1 A View of the United States Federal Statistical System from OMB Katherine K. Wallman Chief Statistician U. S. Office of Management and Budget

2 Overview of U.S. Federal Statistical System The US decentralized system includes about 100 agencies. A substantial portion of official statistics are produced by ten agencies. –account for approximately 40 percent of resources dedicated to Federal statistical work (or about $2 billion annually).

3 –Identify priorities for improving programs. –Establish statistical policies and standards. –Evaluate statistical programs for compliance with OMB guidance. –Review Budgets –Approve Information Collections Overview of U.S. Federal Statistical System Chief Statistician’s Office provides oversight, coordination, and guidance for Federal statistical activities.

4 Establishment and Enforcement of Standards Core standards for statistical surveys. Guidelines on protecting confidential information. Classification standards. Data release standards.

5 Directives and Standards Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys (September, 2006) –focus on ensuring high quality surveys –encourage agency best practices Questions and Answers When Designing Surveys for Information Collections (January, 2006) –improve information collection designs –help agencies prepare “OMB packages”

6 Directives and Standards CIPSEA Guidance –issued June 15, 2007 –developed with help from interagency team –includes wording for “CIPSEA pledge” –promulgates “best practices”

7 Directives and Standards North American Industry Classification System –Joint effort with Canada and Mexico –2007 Revision issued –planning for 2012 North American Product Classification System –also joint effort with Canada and Mexico –provisional products included in 2007 Economic Census

8 Directives and Standards Standard Occupational Classification System –announced next major review of 2000 SOC on May 16, –committee recommendations issued for public comment on May 22, over 1000 comments received. –Final decision for 2010 SOC in early 2009.

9 Directives and Standards Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas –interagency committee reviewing –modest updating anticipated –public comment opportunity in spring 2009 –revisions prior to Census 2010

10 Directives and Standards Statistical Policy Directive No. 4: Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies. –issued March 7, –covers statistical products not covered by Statistical Policy Directive No. 3. but advances the same policy goals –embodies agency “best practices”

11 New Initiatives Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Subcommittees: –Statistical Uses of Administrative Records –Privacy FCSM Statistical Policy Seminar –Beyond 2010: Confronting the Challenges –November 18-19, 2008 at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel

12 Challenges Confronting the U.S. Statistical System Respondent cooperation. Fiscal resource constraints. International comparability. More detailed data Access to data Statistical agency independence Human capital – next generation…