Detailed Information on the
Census Bureau: Current Demographic Statistics Assessment

Continue early releases of SIPP 2004 Panel core and topical module products. Begin release of the 2008 Panel data products.

Improve the current SIPP program to address current problems, in order to better meet the policy needs of the country.

Continue to improve long-term goals for the SIPP by including an ambitious data release schedule.

Develop ways to improve managerial accountability for SIPP release schedules.

Design a new data collection system on the dynamics of economic well-being to replace the SIPP and meeting the policy needs of the country.

Pursue additional independent evaluations of the SIPP to demonstrate that results are being achieved.

Measure: Household response rate for the Current Population Survey

Explanation:

Measure: Coefficient of variation (CV)- CPS

Explanation:

Measure: Current Population Survey Interviews per month

Explanation:

Measure: Household response rate for the Survey of Income and Program Participation

Explanation:

Measure: Number of CPS data releases (monthly = mo; supplements = sp)

Explanation:Target: Release CPS data (12 products monthly, 6 supplements)

Measure: Release SIPP data (number of data products released)

Explanation:

Measure: Current Population Survey field survey costs per case (adjusted for inflation)

Explanation:* FY 2003 Actual is below estimate due to a one-time temporary cut in activities.

Measure: Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Cost Per Case

Explanation:

Measure: Completion of SIPP performance milestones to maintain household response rates (reduce attrition) (1) Introduce incentives and other improvements for 2001 Panel. (2) Introduce CIIG and Methods Panel (MP) instrument design improvements for 2004 Panel.

Explanation:* 2001 Target: Introduce incentives and other improvements for 2001 Panel * 2004 Target: Introduce CIIG and Methods Panel instrument design improvements for 2004 Panel

Is the program purpose clear?

Explanation: The Census Bureau's Current Demographic Statistics program is responsible for developing plans and programs to collect, process, and disseminate information from surveys on the population and its characteristics, and on the size and characteristics of the housing inventory. The Current Demographic Statistics Program includes the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).

Evidence: Census Bureau's mission statement.

Does the program address a specific and existing problem, interest or need?

Explanation: Data from these programs address the need to create the United States' official measures of employment, unemployment, income, poverty, and health insurance coverage not available from the private sector on a continuous basis. Further, the necessity of protecting the confidentiality of respondents' data and ensuring the impartiality of resulting statistics require that the Federal government produce these demographic statistics.

Evidence: Titles 13 and 29 of the U.S. Code places confidentiality requirements of the data collected and used by the Census Bureau.

Is the program designed so that it is not redundant or duplicative of any other Federal, state, local or private effort?

Explanation: The Census Bureau's high survey response rates, extensive data collection infrastructure, and confidentiality protections result in survey data that is of highest quality and analytic integrity. These data make a unique contribution to providing official baseline estimates of various social, demographic, and economic phenomena and trends.

Evidence: The Census Bureau supplies data that are the basis for the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly unemployment rate. Also, Congress and the Department of Education use the data to determine where the funds for Head Start programs could be most helpful. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) allocates billions of dollars of Federal funds to states based, in part, on a formula that uses data from the Current Population Survey.

Is the program design free of major flaws that would limit the program's effectiveness or efficiency?

Explanation: The Census Bureau provides the source data for many official statistics and time series that are routinely input to other agencies' social and economic indicators. The Census Bureau has a well-developed data collection infrastructure and trained field staff, high household response rates, and a complete sampling frame from the decennial census.

Evidence: Titles 13 and 29 of the U.S. Code Reliability requirements of surveys

Is the program effectively targeted, so that resources will reach intended beneficiaries and/or otherwise address the program's purpose directly?

Explanation: The current demographic surveys program has survey reliability requirements to ensure demographic data are adequate to allocate federal funds to the states.

Evidence: Reliability requirements of surveys Title 29 mandates use of CPS data on conditions of the labor force to generate national and state unemployment rates which are used in unemployment fund allocation formulas.

Does the program have a limited number of specific long-term performance measures that focus on outcomes and meaningfully reflect the purpose of the program?

Explanation: The long term performance goal is to meet the needs of policy makers, businesses and non-profit organizations, and the public for current measures of the U.S. population, economy, and governments by producing accurate, timely, relevant, cost-effective, and accessible statistics. The long term performance measures include household response rates for the CPS and SIPP, coefficient of variation for the CPS, CPS and SIPP interviews, data release schedules, and survey costs per case.

Evidence: FY 2004 DOC Annual Performance Report. Census Bureau's Strategic Plan for 2004-2008 (draft).

Does the program have ambitious targets and timeframes for its long-term measures?

Explanation: The long term targets are the following: Level of response/costs - CPS: The CPS has the short and long-term target to maintain a level of response of 54,000 interviewed households out of 60,000 eligible households per month (equivalent to a 90% response rate) while maintaining costs at current levels adjusted for inflation. Level of response - SIPP: The SIPP has the long-term target of reducing attrition in 2001 and future surveys by using incentive payments, better interviewer training and a streamlined instrument. Data products - CPS: The CPS has the long-term target to release 12 data products from the monthly CPS and 6 from the annual supplement each year on or ahead of schedule. Data products - SIPP: The SIPP has a short and long-term target of one year from end of interviewing release date for products from the 2001 Panel. Census' long term goal should include an ambitious data release schedule for core wave files, topical module files, and the longitudinal files.

