Data Quality: Census Bureau Needs to Accelerate Efforts to Develop and Implement Data Quality Review Standards

To address this recommendation, the Bureau conducted an in-depth review of the efforts that its counterparts, such as Statistics Canada, are undertaking to establish and implement a comprehensive data quality framework. This effort led to a benchmarking study of the Bureau's quality standards, for the purpose of assessing weaknesses in its data release standards and developing standards to address these weaknesses. The benchmarking report has not been finalized; however, the Bureau decided, in September 2005, to use the draft report to inform a decision to develop a comprehensive set of data quality standards. The Bureau expects to publish a comprehensive set of data quality standards on a flow basis from this effort.

In May 2005 the Bureau released the standard on "Distribution of Census and Survey Data Products." This standard, which requires that all published data and statistical statements meet specified levels of statistical rigor, is available on the Census Bureau's Internet site. Specifically, the standard notes that the Census Bureau has the responsibility to inform its data users of the sampling and nonsampling errors in its surveys. Moreover, the Standard accommodates varying types of Census Bureau data products and the nature and extent of the information available on the types of errors that affect the published estimates. It also lays out the various offices within the Census Bureau that are responsible for implementing the standard, and where the public can submit inquiries.