Although the due date has passed for the 2022 CNMI Economic Census, businesses are still required by law to complete the questionnaire.
The Department of Commerce’s Central Statistics Division, in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau Economic Census section, will be issuing past due notices with instructions on how to respond electronically and how to get assistance. In addition, paper questionnaires will be mailed to small businesses to provide another reporting option.
The 2022 CNMI Economic Census began in late January 2023 with notifications sent to all businesses in the CNMI to complete the survey through a portal with a due date around mid-March.
The response is required by law under Title 13, U.S. Code. Responses are confidential. The Census Bureau is required by law to keep information private and secure. Federal law protects all businesses’ responses and ensures the data can only be used for statistical purposes.
Businesses that require additional time to respond can request an extension by logging onto the Respondent Portal (https://portal.census.gov), entering the authentication code sent to them by mail or email, and accessing their survey card.
The Economic Census of Island Areas is the most comprehensive measure of the U.S. territory economy. It will provide industry statistics for the entire Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota separately. It is the official five-year measure of U.S. territory businesses collected for years ending in “2” and “7.” The Economic Census of Island Areas data serves as the foundation for the gross domestic product (GDP). These statistics are also used by trade associations, economic development agencies, governments, and individual businesses for business decisions and policymaking.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau website at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/2022-main.html, or call the Department of Commerce Central Statistics Division at 670-664-3023 or 670-664-3045.
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