Principles and Practices for a 

Federal Statistical Agency

Ensuring Scientific Integrity in the Federal 

Statistical System 

Melissa Chiu, Director, Committee on National Statistics

OCTOBER 25, 2023 - FEDERAL COMMITTEE ON 

STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY
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The National Academies of 

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

• Private, non-profit societies of distinguished scholars and scientists, elected by their peers to 

membership for outstanding contributions to research

• National Academy of Sciences established by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham 

Lincoln in 1863

• National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine founded 1964, 1970
National Academies’ Capabilities

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The three Academies work together to provide independent, objective 

analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve 

complex problems and inform public policy decisions

Provide Trusted, Consensus 

Advice Convene Experts

Manage Original Research and 

Analysis

Promote the Scientific 

Enterprise
Serving the Statistical Community

• Mission of CNSTAT is to provide advice to the federal government 

and the nation grounded in the current best scientific knowledge and 

practice that will lead to improved statistical methods and 

information upon which to base public policy. 

• Assist agencies with specific issues 

– Improve economic and social measurement

– Review and evaluate major statistical programs and surveys

– Improve statistical methods and estimates for policy use 

• Address system-wide and cross-cutting issues

• Expanding our reach and making our products more widely used 

and more useful to the statistical community

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 Flagship publication authored by CNSTAT itself

 1st edition, 1992; updated every 4 years beginning in 2001; 7th edition 2021

 Foundational: supports invaluable role of widely available, 

trustworthy, relevant, accurate, and timely government statistics

 Describes decentralized structure of U.S. statistical system

 2021 edition prescribes 5 principles (fundamental to a statistical 

agency) and 10 practices (for making the principles operational)

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Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency 

(P&P or the “purple book”) ) 
Principles 

1. Relevance to Policy Issues and Society

2. Credibility Among Data Users and Stakeholders

3. Trust Among the Public and Data Providers

4. Independence from Political and Other Undue External Influence*

5. Continual Improvement and Innovation

*Particularly important for scientific integrity; central to statistical agencies’ mission to be seen as 

impartial

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Practices

1. A Clearly Defined and Well-Accepted Mission*

2. Necessary Authority and Procedures to Protect Independence*

3. Commitment to Quality and Professional Standards of Practice*

4. Professional Advancement of Staff*

5. An Active Research Program 

6. Strong Internal and External Evaluation Processes for an Agency’s Statistical 

Programs*

7. Coordination and Collaboration with Other Statistical Agencies

8. Respect for Data Providers and Protection of Their Data 

9. Dissemination of Statistical Products that Meet Users’ Needs

10. Openness about Sources and Limitations of the Data Provided

7 *Particularly relevant to Practice 4 Independence
What P&P Is and Is Not

• It IS a statement of principles that statistical agencies must embody to carry 

out their mission fully – Mission is statistical and scientific 

• It IS a statement of practices that provide the means for statistical agencies to 

implement the five principles

• It IS NOT a guide to best practices for data collection, processing, statistical 

methods, or dissemination

• It does NOT provide a set of data quality standards

• It IS a set of guidelines and NOT a set of prescriptions; updated every 4 

years to help meet new challenges and opportunities

• It does NOT mention resources, but to live up to P&P, most federal statistical 

agencies today require a boost in staff and other resources

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Who Uses P&P?

• Federal statistical agencies and other statistical programs 

– To inform Cabinet department officials, advisory committees, Congress, 

stakeholders, and others

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (The White House) 

– Has cited P&P in multiple Statistical Policy Directives

• U.S. Government Accountability Office (legislative branch)

– Has cited P&P in many reports 

• It has been cited in statistical agency head confirmation hearings

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P&P and Scientific Integrity in the Federal Government

• Fourth Edition cited as a foundational document in

Statement of Commitment to Scientific Integrity of Principal 

Statistical Agencies (2012)

– On December 17, 2010, the White House Office of Science and Technology 

Policy issued a Memorandum requiring the Heads of Executive 

Departments and Agencies to submit a scientific integrity statement and 

policy

– Endorsed by each of the 13 principal Federal statistical agencies

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Resources

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Interactive Web Tool

Accessible, digestible format 

Report

One-Page Summary

Highlights
Revising P&P for the 8th Edition

• Questions and considerations –

• How have you used P&P?

• Content – How could P&P be more useful? 

– Are there important things missing that need to be added? Things that need more 

emphasis? Things included that don’t belong? 

– Online appendices of relevant laws, regulations, guidance 

• Resources and dissemination – improvements?

– Currently have 1- and 4-page summaries, interactive website

– CNSTAT will give briefings to staff or Department officials 

• Send comments to CNSTAT@nas.edu with “P&P” in subject line

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Seeking feedback from the Federal Statistical System 
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Melissa C. Chiu CNSTAT Director mchiu@nas.edu

Brian Harris-Kojetin Senior Scholar bkojetin@nas.edu

CNSTAT website, events, and projects http://www.nationalacademies.org/cnstat 

All CNSTAT reports available from National Academies Press (free) 

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/author/CNSTAT/

P&P main page and interactive site 

Send comments on P&P to CNSTAT@nas.edu with “P&P” in subject line

Sign up for email updates Select DBASSE – “National surveys and statistics”

Thank you!