19-3-4003 US purchasers' questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 19-1-4001; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

LOST SALES AND LOST REVENUE SURVEY
FABRICATED STRUCTURAL STEEL
This survey must be received by the Commission by February 15, 2019
See last page for filing instructions.
The information called for in this survey is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in connection
with its countervailing duty and antidumping investigations concerning fabricated structural steel from Canada, China,
and Mexico (inv. Nos. 701-TA-615-617 and 731-TA-1432-1434 (Preliminary)). The information requested in the survey 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 survey can be obtained from Amelia Preece (202-205-3250,
[email protected]).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased fabricated structural steel (as defined on next page) at any time since January 1, 2015?

NO

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

YES

(Complete all parts of the survey, and return the entire survey to the Commission)

Return questionnaire via the U.S. International Trade Commission Drop Box by clicking on the
following link: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: FABS)
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in this survey 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 survey
and throughout this proceeding in any other import-injury proceedings conducted by the Commission on the same or similar
merchandise.
I, the undersigned, acknowledge that information submitted in response to this request for information and throughout this
investigation or other proceeding may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits,
reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.
Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official

Date

Signature

Phone

Email address

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Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- fabricated structural steel

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GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on February 4, 2019, by
American Institute of Steel Construction LLC, Chicago, IL. Countervailing and/or antidumping duties may
be assessed on the subject imports as a result of these proceedings if the Commission makes an
affirmative determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and if the U.S. Department of
Commerce (“Commerce”) makes an affirmative determination of subsidization and/or dumping. U.S.
producers of fabricated structural steel have provided the USITC with allegations about sales or revenue
that they have lost due to competition from imports of fabricated structural steel from #countries. One
or more domestic producer(s) have named your firm in such an allegation.
Fabricated Structural Steel covered by these investigations is includes carbon and alloy (including
stainless) steel products such as angles, columns, beams, girders, plates, flange shapes (including
manufactured structural shapes utilizing welded plates as a substitute for rolled wide flange sections),
channels, hollow structural section (“HSS”) shapes, base plates, plate-work components, and other steel
products that have been fabricated for assembly or installation into a structure (fabricated structural
steel). Fabrication includes, but is not limited to, cutting, drilling, welding, joining, bolting, bending,
punching, pressure fitting, molding, adhesion, and other processes.
Fabricated structural steel products included in the scope of these investigations are products in which:
(1) iron predominates, by weight, over each of the other contained elements; and (2) the carbon
content is two percent or less by weight.
Fabricated structural steel is covered by the scope of the investigations regardless of whether it is
painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other metallic or non-metallic substances. Fabricated
structural steel may be either assembled; disassembled, but containing characteristics or items, such as
holes, fasteners, nuts, bolts, rivets, screws, tongue and grooves, hinges, or joints, so that the product(s)
may be joined, attached, or assembled to one or more additional product(s); or partially assembled,
such as into modules, modularized construction units, or sub-assemblies of fabricated structural steel.
Products under investigation include carbon and alloy steel products that have been fabricated for
erection or assembly into structures, including but not limited to, buildings (commercial, office,
institutional, and multi-family residential); industrial and utility projects; parking decks; arenas and
convention centers; medical facilities; and ports, transportation and infrastructure facilities.
Subject merchandise includes fabricated structural steel that has been assembled or further processed
in the subject country or a third country, including but not limited to painting, varnishing, trimming,
cutting, drilling, welding, joining, bolting, punching, bending, beveling, riveting, galvanizing, coating,
and/or slitting or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the
scope of the investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the fabricated structural steel.
Fabricated structural steel may be attached, joined, or assembled with non-steel components at the
time of importation. The inclusion, attachment, joining, or assembly of non-steel components with
fabricated structural steel does not remove the fabricated structural steel from the scope.
All products that meet the written physical description are within the scope of these investigations
unless specifically excluded. Specifically excluded from the scope of these investigations is certain
fabricated steel concrete reinforcing bar (“rebar”). Fabricated rebar is excluded from the scope only if
(i) it is a unitary piece of fabricated rebar, not joined, welded, or otherwise connected with any other
steel product or part; or (ii) it is joined, welded, or otherwise connected only to other rebar.

