STAT-USA provides three main informational services, in addition to several other services catering to specific users. The three main information databases are STAT-USA/Internet, USA Trade Online, and EuroTrade Online.

STAT-USA (http://home.stat-usa.org/)
STAT-USA/Internet (http://www.stat-usa.gov)
USA Trade Online (http://www.usatradeonline.gov)
EuroTrade Online (http://www.eurotradeonline.gov)


History:

The predecessor office to STAT-USA, the Office of Business Analysis (OBA), launched the Economic Bulletin Board (EBB) in 1985. The product met the growing demand for electronic dissemination of US economic information to the general public. With the EBB's launch, the OBA helped open the era of electronic reporting. Using cutting-edge (for the time) dial-up technology, the EBB allowed the public to download economic releases by modem on the day of release, from anywhere in the world. The EBB contained virtually all of the major economic releases of the Federal Government on topics such as employment, wholesale and retail prices, international trade, monetary and housing trends, and gross domestic product, etc. As the EBB, and the desire for easy, public access to federal data grew, OBA was recognized throughout the Department of Commerce and the Federal Government as a pioneer in electronic data dissemination and customer service.

The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 required the Secretary of Commerce to establish and operate the National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) to promote exports and to facilitate the analysis and development of trade policy. The Congressional intent was to establish a centralized location for all federal trade-related data in electronic format at low cost. STAT-USA works with about 40 federal agencies and offices to produce the NTDB that now contains over 200,000 documents on exports opportunities by industry, country and product; political, and socio-economic conditions in hundreds of countries; and much more.

The organization formally changed its name to STAT-USA in 1994. At this time STAT-USA was also removed from the federally appropriated budget, and was required to operate solely on the revenues it would generate from user fees. Additionally, STAT-USA jumped on the Information Superhighway by launching STAT-USA/Internet, an online subscription service that has become its cornerstone data product.

Today, STAT-USA serves several thousand direct customers ranging from the largest Fortunes 500 companies, to small and medium sized businesses, libraries, universities, other government agencies, and individuals. Also, STAT-USA has established an outstanding relationship with the Federal Depository Libraries (FDLs) so that anyone can walk into the library and use STAT-USA services in these libraries at no charge.

Call us on: 1-800-STAT-USA or 202-482-1986
Send e-mail to: statmail@doc.gov
STAT-USA Products and Services