volume of census 

processing and to make effective database back-up and 

recovery possible. 

multiestablishment company

See “multiunit company.”

multiunit company (MU)

Companies that have more than one location. See also 

“single-unit company (SU).”

N

networked industry-alternate reporting unit

(ARU)

See “alternate reporting Unit (ARU).”

North American Industry Classification System

(NAICS)

An industry classification system used by statistical 

agencies to facilitate the collection, tabulation, presentation, and analysis of data relating to establishments, the NAICS is erected on a production-oriented 

conceptual framework that groups establishments into 

industries according to similarity in the process used 

to produce goods or services. Under the NAICS, an 

establishment is classified to one industry based on 

its primary activity. The NAICS was developed jointly 

by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to provide 

comparability in economic statistics. It replaced the 

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system in 1997.

North American Product Classification System

(NAPCS)

The NAPCS is a multiphase effort by Canada, Mexico, 

and the United States to develop a comprehensive list 

of products, product definitions, and product codes 

that are organized into an integrated demand-based 

classification framework that classifies both goods and 

services according to how they are principally used. 

It is intended that the NAPCS will be used throughout 

the statistical community to coordinate the collection, 

tabulation, and analysis of data on the value of products produced by both goods- and services-producing 

industries and on the prices charged for those products. In the initial phases, through 2007, the NAPCS 

defined the products of services-producing industries. 

The NAPCS will be a complementary but independent 

classification system to the NAICS.

P

payroll service

A payroll service obtains information on hours worked, 

pay rates, and other payroll-related data from client 

organizations on their workers and uses that information to generate paychecks, payroll reports, and payroll 

tax filings.

Producer Price Index (PPI)

A family of indexes developed and published by the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics that measures the average 

change over time in selling prices received by domestic producers of goods and services, PPIs measure 

price change from the perspective of the seller. This 

contrasts with other measures, such as the Consumer 

Price Index (CPI), that measure price change from the 

purchaser’s perspective. Sellers’ and purchasers’ prices 

may differ due to government subsidies, sales and 

excise taxes, and distribution costs.
D-6 Appendix D: Glossary of Terms History of the 2007 Economic Census

U.S. Census Bureau

R

Report of Organization

See “Company Organization Survey.”

sector

A sector is the broadest category available in the North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to 

describe business activities. The NAICS provides 20 

separate sector categories. (See Chapter 2, “Industrial 

and Product Classification.”)

single-unit company (SU)

Companies in which the location and the company are 

one and the same. See also “multiunit company (MU).”

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)

A numerical code scheme previously used for classifying industries and products. In January 1997 the SIC 

was replaced by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

subsidiary

A subsidiary is a business entity that is owned or controlled by another firm or company. Subsidiaries include 

businesses in which a company owns more than 50 

percent of the outstanding voting stock, as well as businesses in which a company has the power to direct or 

to cause the direction of the management and policies.

Survey of Business Owners

Provides statistics that describe the composition of 

U.S. businesses by gender, race, and ethnicity. 

Additional statistics include owner’s age, education 

level, veteran status, and primary function in the business; family- and home-based businesses; types of 

customers and workers; and sources of financing for 

expansion, capital improvements, or start-up.

T

tax-exempt organization

A tax-exempt organization is one whose operations are 

not subject to taxation under provisions of the Internal 

Revenue Code. Examples include charitable, social welfare, educational, and research organizations.

temporary staff

Temporary staff are workers supplied by one company (called a staffing service) for the temporary use 

of another company. Temporary staff are supplied for 

limited periods to supplement the workforce of the 

using company. Temporary staff are employees of the 

supplying company, although their worksite activities 

are supervised by the using company.

Title 13

Title 13 is the title of the U.S. Code that authorizes the 

economic census and assures the confidentiality of 

census information. It requires the Census Bureau to 

conduct the census, requires businesses and individuals to complete and return their census forms, requires 

the complete confidentiality of information provided for 

the census, and authorizes criminal penalties for any 

confidentiality violations. (See Appendix A.)
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-1

U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix E:

2007 Economic Census Questionnaires—By NAICS Sector

The 2007 Economic Census covers business establishments in all or part of the 18 business sectors defined by the 

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).1 Census coverage by NAICS sector is summarized in the 

following table.

