According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Budget Fiscal Year 2027 As Presented to Congress (April 2026), the Bureau “continues to transform its organization and operations from a survey-centric model to a data-centric model that blends survey data with administrative and alternative digital data sources. This approach, and opportunities to expand secure access to administrative data sources,” the Bureau insists, “will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Census.”
The key piece missing from the justification appears to be a communications and outreach contract for the 2030 Census (discussed farther down in the analysis).
Among the highlights from the justification:
- “The President’s Budget also proposes to reorganize the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Census Bureau at the Department of Congress.”
- “The FY 2027 request for the Census Bureau is $2.012 billion. Major activities that would be funded by the budget request include: 2030 Census (Total Funding $1.072 billion BA/Obl. and 1,874 FTE/2,264 Positions; Program Change +$497.5 million and +495 FTE/+529 Positions). The 2030 Census is not just a constitutional mandate—it’s a foundational pillar of American governance that underpins critical functions of government, economic planning, and equitable resource distribution.”
- “2027 Economic Census (Total Funding $166.9 million BA/Obl. and 420 FTE/509 Positions; Program Change +$33.0 million and +63 FTE/+80 Positions): The Economic Census, which operates on a five-year cycle, provides key benchmark statistics of U.S. businesses and their economic impact and is used to gauge U.S. economic activity, inform business decisions, and guide policymaking at all levels of government.”
- “Annual Integrated Economic Survey – As part of the Census Bureau’s transformation into a data-centric organization, to streamline data collection, reduce respondent burden, and increase usefulness of data products, the Economic Directorate launched the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). AIES respondents receive one consolidated collection instrument annually and data users receive more timely and more geographically detailed data. AIES replaces seven historical surveys by harmonizing the content of the following into one survey: Annual Manufacturing; Annual Capital Expenditures Survey; Annual Retail Trade Survey; Annual Wholesale Trade; Services Annual Survey; Report of Organization (COS); Manufacturers’ Unfilled Orders (M3UFO) Survey.”
- “2027 Current Demographic Statistics (Total Funding $72.5 million BA/Obl. and 360 FTE/503 Positions; Program Change -$21.0 million and -89 FTE/ -170 Positions): After making major investments in developing and testing alternative modern survey techniques using advanced data science methods in FY 2026, the Census Bureau will begin to transition to the modernized Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) by conducting a field test and additional program development.”
- “The Decennial Census has been conducted since the early years of the Nation. Decennial Census data provides the official population counts for determining the allocation to states of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the block-level data necessary for each state to re-draw congressional, state, and local legislative district boundaries, as mandated in the U.S. Constitution, and Title 13 of the U.S. Code.”
- “Decennial Census data provides the official population counts for the allocation of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the block-level data necessary for each state to re-draw congressional, state, and local legislative district boundaries. The American Community Survey (ACS) is the premier source of social, demographic, economic, and housing information for the nation, states, counties, cities, and towns and generates data that help determine how trillions in Federal and state funds are distributed each year. The Decennial Census, including the ACS, provides fundamental demographic information about people living in the country and determines Federal allocations to states and local governments. This information helps businesses decide where to locate manufacturing facilities, where to open the next location, where to find the right workforce, and how to choose the products to put on the store shelves.”
- “The 2030 Census Program has a 15-year lifecycle. As a result, the 2030 Census activities are planned and conducted in four phases, beginning with Early Planning (FY 2019 – FY 2021), followed by Design Selection (FY 2022 – FY 2024), Development and Integration (FY2025 – FY 2029), and Peak Production and Closeout (FY 2029 – FY 2033). The maturation of the 2030 Census IT and non-IT solutions is an iterative process which will evolve through additional design work and testing.”
- “At the base FY 2027 funding level, the Census Bureau could only focus on 2030 Census preparations necessary to ensure timely delivery of statutorily required apportionment totals to the President and redistricting data to the states at an acceptable quality level.”
- “The American Community Survey (ACS) furthers the Census Bureau’s mission to serve as the leading source of quality data about the Nation’s people and economy by providing current demographic, social, economic, and housing information about all America’s communities, from the largest cities to the small rural communities.”
- “Base Program: The ACS is the premier source of social, demographic, economic, and housing information for the nation, states, counties, cities, and towns. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how trillions in Federal and state funds are distributed each year. The data help policymakers to make informed decisions on where to locate schools, hospitals, and services and for business leaders to accurately target their customer base, find new markets, or identify population centers that could meet their hiring needs. When people fill out the ACS form, they are helping to ensure that decisions about the future of their community can be made using accurate and current data. Decision-makers require a clear picture of their population so that scarce resources can be allocated efficiently and effectively.”
