U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security

Industrial Base Surveys and Assessments

Strategic Materials Survey

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), is conducting a survey and assessment to evaluate the supply chains associated with several materials considered important for DOD programs and systems. These materials include metals – magnesium and titanium; carbon fiber composite materials – particularly polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based fibers and bismaleimide (BMI) matrices; and rare-earth elements – erbium, terbium, ytterbium, and neodymium.

The principal goal of this assessment is to assist the defense community in understanding the health and competitiveness of key material suppliers, and to identify specific issues and challenges facing the U.S. industry. Information collected will include government and commercial revenue, financial and operational health, employment and skills, production capacity, research and development, unique capabilities and technologies, and other topics. The resulting dataset and report will assist DOD agencies in developing targeted planning and acquisition strategies designed to ensure the capability of the materials supply chain to support critical defense missions and programs.

The survey is designed to provide information on companies, universities, non-profits, and government agencies providing products or services related to the production of carbon fiber composite materials. Your participation is vital to ensure a comprehensive dataset for the assessment.

Response Obligations 

Your organization has been identified as providing carbon fiber-based composite-related products and/or services and is required by federal law, under 50 U.S.C. App Sec 2155, to complete this survey within 30 days.

Please confirm that you have begun working on this survey by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To begin, download the Microsoft Excel-formatted survey and corresponding instructions below.

Carbon Fiber Composites Survey (Excel)* | Carbon Fiber Composites Survey (PDF) *

Complete and submit the Excel version via email to BIS at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The PDF version is only a reference document for your organization's internal use and cannot be submitted in place of a completed Excel survey. If your organization utilizes a PDF version as a reference, the PDF document below contains the dropdown menu choices not visible in the PDF version of the survey templates. 

Carbon Fiber Composites Survey Dropdowns (PDF)

* Note 1: Save a copy of the Excel survey to your computer before you make any inputs to the questionnaire.

* Note 2: If, when clicking on the above links, your computer does not ask if you want to download the file to your computer, right click on the link and select "Save As." 

If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact BIS survey support staff at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at (202) 482-7808. E-mail is the preferred method of contact and will allow for a detailed response for your organization's records.