13-3-3161 Purchaser Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 13-3-3161; Expiration Date: 6/30/2014
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
SILICA BRICKS AND SHAPES FROM CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
See page 4 of the Instruction Booklet for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its antidumping investigation concerning silica bricks and shapes from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-1205
(Final)). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title
VII. This report is mandatory and failure to reply as directed can result in a subpoena or other order to compel
the submission of records or information in your possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)). Further information on this
questionnaire can be obtained from Samantha Day (202-205-2088, [email protected]).

Name of firm

_________________________________________________________________

Address
City

State

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased silica bricks and shapes (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source (domestic
or foreign) at any time since January 1, 2010?

NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Read the instruction booklet carefully, complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire
questionnaire to the Commission so as to be received by the date indicated above)

Return questionnaire via the U.S. International Trade Commission Drop Box by clicking
on the following link: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (use the following PIN: XXXX)
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.
By submitting this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout this proceeding in any other import-injury proceedings conducted by
the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout this proceeding may be used by the
Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission employees, for developing or
maintaining the records of this proceeding or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits and
proceedings relating to the programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements.

Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official

Date

Phone:
Signature

Email address
Fax

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of
concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as
possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 25 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden, to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I-1a.

OMB statistics.--Please report the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of
preparing the reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.
hours

dollars

I-1b.

OMB feedback.--We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this
questionnaire in general or the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your
response or send them to the above address.

I-2.

Establishments covered.--Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this
questionnaire (see page 3 of the instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is
publicly traded, please specify the stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.

Ownership.--Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?

I-4.

No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Extent of
ownership

Related SUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing silica bricks and shapes from China into the
United States or which are engaged in exporting silica bricks and shapes from China to the United
States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 3

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-5.

Related NONSUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing silica bricks and shapes from countries other
than China into the United States or which are engaged in exporting silica bricks and shapes from
countries other than China to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Address

Affiliation

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which
are engaged in the production of silica bricks and shapes?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 4

PART II.--PURCHASES
Contact information.-- Please identify the responsible individual and the manner by which Commission
staff may contact that individual regarding the confidential information submitted in this questionnaire.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Fax

II-1.

Purchases.--Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales
agent or broker) of silica bricks and shapes. Report based on delivery date, not order date.

Item
Purchases of silica bricks and shapes
produced in-The United States:
Quantity (short tons)
China:
Quantity (short tons)
Germany:
Quantity (short tons)
All other countries:1
Quantity (short tons)
1
Please identify these countries:

2010

2011

2012

Note.--Please explain any anomalies in your firm’s reported purchase data.

II-2.

Project type.--Please estimate the share of your firm’s purchases of silica bricks and shapes that
were purchased by project type.
Type of project

Share of purchases
2010
2011
2012

New construction (of a new coke oven or glass furnace)

%

%

%

Rebuilding/repair (of existing coke oven or glass furnace)

%

%

%

Total

100

%

100

%

100

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 5

PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-3.

Changes in purchasing patterns.—Please indicate how the relative levels of your firm’s
purchases of silica bricks and shapes from different sources have changed in the last three years.

Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated Explanation for trend
United
States

China

Germany

All other
countries

II-4.

Purchases from one country only.--If your firm has purchased silica bricks and shapes from
only one country, please explain the reasons for doing so.

II-5.

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for silica bricks and
shapes since 2010. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of silica
bricks and shapes that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2012.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2012 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 6

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of silica bricks and
shapes (check all that apply)?
End user (steel industry)
End user (glass industry)
Other end user
Distributor
Other (Describe:

)

If your firm is a distributor or reseller of silica bricks and shapes, please answer questions III-2 and
III-3.
III-2.

Competition for sales.--If your firm is a distributor or reseller of silica bricks and shapes, does it
compete for sales to its customers with the manufacturers or importers from which your firm
purchases silica bricks and shapes?
No

III-3.

Yes--Please describe.