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Also excluded from this scope is fabricated structural steel used for bridges and bridge sections. For the
purpose of this scope, fabricated structural steel used for bridges and bridge sections is defined as
fabricated structural steel that is used in bridges and bridge sections and that conforms to American
Association of State and Highway and Transportation Officials (“AASHTO”) bridge construction
requirements or any state or local derivatives of the AASHTO bridge construction requirements.
Also excluded from this scope are pre-engineered metal building systems. For the purposes of this
scope, pre-engineered metal building systems are defined as complete metal buildings that integrate
steel framing, roofing and walls to form one, pre-engineered building system and are designed and
manufactured to Metal Building Manufacturers Association guide specifications. Pre-engineered metal
building systems are typically limited in height to no more than 60 feet or two stories.
Also excluded from this scope are steel roof and floor decking systems designed and manufactured to
Steel Deck Institute standards.
Also excluded from the scope are open web steel bar joists and joist girders that are designed and
manufactured to Steel Joist Institute specifications.
Fabricated structural steel is currently imported under statistical reporting numbers 7308.90.9590,
7308.90.3000, and 7308.90.6000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”).
They may also be imported under HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 7216.91.0010, 7216.91.0090,
7216.99.0010, 7216.99.0090, 7228.70.6000, 7301.10.0000, 7301.20.1000, 7301.20.5000, 7308.40.0000,
7308.90.9530, and 9406.90.0030. The HTSUS provisions are for convenience and customs purposes; the
written description of the scope is dispositive.
Reporting of information.-- If information is not readily available from your records, provide carefully
prepared estimates.
Confidentiality.--The data furnished in response to this survey that reveal the individual operations of
your firm will be treated as confidential by the Commission to the extent that such data are not
otherwise available to the public and will not be disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19
U.S.C. 1677f). Such confidential information will not be published in a manner that will reveal the
individual operations of your firm; however, general characterizations of numerical business proprietary
information (such as discussion of trends) will be treated as confidential business information only at the
request of the submitter for good cause shown.
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to this survey, as well as
any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to the Commission in connection
with this proceeding, may become subject to, and released under, the administrative protective order
provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1677f) and section 207.7 of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR § 207.7). This means that certain lawyers and other authorized
individuals may temporarily be given access to the information for use in connection with this
proceeding or other import-injury proceedings conducted by the Commission on the same or similar
merchandise; those individuals would be subject to severe penalties if the information were divulged to
unauthorized individuals. Please also retain a copy of the final document that you submit.

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Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- FABRICATED STRUCTURAL STEEL

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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 survey. This
may or may not be the person whose signature is at the bottom of page 1.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a
single response.
PURCHASE INFORMATION
1.

Purchases and imports.— Report separately your firm’s domestic purchases and imports of
fabricated structural steel.
“Purchase” – Purchase from a U.S. entity such as a U.S. producer, a U.S. importer, or other U.S.
firm.
“Import” – Purchase directly from a foreign supplier and your firm is the importer of record.
2015
Item

2016

2017

Quantity (in short tons)

Purchases of fabricated structural steel
produced in—
United States
Canada
China
Mexico
All other countries1
Sources unknown
Total purchases

0

0

0

0

0

0

Imports of fabricated structural steel
from—
Canada
China
Mexico
All other countries1
Total imports2
1

Please identify these countries:
If your firm imported fabricated structural steel at any time since January 1, 2015, please also
complete and return a U.S. importers' questionnaire in this proceeding.
2

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2. Changes in purchasing patterns.—Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
fabricated structural steel from different sources have changed since January 1, 2015.
Source of
purchases

Did not
purchase

Decreased Increased

Constant

Fluctuated

Explanation for trend

United States

Canada

China

Mexico

All other
countries
Sources
unknown

3. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the main factors your firm
considers in deciding from whom to purchase fabricated structural steel.
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

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4. Purchasing subject imports rather than domestic products.—
(a)

Since January 2015, did your firm purchase imports of fabricated structural steel from
Canada, China, and Mexico instead of U.S.-produced fabricated structural steel?
Respond for each subject country.

