1. The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center
Advancing the Frontiers of Social Science: Opportunities and Challenges
Jani Little, Executive Director
Katie Genadek, Expected Administrator
The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center
Jani Little, Executive Director
Katie Genadek, Administrator
Phil Pendergast, Graduate Research Assistant
The Rocky Mountain Federal Statistical Research Data Center
(RMRDC)
Jani Little
Executive Director

2. What is a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC)?
--A secure computing lab where restricted data, collected by federal agencies, can be accessed FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY
--Made possible by a contractual agreement between a leading research institution and the U.S. Census Bureau
--The Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies (CES) directs all FSRDCs and the FSRDC Program
--FSRDCs are managed by an on-site Census employee—the administrator— who guides researchers on proposal development, enforces security guidelines, and serves as liaison with the research community.

3. Major Partners in the FSRDC System
U.S. Census Bureau
Economic Data
Demographic Data
Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) Data
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Other Federal Partners

4. The Expanding Role of the FSRDCs
Report of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking, Sept. 2017
Commissioned by Paul Ryan, Speaker of House and POTUS
Recommendations—FSRDC should play a central role
Establish a National Secure Data Service
Maintain Stringent Privacy Protections
Ensure access to administrative and survey data for evidence building
Develop uniform process for external researchers to gain access to restricted data
H.R Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2017
Sponsored by Paul Ryan, Speaker, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

5. 9 in 2009 and 24 in 2016

6. Data Available in the RDC

7. Types of Census Restricted Data Available
Economic Data
Demographic Data

8. Economic data available in RDCs
Microdata that is not available elsewhere
Detailed geographies and industries
Data linked over time
Employee and employer linked data
Full business register for the US
Can link own data to individual businesses

9. Economic Data Advantages
Establishment and firm level characteristics
Detailed industry and geography
Addresses, newer data had latitude and longitude
Linking Data
Consistent identifiers
Business register
Outside data

10. Types of Economic data available in RDCs
Business Register
Firm Surveys
Establishment Surveys
Economic Censuses
Transaction or Trade data

11. Business Register Data
Data Set
Compustat-SSEL Bridge (CSB)
Form 5500 Bridge File
Integrated Longitudinal Business Database (ILBD)
Longitudinal Business Database (LBD)
Ownership Change Database (OCD)
Standard Statistical Establishment List / Business Register (SSEL)

12. Firm Surveys Data Set Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES)
Annual Retail Trade Survey (ARTS)
Business Expenditures Survey (BES)
Business Research & Development and Innovation Survey (BRDIS)
Enterprise Summary Report (ESR)
Exporter Database (EDB)
Quarterly Financial Report (QFR)
Service Annual Survey (SAS)
Survey of Business Owners (SBO)
Survey of Industrial Research and Development (SIRD)

13. Establishment Surveys
Data Set
Annual Survey of Manufacturers (ASM)
Current Industrial Reports (CIR)
Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS)
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey – Insurance Component (MEPS-IC)
National Employer Survey (NES)
Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (QPC)
Survey of Manufacturing Technology (SMT)
Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization (PCU)
Survey of Pollution Abatement Costs and Expenditures (PACE)

14. Economic Censuses Census of Auxiliaries (AUX)
Data Set
Census of Auxiliaries (AUX)
Census of Construction Industries (CCN)
Census of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate (CFI)
Census of Manufacturers (CMF)
Census of Mining (CMI)
Census of Retail Trade (CRT)
Census of Services (CSR)
Census of Transportation, Communications, Utilities (CUT)
Census of Wholesale Trade (CWH)

15. Transactions Data Data Set Commodity Flow Survey (CFS)
Foreign Trade Data - Export (EXP)
Foreign Trade Data - Import (IMP)
Longitudinal Foreign Trade Transactions Data (LFTTD)

16. Linked Employer Household Dynamics (LEHD)
LEHD data combine administrative data from states’ Unemployment Insurance systems with Census Bureau data.
Workers: Employer history and quarterly wages, Individual characteristics (sex, age, race), Point in time residence and place of birth
Employers: Industry, employment, total payroll, location
Linkages between workers and employers
Links to other Census data: Virtually any RDC data on businesses; SIPP; CPS March supplement; ACS
The key is that you can link the worker and employer information to other data sets – economic or demographic.

17. Census Data: Demographic data available in RDCs
More geographic detail
Additional variables
More observations
Variables not censored (income)
Additional detail within variables

18. Data Available Decennial Censuses
Yearly ACS (American Community Survey)
Current Population Survey Supplements
American Housing Survey
Survey of Income and Program Participation
National Crime Victimization Survey
National Longitudinal Mortality Study
National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS)

19. More information
a.html
Public data and metadata

20. Linking to Census Data
Link data by geographic area to demographic, survey, econonmic data
Local data
Survey data
Proprietary data
Linked data within the RDC

21. Detailed Geography Data Set Geography Decennial Census Block
American Community Survey (ACS)
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
Tract
Current Population Survey* (CPS) – ASEC Supplement & Food Supplement
American Housing Survey (AHS)
National Longitudinal Survey (NLS) – Young/Mature Women
Lat/Lon
Block Group
National Longitudinal Survey (NLS) – Young/Old Men
County
National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS)

22. Useful Websites Census Bureau Data: Center for Economic Studies
NCHS Research Data Center
AHRQ

23. Requirements for Any FSRDC Project:
--Research projects must undergo a formal approval process with the agency that owns the data, e.g., Census, NCHS, BLS
--Researchers must go through a background investigation that qualifies them for “Special Sworn Status (SSS)” which makes them an unpaid Census Bureau employee.
--Results must be formally reviewed for disclosure violation before they leave the secure facility.
Currently 260 active projects, 50% are Census

24. Components of Proposals:
--Project Description (scientific merit, methods, feasibility, why requires restricted data)
--Dataset(s), Variables, Geography
--Results Expected and Disclosure Avoidance Strategies
--Personnel and Time frame

25. How and When Do I Get Started?
See materials at the RMRDC website, the CES website, NCHS website
Contact the RMRDC Director and Administrator for:
data availability
project budget and timeline
contact information
For Census projects, the Administrator will give invaluable guidance on
the proposal development process
the benefits to Census (PPS)
help navigate the project approval process

26. Contact Information:
Katie Genadek:
Jani Little:
Phil Pendergast:
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