Types of customers.--If your firm is a distributor or reseller of silica bricks and shapes, what are
the major types of consumers to which it sells silica bricks and shapes?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 7

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
If your firm is an end user of silica bricks and shapes, please answer questions III-4 and III-5.
III-4.

End uses.--Identify the end use applications in which your firm uses silica bricks and shapes. For
each end use application, estimate the percent of your firm’s total cost that is accounted for by
silica bricks and shapes and by other inputs (such as labor, energy, other raw materials,
engineering, and construction).
Share of total cost of end use application(s)
accounted for by

End use application

III-5.

Silica bricks and
shapes

Other inputs

Total

Coke oven (new construction)

%

+

%

= 100%

Coke oven (rebuilding/repair)

%

+

%

= 100%

Glass furnace (new construction)

%

+

%

= 100%

Glass furnace (rebuilding/repair)

%

+

%

= 100%

Other:

%

+

%

= 100%

Other:

%

+

%

= 100%

Demand for end use products.-(a)

If your firm is an end user of silica bricks and shapes, has the demand for your firm’s
coke or glass changed since 2010?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for silica bricks and shapes?
No

Yes--Please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 8

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-6.

Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for silica bricks and shapes?
No

Yes--Please fill out the table below.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Substitute

Have changes in the prices of this substitute
affected the price for silica bricks and
shapes?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.

III-7.

Interchangeability between coke ovens and glass furnaces.--Are silica bricks and shapes that
are produced for use in a coke oven interchangeable with silica bricks and shapes that are
produced for use in a glass furnace?
No

Yes

Explanation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 9

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-8.

Demand trends.-- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United States
(if known) in the silica bricks and shapes market has changed since January 1, 2010. Explain any
trends and describe the principal factors that have affected these changes in demand.

Market

Fluctuate
Overall
No
Overall with no clear
increase change decrease
trend

Explanation and factors

Within
the United
States
Outside
the United
States

III-9.

Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Is buying a product that is produced in the
United States an important factor in your firm’s purchases of silica bricks and shapes (check ALL
that apply)?
No
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required by law or regulation (for example,
government purchases under “Buy American” provisions). This involves
percent of
all purchases of silica bricks and shapes.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are not required by law or regulation, but are by your
firm’s customers. This involves
percent of all purchases of silica bricks and shapes.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required for other reasons (please specify these
reasons below). This involves
percent of all purchases of silica bricks and shapes.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 10

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-10. Conditions of competition.-(a) Is the silica bricks and shapes market subject to business cycles (other than general economywide conditions) and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to silica bricks and shapes?
No (skip to question III-12).
Yes--Business cycles (e.g. seasonal business).
Yes--Other distinctive conditions of competition.
If yes, describe below.

Business cycles
Other conditions
of competition

(b) Have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition for silica
bricks and shapes since January 1, 2010?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

III-11. Decisions based on producer.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do your firm’s
customers make purchasing decisions involving silica bricks and shapes based on the producer of
the silica bricks and shapes your firm purchases?

Always

Your firm
Your
firm’s
customers

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, discuss
how your firm/customers
determine the producer and why
this information is important

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 11

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-12. Decisions based on country-of-origin.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do
your firm’s customers make purchasing decisions involving silica bricks and shapes based on the
country of origin of the silica bricks and shapes you purchase?

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, discuss
how your firm/customers
determine the source and why
this information is important

Your firm
Your
firm’s
customers

III-13. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently does your firm make purchases of silica bricks and shapes (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Has your firm made significant changes in its purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) since
2010?
No
Yes—Please describe.

III-14. Frequency of brick replacement.--How frequently does your firm repair or rebuild its coke
oven or glass furnace?

III-15. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers does your firm generally contact before
making a purchase?
firms

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 12

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-16. Supplier negotiations.-(a)

Do purchases of silica bricks and shapes usually involve negotiations between supplier
and purchaser?
No

(b)

Yes--Please describe these negotiations, noting whether purchasers
generally quote competing prices as part of the negotiation
process.

Does your firm tend to vary its purchases from a given supplier within a specified time
period based on the price offered for that period?
No

Yes--Specify the time period.