Evidence: FY 2005 Annual Performance Plan

Does the program have a limited number of specific annual performance measures that can demonstrate progress toward achieving the program's long-term goals?

Explanation: The annual performance measures include household response rates for the CPS and SIPP, coefficient of variation for the CPS, CPS and SIPP interviews, data release schedules, and survey costs per case.

Evidence: FY 2005 Annual Performance Plan

Does the program have baselines and ambitious targets for its annual measures?

Explanation: In general, annual performance targets are ambitious and consistent with the long term targets. Census' annual goals for SIPP data products should be consistent with an ambitious long-term data release schedule for core wave files, topical module files, and the longitudinal files.

Evidence: FY 2005 Annual Performance Plan

Do all partners (including grantees, sub-grantees, contractors, cost-sharing partners, and other government partners) commit to and work toward the annual and/or long-term goals of the program?

Explanation: The current demographic statistics program regularly consults with external and internal partners to ensure commitment to program goals. For example, partners are consulted on the research agenda including analysis of interviewing methods, response bias, quality control procedures, questionnaire design, and documentation. The current surveys program also incorporates milestone schedules and reporting requirements into contracts with its IT partners.

Evidence: Periodic interagency meetings: SIPP Interagency Committee, Quarterly Sponsors' meeting, SIPP Executive Committee, meetings with senior managers of the CPS with managers at BLS to discuss the survey and resolve any outstanding issues. Reimbursable Agreement with BLS. IT contracts

Are independent evaluations of sufficient scope and quality conducted on a regular basis or as needed to support program improvements and evaluate effectiveness and relevance to the problem, interest, or need?

Explanation: The SIPP is evaluated by several external groups including the SIPP Interagency Committee, SIPP Executive Committee, and the ASA External Advisory Group. The Bureau of Labor Statistics contributes to external evaluations of the CPS. Census has pursued additional independent evaluations of the SIPP. A report by Mathematica Policy Research Inc., recommended several changes to improve the wealth data from the survey. The program plans to conduct other evaluations of the SIPP as part of a research plan to be tested in preparation for the 2008 SIPP. In addition, the Census Bureau will repeat an external evaluation of the usefulness of SIPP content by surveying prominent SIPP data users both inside and outside of government. The Census Bureau regularly generates quality profiles and cost and management reports for Bureau-sponsored demographic surveys. These profiles and reports provide statistical measures of reliability and note compliance with or accomplishment of project tasks.

Evidence: Reports of SIPP Interagency Committee, SIPP Executive Committee. Source and Accuracy Statements are issued at the time of data release. Quality Profile Standards. Mathematica Policy, Inc. report: Survey Estimates of Wealth: A Comparative Analysis and Review of the SIPP. Also, Research and Testing Proposal for SIPP Assets/Liabilities Topical Modules: 2008 Panel.

Are Budget requests explicitly tied to accomplishment of the annual and long-term performance goals, and are the resource needs presented in a complete and transparent manner in the program's budget?

Explanation: The Census Bureau budget requests tie resource requests to the accomplishment of performance goals for new initiatives and incorporate unit costs for base and new activities. However, improvements can be made in tying base activities to annual and long term performance goals.

Evidence: FY 2005 Budget Request

Has the program taken meaningful steps to correct its strategic planning deficiencies?

Explanation: In general, the current demographic statistics program has adequate strategic planning. Improvements can be made in the Census Bureau's Strategic Plan to better articulate program goals and associated milestones.

Evidence: Census Bureau's Strategic Plan for 2004 - 2008 (draft) 2004 Methods Panel, Continuous Instrument Improvement Group, SIPP Executive Committee

Does the agency regularly collect timely and credible performance information, including information from key program partners, and use it to manage the program and improve performance?

Explanation: The Census Bureau collects, calculates, and assesses performance measure data on reliability, interview rates, and cost as the surveys are tabulated. These data are used to ensure reliability requirements are achieved.

Evidence: Monthly Cost and Performance Reports. Annual Status Reports. Cost and Response Management Reports providing daily cost and progress data for our field infrastructure.

Are Federal managers and program partners (including grantees, sub-grantees, contractors, cost-sharing partners, and other government partners) held accountable for cost, schedule and performance results?

Explanation: Annual performance plans for managers include goals and meaures that are linked to Census Bureau's strategic goals. Managerial accountability for SIPP release schedules have been incoporated into annual performance plans for SIPP managers. This was reviewed by the SIPP 2004 Data Products Team, established in August 2003. Contracts are carefully monitored and contractors are held accountable for progress.

Evidence: Performance plans are a part of each employee's annual review from entry-level to senior staff.

Are funds (Federal and partners') obligated in a timely manner and spent for the intended purpose?