NAICS sector Sector number Number of forms

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 71 9

Accommodation and Food Services 72 5

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 56 13

Construction 23 7

Educational Services 61 2

Finance and Insurance 52 17

Health Care and Social Assistance 62 15

Information 51 22

Manufacturing 31–33 294

Mining 21 19

Management of Company and Enterprises 55 2

Supplemental Forms 99 29

Other Services (except Public Administration) 81 13

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 54 21

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53 9

Retail Trade 44–45 35

Transportation and Warehousing 48–49 8

Utilities 22 2

Wholesale Trade 42 42

1 U.S. Census Bureau, “2007 Census Forms,” <http://bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/CEN_2007FORMS.html> (July 5, 2007).
E-2 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

AE-71101 Performing Arts Companies and Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers

AE-71102 Spectator Sports

AE-71103 Promoters, Agents, and Managers

AE-71190 Classification Form—Promoters, Agents/Managers, Independent Artists, and

 Miscellaneous Recreation

AE-71191 Classification Form

AE-71201 Museums, Art Galleries, Botanical and Zoological Gardens

AE-71302 Other Amusement and Recreation Industries

AE-71303 Amusement Parks and Arcades

AE-71304 Gambling Industries

Accommodation and Food Services 

AF-72101 Traveler Accommodation

AF-72102 RV Parks and Recreational Camps

AF-72201 Food Services and Drinking Places

AF-72202 Special Food Services

AF-72290 Classification Form—Accommodation and Food Services

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 

AS-56059 Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

 (Enterprise Support)

AS-56101 Employment Services

AS-56102 Administrative and Other Support Services

AS-56103 Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services

AS-56104 Security and Investigative Services

AS-56105 Services to Buildings and Dwellings

AS-56106 Office Administration and Facilities Support Services

AS-56190 Classification Form—Employment, Travel Arrangement, and Security Services

AS-56191 Classification Form—Business and Other Support Services

AS-56192 Classification Form—Services to Buildings and Dwellings

AS-56202 Waste Collection, Treatment and Disposal

AS-56203 Remediation and Other Waste Management Services

AS-56290 Classification Form—Waste Management and Remediation Services

Construction 

CC-23601 Residential & Nonresidential Building Construction

CC-23701 Heavy Construction (Utility, Land Subdivision, and Other)

CC-23702 Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction

CC-23801 Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors

CC-23802 Building Equipment Contractors

CC-23803 Building Finishing Contractors

CC-23804 Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Educational Services

ED-61101 Educational Services

ED-61190 Classification Form—Educational Services
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-3

U.S. Census Bureau

Finance and Insurance 

FI-52101 Monetary Authorities

FI-52201 Commercial Banking, Savings Institutions, and Other Depository Credit

 Intermediation, Except Credit Unions

FI-52202 Other Banks and Depository Institutions, Except Credit Unions

FI-52203 Credit Unions

FI-52204 Credit Card Issuing and Sales Financing

FI-52205 Nondepository Credit Intermediation, Except Credit Card Issuing and Sales

 Financing

FI-52206 Activities Related to Credit Intermediation

FI-52250 Commercial Banking, Savings Institutions, and Other Depository Credit

 Intermediation, Except Credit Unions (Consolidated)

FI-52301 Securities and Commodity Exchanges

FI-52360 Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage and Other

 Financial Investment Activities

FI-52401 Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers

FI-52402 Insurance Carriers, Except Life, Health, and Medical

FI-52403 Insurance Agencies and Brokerages

FI-52450 Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (Consolidated)

FI-52451 Insurance Carriers, Except Life, Health, and Medical (Consolidated)

FI-52460 Other Insurance Related Activities and Employee Benefit Funds

FI-52490 Insurance Classification

Health Care and Social Assistance 

HC-62102 Outpatient Care Facilities and Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories

HC-62104 Office of Physicians and Other Health Practitioners

HC-62105 Offices of Dentists

HC-62106 Home Health Care Services

HC-62107 Ambulance Services

HC-62108 Other Ambulatory Health Care Services

HC-62190 Classification Form—Ambulatory Health Care Services

HC-62201 Hospitals

HC-62301 Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

HC-62390 Classification Form—Nursing and Residential Care Facilities

HC-62401 Services for Children and Youth

HC-62402 Services for The Elderly, Mentally Retarded, and Disabled

HC-62403 Service for Families and Individuals

HC-62404 Food, Shelter, Relief, and Job Training Services

HC-62490 Classification Form—Social Assistance

Puerto Rico 

IA-97120 Puerto Rico—Utilities, Transportation, and Warehousing

IA-97123 Puerto Rico—Construction

IA-97130 Puerto Rico—Manufacturing

IA-97142 Puerto Rico—Wholesale Trade

IA-97144 Puerto Rico—Retail Trade

IA-97152 Puerto Rico—Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing

IA-97172 Puerto Rico—Accommodation Services

IA-97180 Puerto Rico—Services

IA-97190 Puerto Rico—General Schedule

IA-97220 Puerto Rico—Utilidades, Transportación y Almacenaje

IA-97223 Puerto Rico—Industrias de Construcción
E-4 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Puerto Rico (con.)