III-17. Change in suppliers.--Has your firm changed suppliers since 2010?
No

Yes--Please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or dropped, the
reasons for the change, and how frequently you change suppliers.

III-18. New suppliers.--Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have
entered the market since 2010?
No

Yes --Please identify the firms and indicate how you became aware of them.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 13

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-19. Supplier qualification
(a) Does your firm require its suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified to sell silica
bricks and shapes to your firm?
No

Yes--

percent of purchases in 2012

Yes--all purchases

(b) Please provide a general description of the certification or qualification process. Briefly
describe the factors that your firm considers when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality of
product, reliability of supplier, etc.)

(c) How long does it take to qualify a new supplier?

days

III-20. Failure to certify.--Since 2010, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their attempts to
certify or qualify their silica bricks and shapes with your firm or have any producers lost their
approved status?
No

Yes--Please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and the
reasons why they failed the certification/qualification process.

III-21. Supply constraints.--Has your firm been refused, declined, or unable to purchase silica bricks
and shapes since January 1, 2010 (examples include suppliers placing customers on allocation or
“controlled order entry,” declining to accept new customers or renew existing customers,
delivering less than the quantity promised, unable to meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 14

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-22. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors
generally considered by your firm in deciding from whom to purchase silica bricks and shapes for
any one order (examples include availability, extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range
of supplier’s product line, traditional supplier, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

III-23. Purchasing factors.--For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in
your purchase decision for silica bricks and shapes.
Very
important
Availability .......................................
Delivery terms .................................
Delivery time ...................................
Discounts offered ............................
Durability .........................................
Extension of credit...........................
Minimum quantity requirements ......
Packaging .......................................
Price ................................................
Product consistency ........................
Quality meets industry standards....
Quality exceeds industry standards
Product range..................................
Reliability of supply .........................
Technical support/service ...............
U.S. transportation costs .................

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 15

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued

III-24. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of silica bricks and shapes?

III-25. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the silica bricks
and shapes that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-26. Price leaders.— A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that initiate a price change,
either upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or more firms that have a
significant impact on prices. A price leader is not necessarily the lowest-priced supplier.
Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the silica bricks and shapes
market since 2010. Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 16

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS

IV-1.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin for silica bricks and shapes for
which your firm has actual marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
China
Germany
Other countries (specify

IV-2.

)

Interchangeability by country-pair.--Is silica bricks and shapes produced in the United States
and in other countries interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable
F = the products are frequently interchangeable
S = the products are sometimes interchangeable
N = the products are never interchangeable
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

China

Germany

Other countries

United States
China
Germany

For any country-pair producing silica bricks and shapes which is sometimes or never
interchangeable, please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 17

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-3.

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between silica bricks and shapes
produced in the United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases
of the products?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = such differences are always significant
F = such differences are frequently significant
S = such differences are sometimes significant
N = such differences are never significant
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

China

Germany

Other countries

United States
China
Germany

For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant
factor in your firm’s purchases of silica bricks and shapes, identify the country-pair and report
the advantages or disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 18

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-4.

Country preferences.--Does your firm or your firm’s customers ever specifically order silica
bricks and shapes from one country in particular over other possible sources of supply?
No

IV-5.

Availability of merchandise.--Are certain grades/types/sizes of silica bricks and shapes available
from only a single source (domestic or foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No

IV-6.

Yes--Please identify all relevant countries (including the United States and
both subject and nonsubject foreign countries) from which your firm or
its customers prefer to order, and indicate why silica bricks and shapes
from these countries is preferred over product from other countries
(please note the specific product in your response).

Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.

Choice of product not based on price.--If your firm purchased silica bricks and shapes from one
source although a comparable product was available from another source at a lower price, please
explain your firm’s reasons for doing so (please specify by country, including the United States
and both subject and nonsubject foreign countries). Possibilities might include transaction
characteristics such as length of time to fill orders, minimum order size, reliability of supply,
favorable credit terms, freight concessions, offers to substitute higher quality silica bricks and
shapes, etc.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 19

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-7. Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how silica bricks and
shapes produced in each country your firm identified in its response to the first question in Part IV
compares with silica bricks and shapes produced in each of the other countries you identified (including
the United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign countries).

