Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders Survey

M3-1-L1
(1-2015)

DC

Appendix B
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001

FROM THE CHIEF
ECONOMIC INDICATORS DIVISION (EID)
I thank you for your continued participation in the monthly Manufacturers’
Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) survey. This voluntary survey
provides some of the Nation’s most widely used, timely information on the
manufacturing sector of the economy. Your continued participation is essential
to the success of our survey.
"The Census Bureau’s economic
surveys are indispensable to
understanding America’s
economy. They ensure the
accuracy of the statistics we rely
on for economic policy and for
successful business planning.
Participating in the monthly survey
helps us all."
– Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman,
Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System

As many of you have experienced budgetary cuts and have needed to make
difficult decisions concerning your business, the M3 survey is faced with a
difficult decision as well, concerning modes of reporting for the survey. In
order to reduce the cost of reporting the survey to the Census Bureau, we are
asking all companies currently faxing data by way of the 800 number to
transition to the new and improved internet data collection instrument. Internet
reporting is fast, easy, and a convenient way to report your data. This
enhanced system provides more user friendly options, including the ability to
submit and/or view up to 12 months of data. To begin reporting, please go to
http://respond
.census.gov/m3 and enter your user id and original password as imprinted on
the enclosed form(s). If you have any problems, please call your Census
Bureau contact located on the form(s) or go to
http://bhs.econ.census.gov/bhs/m3/contactus.html to email your request via
our Secure Messaging Center.
The M3 survey is authorized by law (Title 13, United States Code,
Sections 131, 182, and 193). By Section 9 of the same law, your report to
the Census Bureau is confidential. It may be seen only by persons sworn
to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information and may be
used only for statistical purposes. The law also provides that copies
retained in your files are immune from legal process. Public reporting
burden for this collection of voluntary information is estimated to average
20 minutes per response.
As in previous years, the M3 instruction manual is available on the Internet.
Go to the M3 web page, www.census.gov/m3 and click on the “Get Forms”
tab. The “M3 Instruction Manual” has the most recent information to assist you
with reporting. From this web address, you also will be able to access the
published M3 data.

If you have any questions about this voluntary survey or our electronic
reporting methods, please call the M3 office on (301) 763–4832 or go to http://
bhs.econ.census.gov/bhs/m3/contactus.html to email your request via our
Secure Messaging Center.
Sincerely,

Nick Orsini
Enclosure(s)
census.gov