.01 This Order prescribes the policies and procedures for disseminating statistical products by statistical agencies within the Department of Commerce (the Department) subject to Office of Management and Budget Statistical Policy Directive No. 3--"Compilation, Release, and Evaluation of Principal Federal Economic Indicators," 50 Federal Register (F.R.) 38932 (September 25, 1985) and Statistical Policy Directive No. 4--"Release and Dissemination of Statistical Products Produced by Federal Statistical Agencies," 73 F.R. 12622 (March 7, 2008).

.02 These policies and procedures accelerate and/or expand the dissemination of statistical products to the public; preserve the time value of such products; ensure the integrity, objectivity, and impartiality of the statistical products; prevent early access to information that may affect financial and commodity markets; and maintain a clear distinction between statistical products and policy interpretations of such products.

SECTION 2. SCOPE.

.01 This Order encompasses all initial Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis release and dissemination of statistical products produced as part of the Federal statistical program responsibilities of the Department. The Order includes embargoes associated with these statistical product releases that are managed by the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, which comprise the Economics and Statistics Administration.

.02 This Order applies to policy-related independent statements on statistical product releases issued by Executive policy officials outside the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census Bureau.

.03 This Order excludes:

a. Agency-issued analytic reports on previously released statistical products.

b. Releases of statistical products from Department of Commerce agencies other than the Departmental statistical agencies.

.04 This Order should be read in conjunction with Information Quality Guidelines applicable to statistical products published by the Department, Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Economics and Statistics Administration.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.

.01 For the purpose of this Order, the following definitions apply:

a. Embargo means that pre-release access is provided with the explicit acknowledgement of any qualified, receiving party that the statistical product cannot be further disseminated or used in any unauthorized manner before a specific date and time.

b. Executive policy officials are federal employees outside the statistical agencies, who are appointed by the President and non-career appointees as defined in Title 5 of the U.S. Code.

c. Independent statement means an announcement to media regarding statistical products that may contain policy pronouncements about the statistical product or key findings.

d. Initial release means the dissemination of statistical products that were previously unreleased, i.e., new or newly revised.

e. Principal Federal Economic Indicators are the data series and estimates designated by the Administrator for Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget that describe the current condition and direction of the economy. The Administrator reviews these designations annually.

f. Secure pre-release access means that pre-release access is provided only within the confines of secure physical facilities with no external communications capability.

g. Statistical agencies mean the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Although the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs is responsible for statistical programs, providing the policy oversight for the statistical agencies, and the analysis and development of policies on economic and statistical issues, it is not responsible for the primary data collections used to produce the statistical products covered by this Order. Therefore, it is not included in the above definition of a statistical agency.

h. Statistical press release means an announcement to the media of a statistical product release that contains the title, subject matter, release date, and Internet address of; and other available information about the statistical product, as well as the name of the statistical agency issuing the product. It may include any executive summary information or key findings section as shown in the statistical product. A statistical press release announcing or presenting statistical products is defined as a statistical product and is covered by the provisions of this Order.

i. Statistical product releases include both Principal Federal Economic Indicators and other statistical products.

j. Statistical products are data collected, compiled, and analyzed by statistical agencies for the purpose of describing or making estimates concerning the whole, or relevant groups or components within, the economy and society.

SECTION 4. RESPONSIBILITIES.

.01 Unless otherwise specified in statute, Department statistical agencies are responsible for the content, quality, and dissemination of their products.

a. Statistical agencies and the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs shall ensure that statistical product releases are in accordance with Office of Management and Budget Statistical Policy Directives governing such releases, which are intended to ensure that statistical product releases adhere to information quality standards through equitable, policy-neutral, transparent, and timely release of these products to the general public.

b. Statistical agencies should minimize the interval between the period to which the statistical product refers and the date when the statistical product is released to the public.

c. The timing of the release of statistical products, including statistical press releases, regardless of physical form or characteristic, shall be the sole responsibility of the statistical agency directly responsible for the content, quality, and dissemination of the statistical product.

d. Statistical agencies should use a variety of forums and strategies to release statistical products, but in every case the products shall be released, at a minimum, on the Internet.

e. Officials from all offices involved in dissemination of statistical products in Department statistical agencies shall meet as needed, but at least annually, together and with CIOs of those agencies to discuss strategies for optimizing Departmentwide spending on information technology systems and infrastructure used for dissemination, in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IT investments through leveraging common requirements, as well as identification of opportunities for implementation of consolidated infrastructure and shared services when possible and appropriate.

f. All agency employees shall adhere to their agency's internal procedures for maintaining confidentiality of statistical products. Nothing herein is intended to conflict with individual statistical agency rules for maintaining confidentiality of statistical products.

