On October 2, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), both principal statistical agencies within the Department of Commerce, formalized an expansion of their data-sharing activities. This development, outlined in a Federal Register notice, signifies a strategic effort to improve the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of the nation's economic statistics, ultimately providing more accurate insights for government, industry, and the public. The core of this initiative involves the Census Bureau sharing select business data, primarily from voluntary surveys, with the BEA for statistical purposes.
Legal Framework and Rationale
This data-sharing arrangement is authorized under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA), specifically 44 U.S.C. 3576. CIPSEA allows designated statistical agencies to share business data for statistical purposes, provided certain conditions are met, including notifying respondents where appropriate. Both the Census Bureau and BEA are recognized as "designated statistical agencies" under this act. The primary impetus for this collaboration is the mandate for both agency directors to identify opportunities to eliminate duplicative data collections, reduce reporting burdens on businesses, and lower statistical program costs, all while enhancing data quality and protecting confidentiality (44 U.S.C. 3576(b)).
Historically, the Census Bureau and BEA have worked together as authoritative sources of economic data. Their respective survey collections are critical for producing key economic indicators. However, recognizing the burden these surveys place on businesses, this expanded data sharing represents a concerted effort to optimize existing resources rather than imposing new data collection requirements.
Specifics of Data Shared and Their Use
The Census Bureau will share data from several voluntary surveys with the BEA. These include the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS/MARTS), Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (MWTS), Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, & Orders (M3), Quarterly Services Survey (QSS), Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization, Emergency Economic Collections, Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions, and Construction Progress Reporting Surveys. It is crucial to note that all data from these surveys are collected under the provisions of 13 U.S.C. 131 and 193, and response to them is voluntary. Significantly, the Census Bureau will not provide any Federal Tax Information to the BEA.
The BEA intends to use this shared data exclusively for authorized statistical purposes, as defined in 44 U.S.C. 3561(12). The benefits are anticipated to be substantial. The BEA plans to leverage company-level data to gain a deeper understanding of trends, anomalies, and coverage characteristics within aggregated data. This will, in turn, enhance the reliability of critical economic indicators such as the National Income and Product Accounts, providing a more robust understanding of the U.S. economy at national, industry, international, and regional levels. Furthermore, the ability to compare Census Bureau data at the company level with BEA's own survey data is expected to improve the coverage and accuracy of information from both bureaus, potentially leading to new or expanded public data products without increasing respondent burden.
Confidentiality and Access Protocols
The protection of confidential business data remains a paramount concern. The Census Bureau data shared with BEA are confidential under the provisions of 13 U.S.C. 9 and 214. To ensure this confidentiality, the Census Bureau and BEA are entering into a written agreement for this data-sharing action, in compliance with CIPSEA Implementation Guidance.
Access to this confidential Census Bureau data will be strictly limited to authorized BEA employees. These employees are required to be sworn to uphold the confidentiality provisions of 13 U.S.C. 9 and must complete annual Title 13 Awareness Training. They are also explicitly advised of the severe penalties for improper disclosure, which include imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, under 13 U.S.C. 214. The accessed data will be used solely for the statistical purposes outlined in the notice, reinforcing the commitment to data security and proper usage.