Inferior

Comparable

product from
China
compared to
product from
Germany

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

product from
United States
compared to
product from
Germany

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Durability .................................................
Extension of credit...................................
Minimum quantity requirements ..............
Packaging ...............................................
Price1 .......................................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
U.S. transportation costs1 .......................

1

A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has
lower prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 20

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
Continued.

Inferior

Comparable

product from
Germany
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

product from
China
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries
Comparable

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

IV-7.

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Durability .................................................
Extension of credit...................................
Minimum quantity requirements ..............
Packaging ...............................................
Price1 .......................................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
U.S. transportation costs1 .......................

1

A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has
lower prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 21

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-8.

Minimum quality.--How often does silica bricks and shapes from the following countries meet
minimum quality specifications for your firm’s uses or your firm’s customers’ uses?

Source
United States
China
Germany
Other:
Other:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

Don’t
know

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 22

PART V.—BID DATA
V-1.

Bid data.--Please submit, in chronological order, the information requested below for all of your
firm’s purchases of silica bricks and shapes (with at least 90 percent silica) used in both new
construction and repair projects since January 1, 2010.
A separate spreadsheet document is provided with this questionnaire. Please complete all
relevant columns of the spreadsheet and list all bids for each of your firm’s purchases. An
example of the data format is on the next page.
1. Project name and location (Coke oven A, Milwaukee, WI; Glass furnace B, Lansing, MI,
etc.)
2. Project type (new construction or repair)
3. Date of request for proposal (RFP) or bid
4. Types and sizes of silica bricks and shapes requested
5. Quantity of silica bricks and shapes requested (in short tons)
6. Bidding firm name
7. Country of origin of the silica bricks and shapes
8. Date of bid or quote
9. F.o.b. quote for silica bricks and shapes (total value in dollars)
10. F.o.b. quote for other materials and services (for example, cement, mortar, mold charges,
packaging, engineering, construction, etc.)
11. List the other materials and services included in the bid
12. Freight costs for quoted silica bricks and shapes
13. Total quote amount
14. Winning bid (yes/no)
15. Reason(s) bid accepted or rejected
16. Delivery date
17. Type and size of silica bricks and shapes purchased
18. Quantity of silica bricks and shapes purchased (in short tons)
19. F.o.b. price of silica bricks and shapes purchased (total value in dollars)
20. F.o.b. price of other materials and services purchased (for example, cement, mortar, mold
charges, packaging, engineering, construction, etc.)
21. List the other materials and services purchased
22. Freight costs for silica bricks and shapes purchased
23. Total purchase amount

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))
PART V.—BID DATA--Continued

Page 23

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 24

PART V.—BID DATA--Continued
V-2.

Bid opportunites.-- How often does your firm allow/request sellers more than one chance to bid
on a particular sales agreement?
Always

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

If so, why does your firm allow/request multiple bids?

V-3.

Bid competition.-- How often does your firm discuss the bids of competing firms (whether or not
your firm discloses who the competition is) with its suppliers in order to get a lower bid price?
Always

Frequently

Please describe these discussions.

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (731-TA-1205 (Final))

Page 25

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
V-4.

Bid exclusions.--

(a) How often does your firm request a bid from only one supplier?
Always

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

If your firm requests bids from only one supplier, please explain why.

(b) Since January 1, 2010, has your firm excluded one or more firms from bidding (e.g., not being
willing to consider a bid submitted by a supplier, or asked a firm not to bid) on purchases of silica
bricks and shapes?
No

V-6.

Yes-- List the suppliers whose bid(s) were excluded and why these bid(s)
were not considered.

Services included in bid.-- Do the bids that your firm requests for silica bricks and shapes
typically include other services, such as engineering, construction, maintenance, etc.?
No

Yes—Please describe the other services your firm requests in its bids.