The Bureau of the Census is willing to furnish on a cost basis foreign trade and shipping statistics provided there is no serious interruption of the Bureau's regular work program.
In instances where information requested is not shown separately or not summarized in the form desired, it is necessary to conduct a prelimary investigation at the requestor's expense to determine whether the information can be compiled from the basic records and what the total cost will be. The preliminary investigation normally costs $250 but may be more depending on the circumstances. The total cost of the final report generally ranges from $500 to several thousand dollars for data covering a 12-month period.
Upon receipt of a request, information will be furnished as to whether the statistics are available and if so, the cost; or that a preliminary investigation must be conducted. When an investigation is completed, information will be furnished as to the cost of preparing the material, or as to the reason if the statistics cannot be compiled from our basic records.