MBDA Global Commerce Survey Tool

OMB Control No. 0640-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX-XX-XXXX

Statement of Procedure
The purpose of this survey is to identify the participation rates of minority-owned
businesses in global commerce. Currently there are no sources of data available that
provide this level of information. A survey is necessary to establish benchmarks of
minority business participation and contribution to export sales, international trade, and
trade with fast growing countries/markets. This survey also aims to identify minority
business access to capital markets, experience with trade barriers and regulatory issues,
potential to enter the export market, and position in global supply chains.
To this end, the US Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency
(MBDA), in collaboration with Minimax Consulting, LLC, is administering the present
questionnaire to minority- and non-minority-owned business enterprises. Data obtained
from this survey will be used to develop a research paper on Minority Business
Contributions to the U.S. Economy through Global Commerce.
This information collection contains requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to
respond to, nor shall any person be subject to penalty for failure to comply with, a
collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB control number. The estimated response time
for this collection is 30 minutes. The response time includes the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
this estimate or any other aspects of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing the length of this questionnaire, to the Minority Business Development
Agency, Attn., Ivonne Cunarro, via email at [email protected] or telephone (202) 4822157.

Instructions
Some of the questions in the present questionnaire will require information related to
your company's financial statements; namely, the gross revenue within the last 3 years, as
well as exports (if any) and number of employees will be required. Moreover, if your
company has exports, a breakdown of the exports by country, as well as information
about the barriers to exporting to those countries will be required. Finally, the
questionnaire will end with questions about your company's access to capital markets. If
you believe that another person within your company would be more idoneous to
complete this questionnaire, please forward them the link you received by e-mail.

1

Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding the study or the present questionnaire, feel free to
contact Mr. Clark Guo at Minimax Consulting, LLC ([email protected],
phone: (401) 331-6360), or Ivonne Cunarro at the Department of Commerce's MBDA
([email protected]).

I certify that I have read and understand the statement of procedure and agree to
participate as a subject in the specific research described therein. My participation in this
research is given voluntarily. I understand that I may discontinue participation at any
time without penalty. I certify that I am at least 18 years of age.

General Information about the Company
1. Please select the option that best describes the form of this company:
Sole proprietorship
Corporation
Partnership
Non-profit organization
Other (please specify):

2. Is this company a subsidiary of another company?
Yes
No

3. Is this company minority-owned?

2

Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 5)
Note: For the purposes of this survey, a minority business enterprise (MBE) is defined as
a business concern that is owned or controlled (greater than 50 percent) by the following
persons or groups of persons that are also U.S. citizens or resident aliens admitted for
lawful admission to the United States: African Americans, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific
Islander Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives, Alaska Native
Corporations and Tribal entities), Asian Indians and Hasidic Jews.

4. Please indicate the type of minority ownership (check all that apply)
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Asian Indian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Hasidic Jew
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

5. Is the company principally owned or controlled by an individual?
Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 11)

6. What is the gender of the principal owner?

3

Male
Female

7a. What is the ethnicity of the principal owner?
Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino

7b. What is the race of the principal owner (check all that apply)?
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
White

8. What is the age of the principal owner? (please enter a number, or leave blank if you
don't know)
(PROGRAMMING: IF THERE IS A RESPONSE AND IT IS NOT A NUMBER,
OR IF IT IS A NUMBER UNDER 18, DISPLAY ERROR: "Please enter a number
above 18")

9. How many years of experience does the principal owner have in this line of business?
(please enter a number, or leave blank if you don't know)
4

(PROGRAMMING: IF THERE IS A RESPONSE AND IT IS NOT A NUMBER,
OR IF IT IS A NEGATIVE NUMBER, DISPLAY ERROR: "Please enter a a
positive number")

10. What is the highest level of education attained by the principal owner?
Less than high school graduate
High school graduate/GED equivalent
Technical, trade, or vocational school
Some college, but no degree
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s, Doctorate, or Professional Degree

