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2006 BEA Government Statistics Users Conference. The Government Division’s Research Program: 2004 – 2006 and Beyond. Brooks B. Robinson Chief, Government Division Washington, DC September 14, 2006. 2004 Users Conference Research Topics. New measures of government output
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2006 BEA Government Statistics Users Conference The Government Division’s Research Program: 2004 – 2006 and Beyond Brooks B. Robinson Chief, Government Division Washington, DC September 14, 2006
2004 Users Conference Research Topics • New measures of government output • Integration of the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs) with Flow-of-Funds Accounts • Military equipment and inventory timing and a new government inventory account • Enterprise and pension plan sectoring • Accrual accounting
Developments Since 2004 • Continued production of high-quality NIPA estimates - Two years of hurricanes - Two Federal Budget Translations - Two annual NIPA revisions
New Research Topics Surfaced • Adopting private-sector treatment of insurance for government-owned business enterprises (Mandel) • Improving the classification and estimation of capital transfers • Improving the treatment of territorial adjustment transactions (Tsehaye)
Research Methods • Formed research teams • Considered national accounts international guidelines (System of National Accounts, 1993 (SNA) / Government Finance Statistics Manual, 2001 (GFS)) • Developed a research plan and timetable • Conducted consultations • Considered data requirements • Proposals to be prepared by spring of 2007
New Measures of Government Output • Purpose: To improve the measurement of government output in order to measure government productivity change • Research by State and Local Branch staff on the output of health services using Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services data • Christian et al. (2006) IARIW paper on educational services output and health services prices • Plans to explore using PART statistics to estimate Federal Government output
NIPA - Flow of Funds Integration • Purpose: To complete the full system of national accounts; to meet international guidelines; and to facilitate international comparability • Presentation forthcoming from Bond this morning.
Military Equipment & Inventory Timing • Purpose: To ensure the proper recording of inventories • Research design completed • Internal consultations with estimators of private inventories to confirm the nature of possible inconsistencies • Data requested from the Census Bureau’s Manufacturing and Construction Division • Revised estimates will be produced using the MCD data
New Inventory Account • Purpose: To create a new government inventory account and improve the recording of transactions • Two data sources identified: - Financial Report of the United States Government - Supply System Inventory Report • Issues - Estimate consistency - Insufficient detail to prepare constant-price estimates • Earmarked for the 2013 NIPA revision
Enterprise and Pension Plan Sectoring • Purpose: To separate market from non-market institutional units and transactions • Clear direction on Federal enterprises • Certain state and local enterprises problematic: - Identifying separate institutional units - Identifying required statistics on transactions (receipts, expenses, income receipts on assets, subsidies, etc.) • Consultations with STATCAN in October
Accrual Accounting • Purpose: To more appropriately align transactions in the NIPAs • Team developed a working document - Includes criteria and methods for converting series from a cash to an accrual accounting basis - BEA analysts can use the document as a guide for series conversion • Team will continue to serve as consultant on accrual conversions
Conclusion Research Topics Accrual accounting New measures of government output NIPA-FOFA Integration Military equipment and inventory timing Insurance Capital transfers Territorial adjustments Enterprise and pension plan sectoring New inventory account Requirements for Success Accelerate the pace of the research Do not expand the scope of the research Complete proposals and estimates early
2006 BEA Government Statistics Users Conference The Government Division’s Research Program: 2004 – 2006 and Beyond Brooks B. Robinson Chief, Government Division Washington, DC September 14, 2006