Pretesting of Respondent Letters for the Survey of Industrial Research & Development

D R A F T

(advance letter)

Month XX, 2008

Dear company representative:

In about two weeks, you will receive the Survey of Industrial Research and Development (SIRD), form RD-1. We ask that you complete and return the survey by Month/Day, 2008.

The SIRD is an annual survey conducted jointly by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Census Bureau. It has been conducted since 1953, and is the primary source of statistics on private sector R&D activity in the U.S. The survey collects data on, among other things:

• Costs incurred for R&D by type of R&D (basic and applied research, and development);

• Major types of R&D expense (e.g., salaries and wages, materials and supplies, etc.);

• Location of R&D performance by state and by country;

• Receipts;

• Employment.

More information about the SIRD, including a list of frequently asked questions, is available online at

http://bhs.econ.census.gov/BHS/RD/index.html.

You can also request information by calling (800) 851-2014 (select option 0) between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM (EST), Monday through Friday. An electronic reporting option will also be available. Your user ID and password will be pre-printed on the survey form.

You can view publications from past surveys at the National Science Foundation website:

http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/indus/start.htm

Thank you in advance for you assistance with this important survey.

Sincerely,