Statistical Policy Directive

Statistical Policy Directive (SPD) is a requirement by the Office of Management and Budget for Federal statistical agencies in "the design, collection, processing, editing, compilation, storage, analysis, release, and dissemination of statistical information".^[1][2]

The Directives identify minimum requirements for engaging in statistical activities, such as statistical surveys,^[3] statistical products,^[4] Standard Occupational Classification (SOC),^[5] and data on race and ethnicity.^[6][7] Directive No. 1 stipulates the responsibilities of Federal statistical agencies and units,^[1] and some may be more relevant than the other to the specific objective of an agency.^[8][9] Subsequent directives and revisions are issued only when necessary to ensure the quality, objectivity, and coordination of Federal official statistics and the agencies that collect them.^[2]

The Directives cover 13 principal Federal statistical agencies:

• Bureau of Economic Analysis (Department of Commerce)
• Bureau of Justice Statistics (Department of Justice)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor)
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics (Department of Transportation)
• Census Bureau (Department of Commerce)
• Economic Research Service (Department of Agriculture)
• Energy Information Administration (Department of Energy)
• National Agricultural Statistics Service (Department of Agriculture)
• National Center for Education Statistics (Department of Education)
• National Center for Health Statistics (Department of Health and Human Services)
• National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (National Science Foundation)
• Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (Social Security Administration)
• Statistics of Income Division (Department of the Treasury)

Statistical units such as Microeconomic Surveys Unit of the Federal Reserve Board and newly recognized Federal statistical agencies are also covered.