IA-97230 Puerto Rico—Manufactura

IA-97233 Puerto Rico—Industrias de Construcción

IA-97242 Puerto Rico—Comercio al Por Mayor

IA-97244 Puerto Rico—Comercio al Detal

IA-97252 Puerto Rico—Finanzas y Seguros, Bienes Raíces, Alquiler y Arrendamiento

IA-97272 Puerto Rico—Sevicios de Alojamiento

IA-97280 Puerto Rico—Servicios

IA-97290 Puerto Rico—Cuestionario General

U.S. Virgin Islands 

IA-98173 U.S. Virgin Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands 

IA-98183 The Northern Mariana Islands

Guam 

IA-98163 Guam

American Samoa 

IA-98193 American Samoa

Information 

IN-51059 Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (Enterprise Support)

IN-51101 Newspaper Publishing

IN-51102 Book Publishing

IN-51103 Periodical Publishing

IN-51104 Greeting Card and Other Miscellaneous Publishing

IN-51105 Directory and Mailing List Publishing

IN-51106 Software Publishing

IN-51202 Motion Picture and Video Exhibition

IN-51204 Motion Picture and Video Production and Distribution

IN-51205 Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries

IN-51206 Record Production and Music Publishing

IN-51207 Sound Recording Studios and Other Sound Recording Industries

IN-51250 Motion Picture and Video Production (Consolidated)

IN-51251 Integrated Record Production and Distribution (Consolidated)

IN-51501 Broadcasting Services

IN-51701 Cable Services

IN-51702 Telecommunications

IN-51750 Telecommunications (Consolidated)

IN-51751 Cable and Other Program Distribution (Consolidated)

IN-51801 Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services

IN-51901 Libraries and News Syndicates

IN-51902 Internet Publishing and Broadcasting
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-5

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing

MA-10000 Annual Survey of Manufactures

MC-31000 MC-31000

MC-31101 Animal Food Manufacturing

MC-31102 Flour and Other Grain Mill Products

MC-31103 Fats and Oils

MC-31104 Cereal Breakfast Foods

MC-31105 Sugar

MC-31106 Confectionery

MC-31107 Frozen Food Manufacturing

MC-31108 Canned Food Manufacturing

MC-31109 Dried and Dehydrated Food and Pasta Manufacturing

MC-31110 Dairy Products

MC-31111 Animal Slaughtering and Processing (Except Poultry)

MC-31112 Rendering and Meat By-Product Processing

MC-31113 Poultry Processing

MC-31114 Fish and Other Seafood

MC-31115 Retail Bakeries

MC-31116 Commercial Bakeries

MC-31117 Flour Mixes and Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing

MC-31118 Tortillas

MC-31119 Coffee and Tea

MC-31120 Miscellaneous Foods

MC-31171 Retail Bakeries

MC-31201 Soft Drink Manufacturing

MC-31202 Bottled Water Manufacturing

MC-31203 Ice Manufacturing

MC-31204 Malt Beverage Manufacturing

MC-31205 Wine, Distilled, and Blended Liquors

MC-31206 Tobacco Manufacturing

MC-31301 Yarn

MC-31302 Thread

MC-31303 Broadwoven Fabrics

MC-31304 Narrow Fabrics

MC-31305 Schiffli Machine Embroideries

MC-31306 Nonwoven Fabrics

MC-31307 Knitting Mill Products

MC-31309 Textile Finishing

MC-31311 Coated Fabrics

MC-31401 Carpet and Rugs

MC-31402 Household Textile Products

MC-31403 Textile Bags

MC-31404 Canvas and Related Products

MC-31405 Rope, Cordage, and Twine

MC-31406 Tire Cord and Tire Fabrics

MC-31407 Miscellaneous Textile Products

MC-31471 Household Textile Products

MC-31472 Canvas and Miscellaneous Textile Products

MC-31501 Hosiery and Socks

MC-31505 Contract Cut and Sew Apparel

MC-31506 Apparel and Apparel Accessories

MC-31507 Hats, Caps, and Millinery

MC-31508 Gloves and Mittens
E-6 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing (con.)

