Skip Navigation
Office of Budget
Image showing a collage of the Department of Commerce building, scientist looking into a microscope, checking ocean equipment, and other activities that fall under the Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce Performance and Accountability Report
Fiscal Year 2007

Appendices

DOC Home | Table of Contents | Management | Performance | Financial | Appendices

Appendix C: Performance Measures Definitions

 

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1.3

Enhance the supply of key economic and demographic data to support effective decision-making of policymakers, businesses, and the American public

PERFORMANCE OUTCOME: Meet the needs of policymakers, businesses, non-profit organizations, and the public for current and benchmark measures of the U.S. population, economy, and governments (ESA/CENSUS)

Performance Measure:
  • Achieve pre-determined collection rates for Census Bureau censuses and surveys in order to provide statistically reliable data to support effective decision-making of policymakers, businesses, and the public

This measure focuses on the reliability of census data in that maintaining a high level of response for both demographic and economic surveys ensures that information from the Economics and Statistics Administration’s (ESA) Census Bureau surveys and censuses is always reliable and widely accepted by customers over the long term. Reliability of Census Bureau statistics is essential for the Census Bureau to enhance the supply of key economic and demographic data to support effective decision-making of policymakers, businesses, the American public, and others.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source Census Bureau censuses and surveys are the initial collection source. Internal control files and systems are the source of the response rate data.
Frequency Response rates are tied to data collection. Frequency varies by survey or census.
Data storage All data are stored in Census Bureau databases and are published in public press releases.
Internal Controls Quality assurance analyses, Automated Data Processing (ADP) routines, and peer reviews.
Data Limitations Data that are released must adhere to Title 13 requirements to protect respondents’ confidentiality.
Actions to be Taken Continue quarterly reviews of performance data.


Performance Measure:
  • Release data products for key Census Bureau programs on time to support effective decision-making of policymakers, businesses, and the public

Ensuring that data products are released on schedule is essential for the Census Bureau to enhance the supply of key economic and demographic data to support effective decision-making of policymakers, businesses and the American public. The Census Bureau acknowledges an important distinction between release of the Economic Indicators and the other survey and census data products. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Statistical Directive Number 3 requires that data for the principal economic indicators be released within prescribed time periods. The impact of not meeting release dates for the economic indicators is much more serious, so two separate targets are noted.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source Actual data releases by Census Bureau programs.
Frequency The frequency of data releases varies. Release dates are often published in advance.
Data storage Data release information is stored in Census Bureau systems and public data releases.
Internal Controls Performance data are verified by comparing actual release dates with scheduled release dates. Methodological standards for surveys are publicly reported.
Data Limitations Data that are released must adhere to Title 13 requirements to protect respondents’ confidentiality.
Actions to be Taken Continue quarterly reviews of performance data.


Performance Measure:
  • Correct street features in the TIGER (geographic) database – number of counties completed to more effectively support: Census Bureau censuses and surveys, facilitate the geographic partnerships between federal, state, local and tribal governments, and support the E-Government initiative in the President’s Management Agenda

Correctly locating every street in the Master Address File and Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing System (MAF/TIGER) is integral to providing geographic products and services that meet the accuracy expectations of the 2010 Census field data collection staff, the Census Bureau’s data product customers, and the needs of the U.S. Geological Survey/The National Map. Many local and tribal governments that participated in the Census 2000 geographic partnership programs and many potential customers for MAF/TIGER geographic products indicated that they would not consider future geographic partnerships or use without substantial improvements in location accuracy. Investing in the identification and correct location of new housing units and streets or roads in small towns and rural areas will ensure uniform address and street coverage in the MAF/TIGER database and in the Census Bureau’s data products, both for the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2010 Decennial Census. The global positioning system (GPS) alignment will not be done for some remote areas of Alaska where handheld computers will not be used for the census. Alaska officials have been informed of these plans.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source MAF/TIGER activity schedule
Frequency As scheduled
Data storage Census Bureau MAF/TIGER database
Internal Controls The Census Bureau compares actual completion dates with scheduled dates.
Data Limitations None
Actions to be Taken Continue quarterly reviews of performance data.