2030 Census Communications Contract: As mentioned above, the FY2027 justification is silent on the issue or an outreach plan, partnership program, or communications contract for the 2030. By contrast, the FY 2017 Congressional Justification had much to say about a contract that had already been awarded, with a section titled “Optimizing Self Response.” Per the FY 2017 document:
- “The goal of Optimizing Self-Response is to communicate the importance of the 2020 Census to the United States population and generate the largest possible self-response, minimizing the need to conduct expensive in-person follow up with those households. The Census Bureau plans to incorporate the use of technology as well as a communications campaign to engage and encourage the use of the Internet as the primary response mode. The campaign will provide information to government agencies, host events at community, recreation, and faith-based organizations, and publicize the tests through radio advertising and social media. Additionally, we will allow respondents to submit a questionnaire without a unique identification code to encourage and motivate the population to self-respond. These design changes have the potential to save the Census Bureau an estimated $400 million.”
- “During FY 2016, the Census Bureau begins preparatory work for the 2020 Communications and Partnership Program. This program designs the communications and partnership plan for the 2020 Census. This includes preparation for the maintenance of an external 2020 Census website. A large focus of developing the partnership program includes consultations with external stakeholders to elicit a wide range of options and strategies for gaining their support in communicating the importance of the 2020 Census to the public. We continue tribal consultations in FY 2016 with the 566 federally recognized tribes. Finally, the program provides plans to test the impact of different communications methods to support self-response. In FY 2017, we will begin planning the 2020 Census Communications and Partnership Programs. We will build a partnership database in 2017 and begin planning all components of the 2020 Census Integrated Communications Campaign, including the strategy during the end-to-end test in 2018. One major component includes development of the audience segmentation model and the advertising campaign The Census Bureau is on track to award the Integrated Communications Contract this year (a year earlier than for the 2010 Census). However, developing the overall campaign plan and research to develop a robust audience segmentation model requires significant time and resources. Time and resources that may mean less contractor support for the 2018 End-to-End Test in order to ensure readiness for the 2020 Census.”
Summary of Census Bureau FY2027 Congressional Justification
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Budget Fiscal Year 2027 As Presented to Congress (April 2026), the Bureau “continues to transform its organization and operations from a survey-centric model to a data-centric model that blends survey data with administrative and alternative digital data sources. This approach, and opportunities to expand secure access to administrative data sources,” the Bureau insists, “will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Census.”
The key piece missing from the justification appears to be a communications and outreach contract for the 2030 Census (discussed farther down in the analysis).
Among the highlights from the justification:
- “The President’s Budget also proposes to reorganize the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Census Bureau at the Department of Congress.”
- “The FY 2027 request for the Census Bureau is $2.012 billion. Major activities that would be funded by the budget request include: 2030 Census (Total Funding $1.072 billion BA/Obl. and 1,874 FTE/2,264 Positions; Program Change +$497.5 million and +495 FTE/+529 Positions). The 2030 Census is not just a constitutional mandate—it’s a foundational pillar of American governance that underpins critical functions of government, economic planning, and equitable resource distribution.”
- “2027 Economic Census (Total Funding $166.9 million BA/Obl. and 420 FTE/509 Positions; Program Change +$33.0 million and +63 FTE/+80 Positions): The Economic Census, which operates on a five-year cycle, provides key benchmark statistics of U.S. businesses and their economic impact and is used to gauge U.S. economic activity, inform business decisions, and guide policymaking at all levels of government.”
- “Annual Integrated Economic Survey – As part of the Census Bureau’s transformation into a data-centric organization, to streamline data collection, reduce respondent burden, and increase usefulness of data products, the Economic Directorate launched the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES). AIES respondents receive one consolidated collection instrument annually and data users receive more timely and more geographically detailed data. AIES replaces seven historical surveys by harmonizing the content of the following into one survey: Annual Manufacturing; Annual Capital Expenditures Survey; Annual Retail Trade Survey; Annual Wholesale Trade; Services Annual Survey; Report of Organization (COS); Manufacturers’ Unfilled Orders (M3UFO) Survey.”
- “2027 Current Demographic Statistics (Total Funding $72.5 million BA/Obl. and 360 FTE/503 Positions; Program Change -$21.0 million and -89 FTE/ -170 Positions): After making major investments in developing and testing alternative modern survey techniques using advanced data science methods in FY 2026, the Census Bureau will begin to transition to the modernized Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) by conducting a field test and additional program development.”
