Collection from Tribal Governments

SBO-1-L2 -- DRAFT

(2007)

Please reply to:

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

1201 EAST TENTH STREET

JEFFERSONVILLE IN 47134-0001

FROM THE CHIEF, COMPANY STATISTICS DIVISION

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

We have not received your response to the 2007 Survey of Business Owners and Self-Employed Persons (SBO) questionnaire, Form SBO-1, which was mailed to you several weeks ago. These data are essential to business and government decision making. We need information about your business to provide reliable data for your industry and geographic area.

We remind you again that your response to this survey is mandatory under Title 13 of the United States Code. Applicable provisions of the law are shown on the back of this letter. If you recently submitted your report, we thank you and ask that you disregard this notice.

Enclosed is a duplicate survey form in the event the original one did not reach you or was misplaced.

Be sure to read all instructions before completing the form. You may use estimates if book figures are not readily available. Please complete the survey and use the enclosed preaddressed envelope to return it to the Census Bureau within 10 days.

You can also report electronically by using our online interactive application, Census Taker. To use this secure user-friendly application, go to <www.census.gov/econhelp/sbo>, which has instructions for using Census Taker. The site also shows how to use census data and provides links to previous census results. To help you complete the survey, an enclosure with answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the SBO has been provided.

If you need additional information, our customer help line (1-888-824-9954) is available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern time. When calling, please refer to the 11-digit Census File Number (CFN) shown in the upper left corner of the address label on the report form.

Your prompt response will enable us to keep follow-up costs to a minimum. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey L. Mayer

Enclosures

NOTE -- Be sure to make a copy of the form for your records.

AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT ECONOMIC CENSUSES – SECTION 131

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.

AUTHORITY TO COLLECT PRELIMINARY AND SUPPLEMENTAL STATISTICS – SECTION 193

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 supplementary statistics related to the

main topic of the census as are necessary to the initiation, taking, or completion thereof.

MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW PERTAINING TO ECONOMIC CENSUSES – SECTION 224

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 questions, he shall be fined not more than $10,000.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

Section 9

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 establishment 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.

Section 214

Whoever, being or having been an employee or staff member referred to in subchapter II of chapter I

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 employed (or otherwise providing services) under the provisions of this title, shall

be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

SBO-1-L2 (2007)