About the Quarterly Services Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau introduced a new quarterly survey of service industry activity in 2004.The Quarterly Services Survey is the Federal Government’s first new economic indicator in nearly thirty years. This new quarterly survey is the centerpiece of a multi-faceted statistical initiative to address long-standing deficiencies in federal statistics covering the service sector. The Census Bureau began data collection at the end of March 2004 to obtain information for the first quarter of 2004 and the fourth quarter of 2003. These quarterly measures will provide timely information needed to assess current economic performance and will improve the quarterly estimates of the gross domestic product. These statistics will also provide policy makers with current data on the performance of key information, communication, and technology-intensive service industries.

-- Quarterly Services Survey Coverage --