Source

Yes
(also respond to parts (b) and (c))

No
(If “No” for all countries, skip to next
question)

Canada
China
Mexico
(b)

If you responded “Yes” to part (a), was the imported product priced lower than the
domestic product?
Source

Yes

No

Canada
China
Mexico
(c)

If you responded “Yes” to part (a), was price a primary reason for purchasing subject
imports rather than domestic product?

Source

Canada
China
Mexico

Yes

If Yes, estimate the quantity
of imports purchased instead
of domestic product since
January 2015
(in short tons)

No

If No, please indicate the
reason your firm purchased
imports instead of domestic
product

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- FABRICATED STRUCTURAL STEEL
5.

Page 7

U.S. producers and import competition.—
(a)

Since January 1, 2015, in connection with a sale or offer to sell fabricated structural steel
to your firm, did U.S. producers reduce their prices of domestically produced fabricated
structural steel in order to compete with lower-priced imports of fabricated structural
steel from the subject countries? Respond for each subject country.
Source

Yes (also respond to
question part (b))

No (If “No” for all countries,
skip to next question)

Don’t know

Canada
China
Mexico
(b)

If your firm responded “yes” to any of the above countries, please provide an estimate
of the reduction in U.S. producers’ prices, and any additional explanations, such as
timing (e.g., months/years), frequency of price reductions, or other market/competitive
factors.

Source

Estimated
reduction in U.S.
prices
(percent)

Canada

%

China

%

Mexico

%

Additional explanation, including such information as
timing (e.g., months/years), frequency of price
reductions, or other market/competitive factors

6. Method of purchase--Please provide a general description of your firm’s method(s) of purchase
(e.g., individual purchase, contract, bids, Internet purchases, etc.) for fabricated structural steel.

7. Other explanations--Please provide any additional comments in this box.

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OMB INFORMATION
8. OMB statistics.--Please report the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of
completing this survey.
Hours

Dollars

The questions in this survey 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 survey is estimated to average 4 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering data, and completing and reviewing the
survey.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for reducing
the burden, and any suggestions for improving this survey. Please attach such comments to your
response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW, Washington, DC 20436.

HOW TO FILE YOUR SURVEY RESPONSE
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the survey document.
Please submit the completed survey using one of the methods noted below. If your firm
is unable to complete the MS Word survey or cannot use one of the electronic methods
of submission, please contact the Commission for further instructions.
• Upload via Secure Drop Box.—Upload the MS Word survey along with a scanned copy of the signed
certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure upload facility:
o
o
o

Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/
Enter Investigation: Select “Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, China, and Mexico” in the
drop down menu
Pin: FABS

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word survey to [email protected]; include a scanned copy of the signed
certification page (page 1). Submitters are strongly encouraged to encrypt nonpublic documents that are
electronically transmitted to the Commission to protect your sensitive information from unauthorized
disclosure. The USITC secure drop-box system and the Electronic Document Information System (EDIS)
use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 cryptographic algorithms to encrypt data in
transit. Submitting your nonpublic documents by a means that does not use these encryption algorithms
(such as by email) may subject your firm’s nonpublic information to unauthorized disclosure during
transmission. If you choose a non-encrypted method of electronic transmission, the Commission warns
you that the risk of such possible unauthorized disclosure is assumed by you and not by the Commission.
If your firm did not purchase this product, please fill out page 1, print, sign, and submit a scanned copy
to the Commission.