MC-31509 Men’s and Boys’ Neckwear

MC-31571 Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors

MC-31601 Leather Tanning

MC-31602 Footwear

MC-31603 Luggage and Leather Goods Manufacturing

MC-32000 MC-32000

MC-32101 Sawmills and Cut Stock, Resawing, and Planing

MC-32102 Wood Preservation

MC-32103 Hardwood and Softwood Veneer and Plywood Manufacturing

MC-32105 Engineered Wood Member, Truss, and Prefab. Wood Bldgs. Mfg.

MC-32107 Reconstituted Wood Product Manufacturing

MC-32108 Wood Window, Door, and Other Millwork Manufacturing

MC-32111 Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing

MC-32112 Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Manufacturing

MC-32114 All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing

MC-32171 Sawmills

MC-32172 Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing

MC-32173 All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing

MC-32201 Pulp Mills

MC-32202 Paper and Paperboard Mills

MC-32205 Paperbox and Container Manufacturing

MC-32210 Plastics, Foil, and Paper Packaging Manufacturing

MC-32211 Coated and Laminated Paper and Paperboard Manufacturing

MC-32214 Laminated Aluminum Foil Manufacturing for Flexible Packaging Uses

MC-32216 Paper Office Supply Manufacturing

MC-32219 Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing

MC-32301 Commercial Printing

MC-32302 Manifold Business Forms and Checkbooks

MC-32303 Book Printing

MC-32304 Bookbinding, Blankbooks, Binders, and Postpress Services

MC-32305 Service Industries for the Printing Trade

MC-32371 Commercial Printing

MC-32372 Service Industries for the Printing Trade

MC-32401 Petroleum Refineries, Lubricating Oils and Coal Products

MC-32402 Asphalt and Tar Roofing, Siding and Paving Products

MC-32501 Petrochemical Manufacturing

MC-32502 Industrial Gas Manufacturing

MC-32503 Inorganic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing

MC-32504 Synthetic Organic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing

MC-32505 Alkalies and Chlorine Manufacturing

MC-32506 Carbon Black Manufacturing

MC-32507 All Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32508 Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32509 Cyclic Crude and Intermediate Manufacturing

MC-32510 Ethyl Alcohol Manufacturing

MC-32511 All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32512 Plastics Material Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing

MC-32514 Organic Fiber Manufacturing

MC-32516 Fertilizer and Related Chemicals

MC-32519 Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32520 Drugs and Medicinal Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32524 Paint and Coating Manufacturing
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-7

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing (con.)

MC-32525 Adhesive Manufacturing

MC-32526 Soaps, Detergents, Polishes and Related Products

MC-32529 Toilet Preparation Manufacturing

MC-32530 Printing Ink Manufacturing

MC-32531 Explosives Manufacturing

MC-32532 Custom Compounding of Purchased Resin

MC-32533 Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemical Manufacturing

MC-32534 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Products and Preparations

MC-32602 Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (Except Packaging)

MC-32603 Plastic Bottles and Plastics Profile Shapes

MC-32604 Plastics Pipe and Fittings

MC-32605 Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet, and Shapes

MC-32606 Plastic Foam Products

MC-32607 Plastics Plumbing Fixtures

MC-32608 Resilient Floor Coverings and Asbestos Products

MC-32609 Miscellaneous Plastics Products, N.E.C.

MC-32610 Tire Manufacturing (Except Retreading)

MC-32611 Tire Retreading

MC-32612 Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing

MC-32613 Rubber Product Manufacturing

MC-32701 Vitreous China, Fine Earthenware and Porcelain Products

MC-32704 Brick and Other Structural Clay Products, Except Refractories

MC-32705 Clay and Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing

MC-32707 Flat Glass Manufacturing

MC-32708 Pressed and Blown Glass and Fabricated Glass Products

MC-32709 Glass Container Manufacturing

MC-32710 Cement, Lime, and Gypsum Products Manufacturing

MC-32711 Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing

MC-32712 Concrete Products Manufacturing

MC-32715 Abrasive Product Manufacturing

MC-32716 Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing

MC-32717 Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing

MC-32718 Misc. Nonmetalic Mineral Products and Mineral Wool Mfg.

MC-32771 Ready-mix Concrete Manufacturing

MC-32772 Other Concrete Products

MC-33101 Iron, Steel Mill, and Electrometallurgical Products Mfg.