Explanation: All funds are obligated in a timely and appropriate manner.

Evidence: SF 133 quarterly reports

Does the program have procedures (e.g. competitive sourcing/cost comparisons, IT improvements, appropriate incentives) to measure and achieve efficiencies and cost effectiveness in program execution?

Explanation: Census obtains daily cost and progress on field data collection with a Cost and Response Management Network. Census has used these data to measure and improve efficiency. For example, Census used it to identify the sources of field cost increases between FY01 and FY02. The detailed reports allowed managers to determine what activities were associated with these increases and devise steps to contain or reduce those costs. As a result, for FY03 field survey costs per case are lower than they were in FY01 for both CPS and SIPP.

Evidence: DOC FY2005 Annual Performance Plan The Survey of Income and Program Participation uses various incentives to gain respondent participation resulting in fewer followup contacts to obtain interviews. Cost and Response Management Network (CARMN) provides daily cost and progress data on our field infrastructure.

Does the program collaborate and coordinate effectively with related programs?

Explanation: The Current Demographic Statistics is involved in numerous cross-cutting programs and activities; in particular, with the Health and Human Services, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, other federal customers, and the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy.

Evidence: The Census Bureau is a member of the Interagency Council for Statistical Policy (ICPS) which works to identify areas for collaboration and efficiencies among the 15 Federal statistical agencies. The Census Bureau also routinely meets and works with other agencies, such as the Office of Management and Budget's SIPP Interagency Advisory Committee, to enhance coordination for the development of quality statistics. Seven advisory committees also provide continuing advice and input on Census Bureau programs.

Does the program use strong financial management practices?

Explanation: The Census Bureau's financial management practices have resulted in a clean opinion on its financial audit since FY 1999.

Evidence: DOC Financial Audits Reports

Has the program taken meaningful steps to address its management deficiencies?

Explanation: In general, the current demographic program has adequate program management. The Census Bureau has developed areas of competency that managers must meet in their jobs and several programs have been developed to meet training needs in competency areas.

Evidence: Project Management Master Certificate Program to standardize its processes, establish time lines, and improve communication.

Has the program demonstrated adequate progress in achieving its long-term performance goals?

Explanation: The current demographic statistics program has made progress in achieving its long-term goals for the CPS and the SIPP. To address concerns about SIPP attrition due to the longitudinal nature of the survey and delays in the release of SIPP data especially from the longitudinal file, the 2004 SIPP Data Products Team developed a set of recommendations, currently being implemented, that will reduce the release time for the first core product from the 2004 SIPP by 5 months from initial estimates, and will continue to improve the release time for core and topical module products throughout the panel. Also, the Census Bureau continues to address the attrition issue and has instituted intensive training to help field representatives convert reluctant respondents as well as expanding the incentive program.

Evidence: FY 2004 Performance and Accountability Report; FY 2004 and FY 2005 Annual Performance Plans; SIPP Data Products Team Report: Expiditing the Release of Data Products from the 2004 Panel.

Does the program (including program partners) achieve its annual performance goals?

Explanation: The current demographic statistics program has met its annual performance goals.

Evidence: FY 2004 DOC Annual Performance Report

Does the program demonstrate improved efficiencies or cost effectiveness in achieving program goals each year?

Explanation: The current demographics program has cost efficiency measures of survey costs per case for the CPS and SIPP. The survey costs per case increased in both the SIPP and CPS in FY 2002. However, the program was able to identify areas for improvement and survey costs per case declined in FY 2003. However, the program should address the rise in survey costs per case in both surveys evident in FY 2004.

Evidence: FY 2004 DOC Annual Performance Report

Does the performance of this program compare favorably to other programs, including government, private, etc., with similar purpose and goals?

Explanation: The quality of data as measured by such reliability standards as survey response rates, are higher than other surveys done in the private sector.

Evidence: The SIPP per unit costs are comparable to other longitudinal surveys.

Do independent evaluations of sufficient scope and quality indicate that the program is effective and achieving results?

Explanation: External and internal evaluations indicate that the surveys are largely effective. Concerns previously expressed by the ASA Advisory Committee and the Federal Interagency Committee for the SIPP about the attrition and delays in release of data, have been addressed by the SIPP Data Products Team, as noted in item 4.1. Census has pursued additional independent evaluations of the SIPP. A report by Mathematica Policy Research Inc., receommended several changes to improve the wealth data from the survey. Several of these changes have been implemented for the 2004 SIPP. The program plans to conduct other evaluations of the SIPP as part of a research plan to be tested in preparation for the 2008 SIPP. In addition, the Census Bureau will repeat an external evaluation of the usefulness of SIPP content by surveying prominent SIPP data users both inside and outside of government.

Evidence: Reports of SIPP Interagency Committee, SIPP Executive Committee. Source and Accuracy Statements are issued at the time of data release. Quality Profile Standards. Mathematica Policy, Inc. report: Survey Estimates of Wealth: A Comparative Analysis and Review of the SIPP. Also, Research and Testing Proposal for SIPP Assets/Liabilities Topical Modules: 2008 Panel.