11. Which of the following best describes the activities of your company?
Mining/Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing (farming and extraction of raw materials)
Manufacturer (processing materials into new products)
Wholesale trade
Distribution/transportation
Retailer (sales to final consumer)
Financial/Insurance/Real Estate Services
Professional, scientific, or techcnical services

5

Other (please specify):

12. Please select the 2-digit NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)
codes of your company (check all that apply):
(PROGRAMMING: DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN
DROPDOWN LIST FORM, AND ALLOW THE USER TO SELECT MORE
THAN ONE)
11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 
21 Mining 
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 

13. In what year was the company established?
(PROGRAMMING: IF THERE IS A RESPONSE AND IT IS NOT A NUMBER,
DISPLAY ERROR: "Please enter a number")

6

14. How may years has the company been operating?
(PROGRAMMING: IF THERE IS A RESPONSE AND IT IS NOT A NUMBER,
DISPLAY ERROR: "Please enter a number")

15. What was the average number of employees this company had in 2009?
Full-Time:
Part-Time:
(PROGRAMMING: IF EITHER OF THE BOXES ARE FILLED WITH NONNUMBERS, DISPLAY ERROR NEXT TO THE APPROPRIATE BOX: "Please
enter a number")

16. Does this company sell goods, services, or both?
Goods
Services
Both

17. Please indicate the total dollar value of your company’s gross revenue from sales of
goods and services in the last 3 years:
Annual reporting period ending
in...

Goods

Services

2007
2008
2009
PROGRAMMING: THE GOODS/SERVICES COLUMNS ARE DISPLAYED
ONLY IF THE RESPONDENT STATED THAT THE COMPANY SELLS
“BOTH” IN QUESTION 16. OTHERWISE, ONLY ONE OF THE COLUMNS IS

7

DISPLAYED, DEPENDING ON THE RESPONDENT'S CHOICE IN QUESTION
16.
IF ANY OF THE BOXES ARE FILLED WITH NON-NUMBERS, OR WITH
NEGATIVE NUMBERS, DISPLAY ERROR NEXT TO THE APPROPRIATE
BOX: "Please enter a number")

International Commerce
18. Within the last 3 years, did your company make any sales to clients outside of the
United States?
Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 29)

19. To which countries did your company sell goods and services within the last 3 years?
Canada
China
France
Germany
Japan
Mexico
South Korea
Taiw an
United Kingdom
Venezuela

20. Did your company create jobs to support the sale of goods and services to a country
other than United States?
Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 22)
21. How many jobs were specifically created at your company to support the sale of
goods and services to a market other than United States?
Number of Jobs Created in the U.S. as a result of international trade:

8

Full-Time:
Part-Time:
Number of Jobs Created in Overseas Affiliates as a result of international trade:
Full-Time:
Part-Time:
(PROGRAMMING: IF EITHER OF THE BOXES ARE FILLED WITH NONNUMBERS, DISPLAY ERROR NEXT TO THE APPROPRIATE BOX: "Please
enter a number")

22. Please indicate the total dollar value of sales of goods and services made to
international clients in the last 3 years:
Annual reporting period ending
in...

Goods

Services

2007
2008
2009
(PROGRAMMING: THE GOODS/SERVICES COLUMNS ARE DISPLAYED
ONLY IF THE RESPONDENT STATED THAT THE COMPANY SELLS
“BOTH” IN QUESTION 16. OTHERWISE, ONLY ONE OF THE COLUMNS IS
DISPLAYED, DEPENDING ON THE RESPONDENT'S CHOICE IN QUESTION
16.
IF ANY OF THE BOXES ARE FILLED WITH NON-NUMBERS, OR WITH
NEGATIVE NUMBERS, DISPLAY ERROR NEXT TO THE APPROPRIATE
BOX: "Please enter a number")

23. Please select the countries (non-US) where you sold the most goods or services
during the annual reporting period ending in 2009. Choose up to 5 countries from the
following list.