MC-33106 Alumina Refining

MC-33107 Primary Aluminum Production

MC-33108 Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum

MC-33109 Aluminum Sheet, Plate, Foil, and Extruded Products

MC-33111 Other Aluminum Rolling and Drawing

MC-33112 Primary Smelting and Refining of Nonferrous Metals

MC-33114 Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding

MC-33115 Copper Wire (Except Mechanical) Drawing

MC-33116 Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Copper

MC-33117 Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding of Other Nonferrous Metals

MC-33118 Secondary Smelting and Refining of Other Nonferrous Metals

MC-33119 Iron, Steel and Steel Investment Foundries

MC-33122 Nonferrous Foundries Including Aluminum, Copper, and Other

MC-33201 Forging

MC-33203 Custom Roll Forming
E-8 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing (con.)

MC-33204 Crown and Closure Manufacturing (Including Metal Stamping)

MC-33206 Powder Metallurgy Parts Manufacturing

MC-33207 Cutlery and Flatware (Except Precious) Manufacturing

MC-33208 Hand and Edge Tool Manufacturing

MC-33209 Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing

MC-33210 Kitchen Utensil, Pot, and Pan Manufacturing

MC-33211 Prefabricated Metal Building and Component Manufacturing

MC-33212 Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing

MC-33213 Plate Work Manufacturing

MC-33214 Metal Window and Door Manufacturing

MC-33215 Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing

MC-33216 Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing

MC-33217 Power Boilers, Heat Exchangers, and Heavy Gauge Metal Tanks

MC-33219 Metal Can and Other Metal Container Manufacturing

MC-33221 Hardware Manufacturing

MC-33222 Spring (Heavy and Light Gauge) Manufacturing

MC-33224 Other Fabricated Wire Product Manufacturing

MC-33225 Machine Shops

MC-33226 Precision Turned Product Manufacturing

MC-33227 Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing

MC-33228 Metal Heat Treating

MC-33229 Metal Coating, Engraving and Allied Activities

MC-33231 Industrial Valve Manufacturing

MC-33232 Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing

MC-33233 Plumbing Fixture Fitting and Trim Manufacturing

MC-33234 Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing

MC-33235 Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing

MC-33236 Small Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing

MC-33240 Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing

MC-33241 Industrial Pattern Manufacturing

MC-33242 Enameled Iron and Metal Sanitary Ware Manufacturing

MC-33243 Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

MC-33271 Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing

MC-33272 Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing

MC-33273 Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing

MC-33274 Machine Shops

MC-33275 Precision Turned Product Manufacturing

MC-33276 Electroplating, Coating, Engraving and Allied Activities

MC-33277 Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

MC-33301 Farm, Turf, Lawn, and Garden Machinery and Equipment

MC-33302 Construction and Mining Machinery and Equipment

MC-33303 Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment

MC-33304 Woodworking Machinery and Equipment

MC-33305 Pulp and Paper Industries Machinery

MC-33306 Textile Machinery

MC-33307 Printing Trades Machinery and Equipment

MC-33308 Food Products Machinery and Equipment

MC-33309 Special Industry Machinery, N.E.C.

MC-33310 Automatic Merchandising (Vending) Machines

MC-33311 Commercial Laundry Equipment

MC-33312 Optical Instrument and Lens Mfg

MC-33313 Photographic Equipment and Supplies
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-9

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing (con.)

MC-33314 Service Industry Machinery, N.E.C.

MC-33315 Blowers, Exhaust, and Ventilating Fans

MC-33316 Heating Equipment, Except Warm Air Furnaces

MC-33317 Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equip.

MC-33318 Machine Tool Access. and Dies, Tools, Jigs, and Fixtures

MC-33319 Metalworking Machinery

MC-33320 Turbines, Turbine Generators, and Other Engine Equipment

MC-33321 Mechanical Power Transmission Equiment; Gears

MC-33322 Pumps and Compressors; Measuring and Dispensing Pumps

MC-33323 Conveying and Elevating Equipment and Industrial Trucks

MC-33324 Hoists, Cranes, and Monorails

MC-33325 Power-Driven Handtools

MC-33326 Welding Apparatus

MC-33327 Packaging Machinery and Equipment

MC-33328 Industrial Furnaces and Ovens

MC-33329 Fluid Power Equipment, Except Valves

MC-33330 Scales and Balances

MC-33331 Industry Machinery and Equipment

MC-33371 Special Dies, Tools, Jigs, Fixtures and Mold Manufacturing

MC-33372 Cutting Tool and Machine Tool Accessory Manufacturing

MC-33373 Industry Machinery and Equipment

MC-33401 Computing and Office Machines

MC-33402 Communications Equip.; Search and Detection Equip.

