Deadline For Return Of Economic Census Form, February 12, 2003

Feb. 5, 2003
No. 03-03

The biggest complaint small business has is that nobody pays attention and nobody listens. This is our chance.

William Dunkelberg, Chief Economist for the
National Federation of Independent Business

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau join in reminding businesses that the February 12, 2003 deadline for returning the 2002 Economic Census form is fast approaching.

The form was sent to 13,000 businesses in Alaska in December. The economic census, taken every five years, is the primary benchmark for measurement of 96 percent of gross domestic product. Businesses that receive the form are required by law to respond.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan has said the economic census is "indispensable to understanding America's economy." Federal policymakers, state and local governments and businesses use economic census data for planning and market development.

The 2002 Economic Census features many "firsts" including the first official measure of e-commerce for all industries, and the first time information has been included on businesses with leased employees.

This year, filing the form is easier than ever. The Census Bureau has an Internet help site for businesses , and filing can be done electronically over the Internet. Businesses can extract data from their own spreadsheets and drop them into the electronic Windows®-based census form.

Census Bureau employees are answering a toll-free help line (1-800-233-6136) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST (4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alaska time), Monday through Friday.

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