How are Import/Export Price Index data obtained?
The International Price Program (IPP) selects sample establishments based upon their relative trade value in imports and exports during the course of a year. After an establishment is selected for inclusion, a BLS field economist visits the establishment to enlist cooperation and to select the exact items that will be priced on a monthly basis. All information provided by the establishment is protected under BLS confidentiality rules. Sample establishments are asked to provide prices on a monthly basis, as close as possible to the first day of the reference month. Most prices are collected by mailing pre-printed forms to establishment contacts, who fax them to the IPP when completed. In addition, some establishments submit prices via a secure internet address. IPP Industry Analysts collect the remaining prices by telephone or by fax.