Performance Measure:
  • Complete key activities for cyclical census programs on time to support effective decision-making by policymakers, businesses, and the public and meet constitutional and legislative mandates

Due to the cyclical nature of these programs, it is important to track annual key activities that support the programs. Census tracks the internal activities that are considered to be the most important in meeting the long-term goals of the cyclical census programs.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source Activity schedules kept by each of the cyclical census programs.
Frequency Ongoing, based on activity schedules
Data storage The Census Bureau program offices maintain activity schedules and performance data.
Internal Controls The Census Bureau compares actual completion dates with scheduled dates. Performance data are reviewed quarterly.
Data Limitations None
Actions to be Taken Continue quarterly reviews of performance data.


Performance Measure:
  • Meet or exceed the overall federal score of customer satisfaction on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)

The University of Michigan conducts the ACSI in cooperation with other groups. It tracks trends in customer satisfaction and provides benchmarks that can be compared across industries and between the public and private sectors. The Census Bureau traditionally focuses on key communications, services, and products: data products, Web products, and overall customer service as these relate to customers’ perceived quality, expectations, overall customer satisfaction, complaints, and loyalty. Results from the ACSI are available during the first quarter of the fiscal year.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source Census Bureau data users at State Data Centers, Business Information Data Centers, Census Information Centers, and Regional Federal Depository Libraries.
Frequency Annually
Data storage Primary storage system is a mainframe computer at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Internal Controls Data are collected electronically and cross-tabulated. Interviewers are continuously monitored with supervisors randomly listening in on interviews. The computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) system will not accept wild scores, out of range of allowable scales.
Data Limitations Sample size determines the limits of statements that can be made based on the data. All Census Bureau-related ACSI reports are careful to report confidence intervals.
Actions to be Taken Continue quarterly reviews of performance data.

 

PERFORMANCE OUTCOME: Promote a better understanding of the U.S. economy by providing the most timely, relevant, and accurate economic data in an objective and cost-effective manner (ESA/BEA)

Performance Measure:
  • Timeliness: Reliability of delivery of economic data (number of scheduled releases issued on time)

The importance of ESA’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data as an ingredient for sound economic decision-making requires BEA to deliver data into the hands of decisionmakers on schedule. BEA has made significant improvements in its information processing systems so as to continue to post its principal economic indicators on the BEA Web site at release time, as well as upload volumes of supporting documentation and tables that were previously unavailable until days after the release. In addition, BEA established an e-mail subscription service that allows users to sign up to receive prompt e-mail delivery of gross domestic product (GDP), international trade, state personal income, gross state product, local area personal income, and other major economic measures at the time of their release.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source A schedule of release dates for the calendar year is published each fall in the Survey of Current Business and is posted on the BEA Web site. BEA maintains a record of subsequent actual release dates.
Frequency Quarterly
Data storage BEA maintains the schedule of future release dates and the record of actual release dates. Both sets of information are available on the BEA Web site.
Internal Controls Scheduled and actual release dates are a matter of public record and can be verified via the Internet at www.bea.gov.
Data Limitations Not all releases may be included in the published annual schedule because their release dates cannot be established that far in advance.
Actions to be Taken FY 2008 target will be added when the schedule is made available to OMB and published in the Survey of Current Business in the fall of the preceding year.


Performance Measure:
  • Relevance: Customer satisfaction with quality of products and services (mean rating on a 5-point scale)

Customer satisfaction is a critical measure of BEA’s success in accomplishing its mission. Achieving the targets of this measure requires BEA to provide the types of data that are relevant, accurate, and needed by users. To measure levels of satisfaction, BEA conducts a regular online survey of users. The survey asks respondents about their satisfaction with BEA products and services.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source BEA customer satisfaction survey conducted online at BEA’s Web site, www.bea.gov.
Frequency Continually
Data storage BEA conducts the survey, compiles the results, and retains records of raw data and computations that lead to the final results. A report is written and made available to the public at www.bea.gov.
Internal Controls BEA provides a copy of the survey results to OMB, the Department Budget Office, and ESA. The report is made available on the BEA Web site.
Data Limitations The customer satisfaction survey is an ongoing, voluntary survey conducted via the Web site. As a voluntary survey, responses are representative of those who choose to respond.
Actions to be Taken Survey is continually conducted with results collected after the end of the fiscal year.