MC-33403 Radio Receivers and Television Sets and Related Equipment

MC-33404 Electronic Components and Accessories

MC-33405 Electromedical, and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus

MC-33406 Instruments

MC-33407 Clocks, Watches, and Watchcases

MC-33408 Prerecorded Records, Magnetic Tapes, and Discs

MC-33409 Magnetic and Optical Recording Media (Unrecorded)

MC-33501 Electric Lamps

MC-33502 Lighting Fixtures

MC-33503 Household Appliances

MC-33504 Power, Distribution, and Specialty Transformers

MC-33505 Motors, Generators, and Motor-Generator Sets

MC-33506 Switchgear, Switchboard Apparatus and Industrial Controls

MC-33507 Storage Batteries, Primary Batteries

MC-33508 Fiber Optic Cable, Other Communication and Energy Wire

MC-33509 Wiring Devices

MC-33510 Carbon and Graphite Products

MC-33511 Miscellaneous Industrial Electrical Equipment

MC-33601 Motor Vehicles and Passenger Car Bodies

MC-33602 Truck and Bus Bodies; Truck Trailers

MC-33603 Travel and Camping Trailers and Motor Homes

MC-33604 Carburetors, Pistons, Piston Rings, and Valves

MC-33605 Vehicular Lighting Equipment Manufacturing

MC-33606 Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories

MC-33607 Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim

MC-33608 Motor Vehicle Metal Stampings

MC-33609 Aircraft Industries

MC-33610 Aerospace Industries

MC-33611 Rail Transportation Equipment
E-10 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Manufacturing (con.)

MC-33612 Ship Building and Repairing

MC-33613 Boat Building

MC-33614 Motorcycles, Bicycles, and Parts

MC-33615 Military Armoured Vehicle, Tank and Tank Components

MC-33616 Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment

MC-33701 Wood Kitchen Cabinets and Countertops

MC-33702 Household Furniture and Wood Housings

MC-33703 Fixtures and Office and Institutional Furniture

MC-33711 Mattresses

MC-33712 Blinds and Shades

MC-33771 Wood Kitchen Cabinets and Countertops

MC-33772 Nonupholstered Wood Household Furniture Manufacturing

MC-33773 Fixtures and Custom Architectural Woodwork

MC-33901 Surgical and Medical Instruments, Apparatus, and Supplies

MC-33902 Dental Equipment and Supplies

MC-33903 Ophthalmic Goods

MC-33904 Dental Laboratories

MC-33905 Jewelry, Jewelers’ Findings, and Lapidary Work

MC-33906 Hollowware and Flatware

MC-33907 Sporting and Athletic Goods

MC-33908 Toys, Games, Dolls, and Children’s Vehicles, Exc. Bicycles

MC-33909 Pens, Pencils, Marking Devices, and Artists’ Materials

MC-33910 Carbon Paper and Inked Ribbons

MC-33911 Signs, Displays, and Advertising Specialties

MC-33912 Gaskets, Packings, and Seals

MC-33913 Musical Instruments

MC-33914 Buttons, Needles, Pins, Fasteners, and Similar Notions

MC-33915 Brooms, Brushes, and Mops

MC-33916 Burial Caskets

MC-33917 Miscellaneous Manufactured Products

MC-33971 Dental Laboratories

MC-33972 Jewelry, Jewelers’ Findings, and Lapidary Work

MC-33973 Sporting and Athletic Goods

MC-33974 Signs, Displays, and Advertising Specialties

MC-33975 Miscellaneous Manufactured Products

Mining

MI-21101 Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction

MI-21102 Natural Gas Liquid Extraction

MI-21171 Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas Extraction

MI-21201 Coal Mining

MI-21202 Iron Ore Mining

MI-21203 Copper, Lead, Zinc, Gold, and Silver Ore Mining

MI-21204 Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining

MI-21205 Miscellaneous Metal Ore Mining

MI-21206 Stone, Sand, and Gravel Mining or Quarrying

MI-21207 Clay, Ceramic, and Refractory Mineral Mining

MI-21208 Potash, Soda, and Borate Mineral Mining

MI-21209 Phosphate Rock Mining

MI-21210 Miscellaneous Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining

MI-21211 Miscellaneous Nonmetallic Mineral Mining
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-11

U.S. Census Bureau

Mining (con.)

