Boundary and Annexation Survey

BAS-5L
OMB Control No.: 0607-0151
Expiration Date: 11-30-2021

A Message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau:
The U.S. Census Bureau is now conducting the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). Do not miss your
opportunity to participate in the BAS to ensure that the Census Bureau has current and accurate
boundary, legal name, and status information for your government.
Your government is in more than one county, and at least one of these counties is responding to the BAS
on behalf of a portion of your government. Please respond to the BAS for the portion of your
government not included in the consolidated BAS (CBAS) agreement. Visit the BAS website, using this
link , to view the
list of counties with CBAS agreements to determine which portion of your government is not included in
an agreement and requires your response. If you are interested in joining a CBAS agreement that your
government is not included in, please email for more information.
The BAS is a voluntary survey. We strongly encourage your participation in the BAS for the following
reasons:
•

Boundary updates complete the Census Bureau’s geographic framework for data collection,
tabulation, and dissemination, and are vital to the success of the decennial census, the
American Community Survey (ACS), Population Estimates Program (PEP), and many other
censuses and surveys.

•

The federal government allocates more than $675 billion in federal funds annually for health,
welfare, infrastructure, education, and other federal programs and services.

•

Responding to the BAS ensures that your local government receives the funds for which it is
entitled and has the best data available for its decision-making processes.

census.gov

Action Step:
Respond to the BAS using one of these three options:
•

Visit the “How to Get Started” page on the BAS website, located at this link
, to find stepby-step instructions on how to start the boundary updating process and complete the online
Annual Response Form.

•

Respond through email to . Please include the following information in
your email:
1. Are there boundary changes to report to the BAS? (Yes or No)
2. Are there updates to the Highest Elected Official or BAS contact information? If so,
please provide the updated contact information.
3. Please include the 11-digit BAS ID number listed at the top of this letter in the subject
line of your message.

•

Complete the Annual Response and Contact Update Form (BAS-ARF) and return the form by
email to or using the postage-paid return envelope.

NOTE: Please respond to the BAS with a “No Changes” response if you have no boundary or contact
updates to report for your government. If you do not respond, we will contact your government to
confirm your boundary change status.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The Census Bureau is offering training webinars for the BAS. The webinar schedule and registration
instructions are on the BAS Webinars webpage at .
KEY DATES
January 1

Boundary updates must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in the
current survey year.

March 1

Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS and PEP data and in
next year’s BAS materials.

May 31

Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.
CONTACT INFORMATION

Email:
Phone: 1-800-972-5651
Website:
Thank you for your participation in the BAS.
Enclosures

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