Performance Measure:
  • Accuracy: Percent of GDP estimates correct

This measure tracks the ability of BEA to accurately estimate its most important statistic, GDP. The measure is a composite index of six indicators of accuracy that are readily available to the public. These six indicators measure the accuracy of the GDP estimate with respect to: (1) whether the economy is expanding or contracting, (2) whether the economy is growing faster or slower, (3) whether the economy is strong or weak, (4) the trend GDP growth rate, (5) the average quarterly GDP growth rate, and (6) the level of current-dollar GDP. These indicators are applied using three-year rolling averages to develop a single measure of the correctness of the GDP estimate. Three-year rolling averages were chosen because (1) at least 12 quarters of estimates are needed for statistical reliability, (2) BEA’s annual revisions cover three years, (3) the impact of statistical improvements occur over time, and (4) reasonable balance must be struck between statistical reliability and a measure of current performance.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source Data used for this measure are produced by BEA and made available in press releases; BEA’s monthly publication, the Survey of Current Business; and the Web site www.bea.gov. Background research studies are published in the Survey of Current Business.
Frequency Annually
Data storage The Survey of Current Business is published monthly and available online.
Internal Controls The Department has evaluated this measure and BEA has submitted a Validation and Verification report. The Survey of Current Business; is a matter of public record and can be verified via the Internet or hardcopy.
Data Limitations The measure is the best single point estimation of the accuracy of GDP. Economic conditions, rather than statistical practices, could dramatically change the measure. In benchmark years, the calculation of the GDP revision is delayed until December.
Actions to be Taken Research to calculate the new measure will be conducted, following the completion of the annual revisions, in August 2007.


Performance Measures:
  • Budget-Related: Improving GDP and the economic accounts
  • Budget-Related: Accelerating economic estimates
  • Budget-Related: Meeting U.S. international obligations

BEA must continually update its economic accounts to keep pace with the increasingly complex and rapidly changing U.S. economy. The GDP, the balance of payments, state personal income, and other data series must be as timely, relevant, and accurate as possible to inform the decisions made by public and private leaders. The 5-year Strategic Plan lays out ambitious steps that BEA will take to achieve quality improvements in all of its accounts. Based on the Strategic Plan milestones, specific budget initiatives have been proposed for improving the accounts. The Strategic Plan tracks BEA’s progress toward achieving the milestones established for new initiatives and provides public accountability.

The second measure tracks BEA’s progress toward accelerating the release of its major economic estimates in order to meet the demands of public and private sector data users. BEA has completed an accelerated release schedule for some of the Nation’s most widely relied upon economic statistics, including international trade in goods and services, GDP by industry, the annual input-output accounts, state personal income, and an experimental acceleration in GDP by state. The third measure introduced in FY 2003, monitors BEA’s progress in meeting milestones related to international commitments and provides accountability for a multiyear initiative. BEA is responsible for making its data series conform to standards agreed to by the U.S. government with international organizations and other countries. Meeting these commitments is important to maintaining U.S. leadership in economic measurement. Also, the statistical information required for these international commitments is useful to U.S. policymakers.

Data Verification and Validation Summary
Data source The BEA 5-year Strategic Plan provides annual milestones for this budget-related measure. At the end of each fiscal year, BEA evaluates and reports its progress in achieving the scheduled milestones.
Frequency Annually
Data storage BEA compiles and maintains data annually via the BEA Scorecard, available on the BEA Web site.
Internal Controls Internal review and analysis by BEA.
Data Limitations BEA’s annual review and update of its Strategic Plan could result in changes to the milestones.
Actions to be Taken Milestones will be adjusted as necessary to match the BEA Strategic Plan.

 
Previous Page | Next Page