Role of the Framework

A Framework for Planning U.S. Federal Statistics for the 1980's is designed to provide an overview of the U. S. Federal Statistical System through discussion of subject areas, statistical agencies, and important related crosscutting issues. It will be a framework for more detailed discussions concerning the improvement of existing statistical programs, efforts to meet important gaps in available information, and recommendations for discontinuance of low-priority statistical efforts in each of the areas. The document is not a final policy statement on any particular issue, but is presented to provide background and guidance for resolving specific issues.

In its final published form in 1979, the Framework will reflect substantial effort by Federal statistical agencies, various advisory and user groups, selected policymakers, and the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards (OFSPS). All statistical agencies have been encouraged to prepare detailed individual program plans which move beyond the routine management documentation required for budget making and program design. The bibliography identifies a number of planning documents which are available from individual agencies.

The final document will be the product of a multiyear effort which was formally instituted in January 1975, under the auspices of the Interagency Committee on Statistical Programs and Policy (now the Federal Council on Statistical Programs and Plans). This group is comprised of heads of major U.S. Federal statistical agencies. It created a planning task force which set into motion a program for agency review of problems, programs, and related issues.'

This document is intended to serve several distinct and important objectives. They are as follows:

Improved Coordination

The U.S. Federal Statistical System is highly decentralized. Individual statistical efforts are frequently initiated by agencies to relate to the basic

programs which they administer and evaluate. In many cases, the needs for information cut across the interests of several agencies. Consequently, a number of interagency committees, ad hoc task forces, and informal consultations are involved in the development of many of the statistical programs. Nevertheless, it is frequently difficult for individuals representing their respective agency needs or interests to identify and influence key statistical programs of potential use. This document, especially with its orientation toward agency missions and functional statistical areas, is designed to facilitate improved coordination among agencies and individuals with interest in specific data series.

Statistical Priorities

This Framework focuses on multipurpose and large-scale statistical programs. It does not attempt to be exhaustive in reviewing or relating the full range of detailed statistical activities of the various agencies. In its present form, this Framework may appear to be cumbersome and overly detailed; for other readers, however, it may fail to encompass a significant portion of Federal statistical activities. Its focus on multipurpose statistical programs and largescale statistical activities provides a framework for examining priorities among the more expensive statistical activities of the Federal Government. Although no attempt is made to specify a rank

'For background statements on the planning process, see Joseph W. Duncan, "Developing Better Long-Range Plans for Federal Statistics," Statistical Reporter No. 75-4, October, 1974; Robert W. Raynsford, "The Interagency Statistical Planning Effort, 1975," Statistical Reporter, No. 76-3, September, 1975; Paul O'Neill, "OMB's Role in Planning and Coordination of Federal Statistics," Statistical Reporter, No. 76-11, May, 1976.

See also Joseph W. Duncan, "Priority Setting in the Coming Decade (Survey Linkage and Integration," Statistical Reporter, No. 77-7, April 1977; Joseph W. Duncan, "Developing A Framework for Planning U.S. Federal Statistics, 1978-1989," The American Statistician, August 1977, Vol. 31, No. 3; Joseph W. Duncan (ed.), Future Role of Government Statistical Services, A Review of the Operation, Development, and Future Role of Statistical Services in Major Countries of the West and Eastern Europe, Report of the Seminar of the Chief Statisticians of Member Nations of the Economic Commission for Europe (Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1978).

ordering of various statistical projects, the Framework is intended to be helpful in identifying new initiatives which should be undertaken and the consequent improvements to the statistical system which would result. In the final chapter, a staged program is presented to demonstrate the types of things which should be done in various time periods. throughout the 1980's. Further, the recommended improvements are frequently designed to permit discontinuance of lower quality or more narrowly conceived statistical programs. It is anticipated that a substantial amount of further public review and comment on the Framework will provide a wide range of suggestions concerning specific priorities and programs which may be implemented in the future.

Crosscutting Issues

The Framework is designed to highlight several important crosscutting issues. These are presented in Section IV. These issue papers are subject to substantial improvement as more detailed research is undertaken and as various policy groups examine these specific issues. Those topics which have been selected for consideration in the crosscutting statistical issues section have been identified on the basis of discussions with the individual agencies and with important user groups. They are not intended to represent the full range of crosscutting issues; they simply highlight some important activities which are especially crucial in the current evolution of the U.S. Federal Statistical System.

Feedback

It is anticipated that the presentation of the materials in this Framework, especially in the first integrated presentation, will be helpful to the general public for evaluating the current status of Federal statistics and for making specific recommendations for improvements. It is clear, as noted above, that most statistical agencies will direct much of their attention to the detailed programs for which they have responsibility. Continuing feedback from the general public to the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards is therefore encouraged and helpful to the overall process. The Framework is expected to generate specific suggestions from the public and user groups for several years to come.

Overview

Since the Framework attempts to encompass the major multipurpose and large-scale statistical programs of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, it does not, in any way, seek to detail the wide range of individual series or specific surveys undertaken by

U.S. Federal statistical agencies. It does attempt to create a framework within which individual surveys can be better evaluated by stating the missions and areas of responsibility of individual agencies. Further, it tends to focus on problem areas, with the result that some of the excellent ongoing programs receive relatively limited attention.

Character of the Plan

The Framework is designed to be an extremely flexible document. In effect, its format is that of a looseleaf collection of concept and issue papers. An attempt has been made to ensure that the presentations are developed at a consistent level of detail and organization. Early drafts of these materials were circulated for comment and criticism in order to ensure that the first published versions are adequate to represent the diversity of issues and programs considered. It is anticipated that individual sections will be revised extensively throughout the 1978-1980 time period. It will continue to be subject to revision as priorities change, as individual problems are solved, and as difficulties arise in the implementation of the proposals which are presented. Current plans call for a full revision to be published at the end of 1979, and it is expected that individual chapters will be updated in subsequent years.

This Framework is not intended to serve as a budget document. It is published under the authority of Section 103 of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 which gives the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards responsibility for planning and coordinating the U.S. Federal Statistical System. Obviously, the proposals to institute new programs, to discontinue old programs and to undertake significant research and evaluation are all activites which have budgetary implications. In basic design, the Framework is presented as background to those specific decisions and not as an indication that those specific decisions have been made or necessarily will be made within a specified time frame.

The Framework is explicitly designed to review individual statistical agencies, individual statistical programs, and crosscutting issues with the purpose of clarifying important interactions in the decentralized U.S. Federal Statistical System. Section IIOrganization and Operations of U.S. Federal Statistical Agencies-contains important recommendations concerning principles which will lead to improvements in the present organization. For most programs, however, organizational change is seen as an evolutionary phenomenon, and the solution of the specific problems presented in this Framework is