MI-21271 Stone Mining and Quarrying, and Sand and Gravel Mining

MI-21301 Oil and Gas Field Services

MI-21302 Mineral Contract Services

MI-21351 Oil and Gas Field Services (Consolidated)

MI-31352 Mineral Contract Services (Consolidated)

Management of Company and Enterprises 

MN-55101 Holding Companies

MN-55102 Corporate, Subsidiary, and Regional Managing Offices

Supplemental Forms 

NC-99001 Report of Organization (multi-location companies only)

NC-99002 Report of Organization (multi-location companies with activities not covered by

 the 2007 Economic Census)

NC-99003 Report of Organization (multi-location companies with activities not covered by

 the 2007 Economic Census)

NC-99023 Classification Form

NC-99026 Classification Form

NC-99510 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—General NC Form for

 Use In Most Sectors Except Wholesale

NC-99511 Ownership or Control Form (single establishment companies only)

NC-99512 Propiedad Y Control Form (single establishment companies only)

NC-99513 Ownership or Control Form (single establishment companies only)

NC-99520 Ownership or Control Form (single location companies only )

NC-99521 Ownership or Control Form (single location companies only )

NC-99523 Ownership or Control Form (single location companies only )

NC-99530 Ownership or Control Form (single location companies only )

NC-99542 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Wholesale—All Forms

NC-99550 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Real Estate Form

 RE-53630

NC-99553 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Real Estate Form

 RE-53201

NC-99554 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Professional Services

 Forms PS-54103, PS-54104, PS-54105

NC-99557 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Professional Services

 Form PS-54102

NC-99562 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Health Care Form

 HC-62101

NC-99563 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Professional Services

 Forms PS-54103

NC-99572 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Accomodations and

 Food Services Form AF-72101

NC-99581 Ownership or Control (single location companies only)—Other Services Form

 OS-81301

NC-99623 List of Establishments (single location companies only)

NC-99631 List of Establishments

NC-99632 List of Establishments

NC-99650 List of Establishments (single location companies only)

NC-99651 List of Establishments (single location companies only )

NC-99653 List of Establishments (single location companies only)

NC-99655 Ownership or Control Form (single location companies only)
E-12 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Other Services (Except Public Administration) 

OS-81059 Repair, Laundry, and Other Selected Services (Enterprise Support)

OS-81101 Motor Vehicle Repair and Maintenance

OS-81102 Repair and Maintenance Services

OS-81190 Classification Form

OS-81191 Classification Form—Other Repair and Maintenance Services

OS-81201 Personal Care Services

OS-81203 Laundry Services

OS-81204 Funeral Services, Cemeteries, and Crematories

OS-81205 Other Personal Services

OS-81290 Classification Form—Personal Care and Laundry Services, except Pet Care

OS-81301 Grantmaking and Advocacy

OS-81302 Civic, Social, and Other Membership Organizations

OS-81390 Classification Form—Civic, Social, and Other Membership Organizations

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 

PS-54059 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (Enterprise Support)

PS-54101 Legal Services

PS-54102 Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services

PS-54103 Architectural Services

PS-54105 Surveying and Mapping Services

PS-54107 Computer Systems Design and Related Services

PS-54110 Advertising and Related Services

PS-54111 Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

PS-54112 Engineering Services

PS-54113 Building Inspection Services

PS-54114 Drafting Services

PS-54115 Specialized Design Services

PS-54116 Management Consulting Services

PS-54117 Environmental Consulting and Other Scientific and Technical Consulting

 Services

PS-54118 Testing Laboratories

PS-54119 Scientific Research and Development Services

PS-54190 Classification Form—Legal, Accounting, and Bookkeeping Services

PS-54191 Classification Form—Computer, Management, and Consulting Services

PS-54192 Classification Form—Architecture, Engineering, Surveying, Design, and

 Research and Development Services

PS-54193 Classification Form—Advertising and Other Professional Services

PS-54194 Classification Form—Veterinary and Pet Care Services

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 

RE-53101 Real Estate Services

RE-53160 Real Estate Lessors

RE-53190 Real Estate Lessors Classification

RE-53191 Real Estate Services Classification

RE-53201 Rental and Leasing of Automotive Equipment (Without Drivers)

RE-53202 Equipment Rental and Leasing: Consumer Goods

RE-53203 Equipment Rental and Leasing: Commercial and Industrial

RE-53290 Rental and Leasing Classification

RE-53301 Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities
History of the 2007 Economic Census Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors E-13

