Respondent Letter

ABS-L1
(Draft)

A Message from the Directors
U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
We are requesting your cooperation with the 2017 Annual Business Survey conducted by the U.S.
Census Bureau and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the
National Science Foundation (NSF). This national survey collects data on the characteristics of U.S.
businesses and owners as well as research and development, innovation and technology. Accurate data
will help leaders in the public and private sectors make better decisions to strengthen American
competiveness.
Website:
Authentication Code:
Due Date:
1. Sign in OR register at the website above.
2. Add your authentication code.
3. Report by clicking on “REPORT NOW.” You can return to your account over multiple sessions
to complete.
YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW and will be kept strictly CONFIDENTIAL. We
estimate this survey will take an average of 52 minutes to complete. Additional information about the
authority, confidentiality, and burden of this data collection can be found on the back of this letter.
For assistance with completing this survey, please sign into your Census Bureau account or call our
customer help line at 1-888-824-9954, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation, and for helping the U.S. Census Bureau measure
America’s people, places, and economy. Your response makes a difference.
Sincerely,
John R. Gawalt
Director
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation

ABS-L1
(Draft)

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

Authority and Confidentiality
Title 13, United States Code, Sections 8(b), 131, and 182, and Title 42, United States Code, Section
1861-76 (National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended), and Section 505 within the America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, authorize this collection. Sections 224 and 225 require your
response. The U.S. Census Bureau is required by Section 9 of the same law to keep your information
confidential and can use your responses only to produce statistics. The Census Bureau is not permitted to
publicly release your responses in a way that could identify your business, organization, or institution. Per
the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks
through screening of the systems that transmit data.

Burden Estimate Statement
We estimate this survey will take an average of 52 minutes to complete, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information.