9

Canada
China
France
Germany
Japan
Mexico
South Korea
Taiw an
United Kingdom
Venezuela

(PROGRAMMING: VERIFY THAT THE USER ENTERS AT LEAST 1 AND AT
MOST 5 COUNTRIES. IF NOT, DISPLAY ERROR: "Please select at least one and
at most five countries from the list")

24. During 2009, approximately what percentage of your company's total sales (goods
and/or services) was made in the identified countries? Please ensure that the percentages
add up to 100%.
Country

Goods
COUNTRY 1

5%

Services
5%

COUNTRY 2

5%

5%

COUNTRY 3

5%

5%

COUNTRY 4

5%

5%

COUNTRY 5

5%

5%

[PROGRAMMING:
THE GOODS/SERVICES COLUMNS ARE DISPLAYED ONLY IF THE
RESPONDENT STATED THAT THE COMPANY SELLS “BOTH” IN
QUESTION 16. OTHERWISE, ONLY ONE OF THE COLUMNS IS DISPLAYED,
DEPENDING ON THE RESPONDENT'S CHOICE IN QUESTION 16.
COUNTRY1-5 REPRESENT THE COUNTRIES CHOSEN IN QUESTION 23.
ONE ROW PER COUNTRY IS DISPLAYED, SO THAT IF LESS THAN 5
COUNTRIES WERE CHOSEN, THEN LESS THAN 5 ROWS ARE SHOWN.
VALIDATE THAT THE SUM OF ALL PERCENTAGES CHOSEN IS 100%. IF
THEY DO NOT ADD UP TO 100%, DISPLAY ERROR: "The percentages do not
add up to 100%. Please revise them as needed."]

10

25. While engaging in sales to clients from COUNTRY, did you encounter any of the
following? (check all that apply)
U.S. regulations that require you to change the nature of your good or service (for
example, its quality, packaging, ingredients, etc.) to get permission to export it to
COUNTRY
COUNTRY regulations that required you to change the nature of your good or
service (for example, its quality, packaging, ingredients, etc.) to get permission to export
it from the U.S..
Tariffs or other fees due to the government of COUNTRY to get permission to
export it from the U.S..
Fees requested by the government of COUNTRY to expedite or facilitate exports to
that country.
U.S. regulations that required some form of official registration/paperwork to get
permission to export the goods or services to COUNTRY.
COUNTRY regulations that required some form of official registration/paperwork to
get permission to export the goods or services from the U.S.
U.S. regulations that banned exports of the company’s goods or services to
COUNTRY
COUNTRY regulations that banned imports of the company’s goods or services to
from the U.S..
(PROGRAMMING: THIS QUESTION IS TO BE REPEATED FOR EACH OF
THE COUNTRIES ENTERED IN QUESTION 23. REPLACE THE WORD
"COUNTRY" WITH THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY.)

26. In the following space, describe in your own words any experiences your company
had with regulation-related difficulties that prevented your company’s exporting.

11

27. In the following space, describe in your own words any experiences your company
had with other difficulties related to exporting (such as language barriers, cultural
differences, etc.).

28. What do you think the U.S. government could do to facilitate the process of selling to
international clients?

PROGRAMMING: SKIP TO QUESTION 34 AFTER QUESTION 28

29. Are the goods or services that your company sells potentially exportable? (examples
of non-exportable goods and services include haircuts, auto repairs, etc.)
Yes (SKIP QUESTION 30)
No

30. Are you aware of other companies, similar in size to yours, that export goods or
services that are similar to those provided by your company?