- “The Decennial Census has been conducted since the early years of the Nation. Decennial Census data provides the official population counts for determining the allocation to states of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the block-level data necessary for each state to re-draw congressional, state, and local legislative district boundaries, as mandated in the U.S. Constitution, and Title 13 of the U.S. Code.”
- “Decennial Census data provides the official population counts for the allocation of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the block-level data necessary for each state to re-draw congressional, state, and local legislative district boundaries. The American Community Survey (ACS) is the premier source of social, demographic, economic, and housing information for the nation, states, counties, cities, and towns and generates data that help determine how trillions in Federal and state funds are distributed each year. The Decennial Census, including the ACS, provides fundamental demographic information about people living in the country and determines Federal allocations to states and local governments. This information helps businesses decide where to locate manufacturing facilities, where to open the next location, where to find the right workforce, and how to choose the products to put on the store shelves.”
- “The 2030 Census Program has a 15-year lifecycle. As a result, the 2030 Census activities are planned and conducted in four phases, beginning with Early Planning (FY 2019 – FY 2021), followed by Design Selection (FY 2022 – FY 2024), Development and Integration (FY2025 – FY 2029), and Peak Production and Closeout (FY 2029 – FY 2033). The maturation of the 2030 Census IT and non-IT solutions is an iterative process which will evolve through additional design work and testing.”
- “At the base FY 2027 funding level, the Census Bureau could only focus on 2030 Census preparations necessary to ensure timely delivery of statutorily required apportionment totals to the President and redistricting data to the states at an acceptable quality level.”
- “The American Community Survey (ACS) furthers the Census Bureau’s mission to serve as the leading source of quality data about the Nation’s people and economy by providing current demographic, social, economic, and housing information about all America’s communities, from the largest cities to the small rural communities.”
- “Base Program: The ACS is the premier source of social, demographic, economic, and housing information for the nation, states, counties, cities, and towns. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how trillions in Federal and state funds are distributed each year. The data help policymakers to make informed decisions on where to locate schools, hospitals, and services and for business leaders to accurately target their customer base, find new markets, or identify population centers that could meet their hiring needs. When people fill out the ACS form, they are helping to ensure that decisions about the future of their community can be made using accurate and current data. Decision-makers require a clear picture of their population so that scarce resources can be allocated efficiently and effectively.”
2030 Census Communications Contract: As mentioned above, the FY2027 justification is silent on the issue or an outreach plan, partnership program, or communications contract for the 2030. By contrast, the FY 2017 Congressional Justification had much to say about a contract that had already been awarded, with a section titled “Optimizing Self Response.” Per the FY 2017 document:
- “The goal of Optimizing Self-Response is to communicate the importance of the 2020 Census to the United States population and generate the largest possible self-response, minimizing the need to conduct expensive in-person follow up with those households. The Census Bureau plans to incorporate the use of technology as well as a communications campaign to engage and encourage the use of the Internet as the primary response mode. The campaign will provide information to government agencies, host events at community, recreation, and faith-based organizations, and publicize the tests through radio advertising and social media. Additionally, we will allow respondents to submit a questionnaire without a unique identification code to encourage and motivate the population to self-respond. These design changes have the potential to save the Census Bureau an estimated $400 million.”
- “During FY 2016, the Census Bureau begins preparatory work for the 2020 Communications and Partnership Program. This program designs the communications and partnership plan for the 2020 Census. This includes preparation for the maintenance of an external 2020 Census website. A large focus of developing the partnership program includes consultations with external stakeholders to elicit a wide range of options and strategies for gaining their support in communicating the importance of the 2020 Census to the public. We continue tribal consultations in FY 2016 with the 566 federally recognized tribes. Finally, the program provides plans to test the impact of different communications methods to support self-response. In FY 2017, we will begin planning the 2020 Census Communications and Partnership Programs. We will build a partnership database in 2017 and begin planning all components of the 2020 Census Integrated Communications Campaign, including the strategy during the end-to-end test in 2018. One major component includes development of the audience segmentation model and the advertising campaign The Census Bureau is on track to award the Integrated Communications Contract this year (a year earlier than for the 2010 Census). However, developing the overall campaign plan and research to develop a robust audience segmentation model requires significant time and resources. Time and resources that may mean less contractor support for the 2018 End-to-End Test in order to ensure readiness for the 2020 Census.”
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