U.S. Census Bureau

Retail Trade 

RT-44101 Automobile Dealers

RT-44102 Recreational Vehicle, Boat, and Other Motor Vehicle Dealers

RT-44103 Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Stores

RT-44190 Classification Form—Retail Gasoline Stations and Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers

RT-44191 Classification Form—Retail Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics,

 Appliances, and Computer Hardware and Software

RT-44192 Classification Form—Retail Building Materials, Hardware, and Lawn and Garden

 Equipment

RT-44193 Classification Form—Retail Food and Beverages

RT-44194 Classification Form—Retail Clothing and Clothing Accessories

RT-44195 Classification Form—Miscellaneous Retailers

RT-44201 Furniture Stores

RT-44202 Home Furnishings Stores

RT-44301 Electronics and Appliance Stores

RT-44401 Building Material and Supplies Dealers

RT-44402 Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers

RT-44501 Food and Beverage Stores

RT-44601 Health, Optical Goods, and Personal Care Stores

RT-44701 Gasoline Stations

RT-44801 Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores

RT-44802 Shoe Stores

RT-44803 Jewelry Stores

RT-45101 Sporting Goods Stores

RT-45102 Hobby, Toy, and Sewing Stores

RT-45103 Musical Instrument, Music, and Video Stores

RT-45104 Book Stores and Newsstands

RT-45201 Department, Variety, and Other General Merchandise Stores

RT-45202 Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters

RT-45301 Florists

RT-45302 Pet and Pet Supplies Stores

RT-45304 Antique and Used Merchandise Stores

RT-45305 Manufactured (Mobile) Home Retailers

RT-45306 Tobacco Stores

RT-45307 Art Dealers and Miscellaneous Store Retailers

RT-45360 Office Supply, Stationery, and Gift Stores

RT-45401 Electronic Shopping, Vending Operators, and Direct Selling

RT-45402 Fuel Dealers

Transportation and Warehousing 

TW-48160 Air Transportation

TW-48360 Water Transportation

TW-48459 Trucking and Warehousing (Enterprise Support)

TW-48460 Trucking and Warehousing

TW-48490 Trucking Classificaiton

TW-48560 Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation

TW-48601 Pipelines

TW-48801 Transportation Services
E-14 Appendix E: Questionnaires by NAICS Sectors History of the 2007 Economic Census 

U.S. Census Bureau

Utilities 

UT-22101 Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities

UT-22150 Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities (Consolidated)

Wholesale Trade 

WH-42301 Motor Vehicles

WH-42303 Motor Vehicles Parts and Supplies

WH-42305 Furniture and Homefurnishings

WH-42307 Lumber and Other Construction Materials

WH-42309 Photographic and Commercial Equipment

WH-42311 Computers and Office Equipment

WH-42313 Professional Equipment and Supplies

WH-42315 Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals

WH-42317 Coal, Coke, and Other Minerals and Ores

WH-42319 Electrical Goods

WH-42321 Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies

WH-42323 Construction and Mining Machinery and Equipment

WH-42325 Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment

WH-42327 Industrial Machinery and Equipment

WH-42329 Industrial Supplies

WH-42331 Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies

WH-42333 Transportation Equipment and Supplies

WH-42335 Sporting, Recreational, Hobby Goods, Toys, and Supplies

WH-42337 Scrap and Recyclable Materials

WH-42339 Jewelry, Watches, and Precious Stones and Metals

WH-42341 Miscellaneous Durable Goods

WH-42401 Paper and Paper Products

WH-42403 Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceutical Supplies, Cosmetics, and Toiletries

WH-42405 Piece Goods and Notions

WH-42407 Apparel and Footwear

WH-42409 Grocery Wholesalers

WH-42411 Frozen Food

WH-42413 Dairy Products

WH-42415 Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products

WH-42417 Confectionaries

WH-42419 Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

WH-42421 Farm-Product Raw Materials

WH-42423 Chemicals and Allied Products

WH-42425 Petroleum and Petroleum Products

WH-42427 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages

WH-42429 Farm Supplies

WH-42431 Books, Periodicals, Flowers, and Florists’ Supplies

WH-42433 Tobacco and Tobacco Products

WH-42435 Paints, Varnishes, Wallpaper and Supplies

WH-42437 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods

WH-42501 Agents, Brokers, and Electronic Markets, Durable Goods

WH-42503 Agents, Brokers, and Electronic Markets, Nondurable Goods