Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs

ASE-L1
(02-23-2016)

DC

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

A Message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau:
Your business has been selected to participate in the 2015 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs (ASE).
The U.S. Census Bureau, in conjunction with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Minority
Business Development Agency (MBDA), is conducting this survey. The ASE is an annual collection of
information on the characteristics of U.S. businesses by ownership categories, i.e., by gender, ethnicity,
race, and veteran status for employer businesses.
Please report online using the information below and keep this letter for future reference:

Website:
https://econhelp.census.gov/ase
User ID:
Password:
Due Date:
Your response is required by law. Title 13, United States Code, Sections 8(b), 131 and 182 authorizes
this collection. Sections 224 and 225 require your response. Section 9 of Title 13 requires that the Census
Bureau keeps this report strictly confidential. The information you provide may be seen only by
persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information and may be used only for
statistical purposes. Further, copies retained in your files are immune from legal process. On behalf of the
Secretary of Commerce, pursuant to Section 1(a)(3) of Executive Order 11625, the MBDA may enter into
this agreement with the Census Bureau to establish a means for the development, collection, summation,
and dissemination of information that will be helpful to persons and organizations throughout the nation
in undertaking or promoting the establishment and successful operation of minority business enterprises.
We estimate the average time to complete this survey is 35 minutes. You may use reasonable estimates
if book figures are not readily available. On the back of this letter, you will find disclosure descriptions
regarding Office of Management and Budget number, authority and confidentiality and burden estimate
statement.
If you need assistance completing the survey, visit us online at https://econhelp.census.gov/ase. For
further assistance, please call our customer help line at 1-888-824-9954, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m., Eastern time. Si necesita ayuda, llame libre de cargos: 1-888-824-9954, de lunes a viernes, de
8 a.m. a 6 p.m., hora del Este.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and ensuring that the results of the 2015 Annual Survey of
Entrepreneurs are comprehensive, timely, and reliable. Your response makes a difference.
Sincerely,

John H. Thompson
Director
US Census Bureau

census.gov

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE 2015 ANNUAL SURVEY OF ENTREPRENEURS

OMB Number
This collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The eight-digit OMB
approval number is 0607-0986 and appears in the upper right corner of the electronic instrument screen.
Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey.

Authority and Confidentiality
Title 13 United States Code, Sections 8(b), 131 and 182 authorizes this collection. Title 13 U.S.C., Sections
224 and 225 require businesses and other organizations that receive this questionnaire to answer the
questions and return the report to the U.S. Census Bureau. By Section 9 of the same law, your report
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 of your
report retained in your files are immune from legal process. On behalf of the Secretary of Commerce,
pursuant to Section 1(a)(3) of Executive Order 11625, the MBDA may enter into this agreement with the
Census Bureau to establish a means for the development, collection, summation, and dissemination of
information that will be helpful to persons and organizations throughout the nation in undertaking or
promoting the establishment and successful operation of minority business enterprises.

Burden Estimate Statement
We estimate the average time to complete this survey is 35 minutes, including 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 burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: ECON Survey
Comments 0607-0986, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Room EMD-6K064, Washington, DC
20233. You may e-mail comments to [email protected]. Be sure to use ECON Survey
Comments 0607-0986 as the subject.

ASE-L1_B (02-23-2016)