12

Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 34)

31. Please select the reasons why your company is not exporting its good or services
(check all that apply):
Not interested in exporting / Never considered exporting. (SKIP TO QUESTION
34)
Want to export, but...
...don’t know how to reach overseas clients.
...don’t know how to register as an exporting company with the U.S. government.
...the registration process with the U.S. government to become an exporting company
is too long, difficult, or costly.
...don’t believe there is demand for your product abroad.
...don't have the infrastructure to ship/send/provide the goods/services to foreign
clients.
...do not have access to adequate funds for expansion purposes or working capital.
...don't have the knowledge of the foreign market company wants to export to.
...tariffs are too high in the country/countries this company could export to.
...exports of the company’s goods or services to the country/countries this company
could export to are banned by the U.S. government.
...exports of the company’s goods or services to the country/countries this company
could export to are banned by the recipient country/countries government.

13

...other regulations/laws prevent your company from exporting (please indicate that
regulation or law):
...company is otherwise incapable of exporting (please indicate reason):

32. If the U.S. government could alleviate the problem/s you marked in the previous
question at no direct cost for your company, would you consider exporting your
company’s goods or services?
Yes
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 34)

33. If the U.S. government alleviated the problem/s you marked previously at no direct
cost for your company, what percentage of your most recent year’s sales would you
expect to export in the next year?
<15%
15%-30%
30-50%
50-100%
100%+

Access to Capital Markets
34. Within the past 3 years, did your company require a capital injection in the form of
loans, bonds, or equity purchases? Please answer “Yes” if a capital injection was
needed, even if it could not be secured.

14

Yes
No (SKIP TO END)

35. What were the main reasons your company sought the most recent capital injection?
Please check all that apply.
Expansion of the business (hiring, purchasing new capital goods, etc.) to do business
within the U.S.
Expansion of the business to do business internationally
Working capital to do business internationally
Purchase of another company
Payment of “ordinary” operating expenses
Payment of extraordinary costs (such as litigation-related costs)
Other (please specify):

36. How did your company obtain its capital injections in the last 3 years? Please check
all that apply.
The company was not able to not able to secure additional capital injections within
the last 3 years (SKIP TO QUESTION 40)
Bond issuance
Family and friends savings or assets
Personal/family home equity loan
Personal/business credit card

15

Business loan from federal, state or local government
Government-guaranteed business loan by Export-Import Bank or SBA
Other federal or state government-guaranteed business loan from a bank or financial
institution
Business loan from a bank or financial institution
Business loan/investment from family/friends
Private equity or venture capital
Business profits and/or assets
Grants

37. What type of government-guaranteed loan was used?

(PROGRAMMING: ONLY DISPLAY QUESTION 37 IF THE ANSWER TO
QUESTION 36 WAS "Government-guaranteed business loan by Export-Import
Bank or SBA" OR "Other government-guaranteed business loan from a bank or
financial institution". OTHERWISE, SKIP IT)

38. If your company obtained a loan or bond, what was the interest rate on the largest
loan or bond secured within the last 3 years?
Interest Rate:
No loan or bond was obtained within the last 3 years (SKIP TO END)
Note: please enter the interest rate without the percentage sign. For example, if the
interest rate was 7%, please enter 7
(PROGRAMMING: IF THE "No loan or bond was obtained within the last 3
years" OPTION IS SELECTED, THEN THE INTEREST RATE BOX MUST BE

16

LEFT BLANK. IF IT IS NOT BLANK, DISPLAY ERROR: "You indicated that
the company did not receive any loan or bond within the last 3 years, but also
entered a number for the interest rate. Please verify this inconsistency and revise
your answer as needed. If your company did not secure any loans or bonds within
the last 3 years, please check that option and leave the interest rate box blank")

39. Do you feel that the interest rate on that loan or bond was fair?
Yes
No (SKIP TO END)

40. Why was your company unable to secure capital (check all that apply)?
Bank or financial institution loan was applied for and denied.
Government guaranty loan was applied for and denied.
Credit card was applied for and denied.
Private equity or venture capital was applied for and denied.
Did not apply for a bank loan because believed application would be denied.
Bond issuance was not sufficiently subscribed.
Other reason (please indicate):

END
Thank you very much for participating in this survey. Your collaboration will allow the
research paper on Minority Business Contributions to the U.S. Economy through Global
Commerce to be successfully completed.

17