SECTION 5. MANAGEMENT OF PRINCIPAL FEDERAL ECONOMIC INDICATOR RELEASES.

.01 In accordance with Office of Management and Budget Statistical Policy Directive No. 3, the statistical agencies shall:

a. Maintain and publish a release schedule of the expected release date of all regular or recurring Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases for which they are responsible.

1. The release schedule for the upcoming calendar year shall be reported to the Office of Management and Budget by September 15 of each year and published on the statistical agency's Web site.

2. The release schedule for the upcoming calendar year shall be published on the statistical agenc's web site prior to the beginning of each calendar year.

3. Revisions to the published release schedule should be made in a timely manner on the agency's relevant web site, and changes must be fully explained as soon as it has been determined by the head of the statistical agency that such changes are warranted.

4. Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases shall take place at the published time and/or date. Dates and modes of release are determined by the statistical agency and are not influenced by Executive policy officials.

5. Agencies shall announce planned changes in data collection, analysis, or estimation methods at least three months before implementing the change.

b. Ensure that all users have equitable and timely access to the Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases.

1. Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases shall be issued in a press release, other printed report, or equivalent form in accordance with Statistical Policy Directive No. 3.

2. Access to released statistical products shall be available on the appropriate statistical agency's web site.

c. Prohibit access by any unauthorized person to a Principal Federal Economic Indicator press release that contains the indicator and its underlying data before its official release.

1. Statistical agencies may provide pre-release access to their Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases through established procedures for secure pre-release access. Consistent with internal procedures, the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs may manage the Principal Federal Economic Indicator releases that have been designated as requiring embargo or secure pre-release access.

SECTION 6. MANAGEMENT OF STATISTICAL PRODUCT RELEASES OTHER THAN PRINCIPAL FEDERAL ECONOMIC INDICATORS.

.01 In accord with Office of Management and Budget Statistical Policy Directive No. 4, unless otherwise specified in statute, the statistical agencies are directly and solely responsible for the content, quality, and dissemination of their statistical products and shall:

a. Maintain and publish a schedule of the expected release date of all regular or recurring statistical products for which they are responsible.

1. The release schedule for the upcoming calendar year shall be published on the statistical agency's web site prior to the beginning of each calendar year.

2. Revisions to the published release schedule should be made in a timely manner on the agency's relevant web site, and changes must be fully explained as soon as it has been determined by the head of the statistical agency that such changes are warranted.

3. Releases of the covered statistical products shall take place at the published time and/or date. Dates and modes of release are determined by the statistical agency and are not influenced by Executive policy officials.

b. Ensure that all users have equitable and timely access to the statistical product releases.

1. Access to released statistical products shall be available on the appropriate statistical agency's web site. The statistical agency may also issue such releases in printed form.

c. Prohibit access by any unauthorized person to the final statistical product release and its underlying data before its official release.

1. A statistical product is final when the releasing statistical agency determines that the product fully meets the agency's information quality standards based on all presently available information and requires no further change.

2. Statistical agencies may provide pre-release access to their final statistical products through established procedures for secure pre-release access. The Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs hosts at Department headquarters the statistical product releases that have been designated as requiring embargo or secure pre-release access.

d. Assess the needs of statistical product users and provide a range of products to address those needs by whatever means practicable. Information to help users interpret statistical products accurately must be equitably available, that is, statistical agencies should ensure that information is widely disseminated, so that all users can gain timely access to the explanatory materials.

SECTION 7. OUTREACH TO THE MEDIA AND PUBLIC.

.01 The statistical press release shall be produced and issued by the statistical agency and shall provide a neutral description of the statistical product. No statements that link policy issues to the released statistical products will be included.

a. Executive policy officials may review the draft statistical press release of statistical products prior to its release only to ensure that it does not include pronouncements that link policy issues to the statistical products.

.02 Policy statements regarding statistical product releases (such as pronouncements that link policy issues to the statistical product or that interpret the statistical product in a subjective way) may be made by Executive policy officials of the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs or the Office of the Secretary, but not by other employees of the statistical agencies.

a. Any comments to the public or press relating to the Principal Federal Economic Indicators are prohibited, except for technical explanation, for at least one hour after the official release. Agency career staff in the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs or the statistical agencies are authorized to provide technical explanations of the statistical product at the time of release.

b. Executive policy officials may issue independent press statements separate from any statistical press releases issued by the statistical agencies.

.03 The statistical agencies shall notify the public about any revisions to already-released statistical information in an equitable and timely manner.

.04 Prior to any action being taken that may be inconsistent with the provisions of Statistical Policy Directive No. 3 or Statistical Policy Directive No. 4, the head of the statistical agency releasing the statistical product shall consult with the Administrator for Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget.

Signed: Secretary of Commerce

Office of Primary Interest: Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs