SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

.01 This Order establishes responsibilities and procedures for obtaining clearance before responding to any official request of an international organization for statistical information.

.02 This revision issues the instructions to implement Statistical Policy Directive No. 18, dated May 4, 1978, which supersedes OMB Circular A-39, dated August 24, 1967. (See Appendix A attached to this Order.)

SECTION 2 SCOPE.

This Order applies to all official requests for statistical information from international organizations (termed "international organizations of an international nature" in Statistical Policy Directive No. 18). Official requests include statistical questionnaires or any other form of request for official date, other than requests for technical date in engineering, physical or engineering sciences.

SECTION 3. BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

Statistical Policy Directive No. 18 requires that agencies receiving official requests from international organizations for statistical information must obtain an appropriate clearance before furnishing the data. Ad hoc or single-time requests as well as repetitive or periodic requests are included, except that only the original request for a recurring report need by approved. The appropriate clearance channels are:

a. Requests to the Department or to an organization unit of the Department, from the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and related financial institutions, shall be cleared with the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies ("National Advisory Council"), whose Secretariat is located in the Treasury Department. Operating units shall also inform the Director, Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards (OFSPS), when clearing requests with the National Advisory Council.

b. Requests from all other international organizations shall be cleared with the Director, OFSPS.

SECTION 4. RESPONSIBILITIES.

01 Operating units shall be responsible for submitting directly to, and obtaining clearance from, the agencies specified in Section 3. of this Order before complying with official requests from international organizations for statistical information. Requests for clearance shall be submitted as prescribed in Statistical Policy Directive No. 18. Operating units making a request to the National Advisory Council shall send an information copy to the Office of International Finance, Investment, and Services of the International Trade Administration, which represents Commerce on matters pertaining to the Council; and, in addition, a copy shall be sent to the director, OFSPS, who is to be informed of all such requests.

.02 If it is necessary to obtain identical items of information from ten or more respondents to comply with the request, operating units shall obtain approval of plans and reports forms to be used, as prescribed under DAO 216-8, Clearance of Plans and Report Forms under the Federal Reports Act. If the National Advisory Council is the clearance agency for a request, operating units shall obtain approval from it to comply before requesting approval of requisite plans and report forms. If OFSPS is the appropriate channel, then operating units shall follow the procedures under DAO 216-8 as part of the preparation of the submission for clearance to comply with a request.

SECTION 5. EFFECT ON OTHER ORDERS.

This Order supersedes Department Administrative Order 216-10 dated March 20, 1972.

Signed by: Chief Economist for the Department of Commerce

Approved by: Assistant Secretary for Administration

Index Changes:

Delete:

Bureau of the Budget Circular A-39 216-10

APPENDIX A DAO 216-10

DIRECTIVE NO. 18
PROVIDING OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

This Directive outlines the procedure to be followed by all departments and establishments in dealing with official requests from international organizations for statistical information.

1. Definitions

The following definitions will apply for purposes of this Directive.

a. "Statistical information: means any kind of summary numerical data other than technical data in engineering, physical, or biological science fields.

b. "International organization" means any intergovernmental organization of an international nature in which the United States is a member.

c. "Official request" means any statistical questionnaire, or any other form of request or inquiry from an international organization calling for statistical information, including ad hoc (single time) requests as well as repetitive or periodic requests.

d. "Director" refers to the Director of the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards, Department of Commerce.


2. Authority of Director

The Director may waive requirements of this Directive, with certain exceptions. Requirements pertaining to requests from international financial institutions may be waived only with the concurrence of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies. The Director may also revoke or modify any approval granted or determination made by him under the Directive. In making determinations authorized under this Directive, the Director is responsible for necessary consultation and clearance with appropriate Federal executive agencies.

3. Processing of Requests

Any department or establishment furnishing statistical information to an international organization in response to an official request will do so only when pursuant to a prior determination by the Director. Exceptions to this provision, discussed below, concern the following: advance determinations; requests from international financial institutions; and special arrangements. All other requests subject to prior determination by the Director will be dealt with in the following manner:

a. Submittal of requests. Information concerning all such requests will be submitted promptly to the Director, including, as appropriate, the identity of the organization making the request; the nature of the information requested; the views, if any, of the department or establishment on whether or how the request should be answered; and identification of any statistics which the department or establishment proposes to submit in response to the request (but not necessarily the actual statistics).

Such information will ordinarily be submitted by letter or memorandum to the Director, but may be submitted orally in special circumstances or in the case of simple or routine requests.

b. Director's action regarding requests. The Director will determine-with the concurrence of the Secretary of State-what statistical information will be provided in response to such requests and will determine which departments and establishments will supply the information.

Such determination may cover the continuing transmittal of recurrent data (for example, the transmittal of monthly data as they become available), and will continue in effect until otherwise determined by the Director.

The Director will promptly inform the departments and establishments concerned of his determination.

4. Advance Determinations

Statistical information may be provided in response to official requests, without further action under this Directive, whenever (a) the statistical information requested is contained in a published document, or (b) the request is clearly informal in character and does not call for data for publication, citation in official documents, direct use in international conferences or negotiations, or other specific uses of a formal character.

5. Requests From the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Other International Financial Institutions

Under the provisions of Executive Order No. 10033, as amended, and Executive Order No. 11269, the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies is responsible for determining-after consultation with the Director of the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards-what information is essential in order that the United States Government may comply with official requests for information received from the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international organizations the policy coordination of which is the responsibility of the National Advisory Council. The definitions and provisions concerning advance determinations as contained in this Directive apply to determinations by the National Advisory Council. Requests subject to determination by the National Advisory Council will be dealt with in the following manner:

a. Any department or establishment which receives an official request for information from such an international organization will send promptly to the Council a statement or outline of the request, in duplicate. It may also send the Council its recommendations as to the response to be made.

b. The National Advisory Council will determine what information is essential in order that the United States Government may comply with such requests, and will notify the department or establishment concerned.

c. The Director will determine which department or establishment will collect or make available such information. Such department or establishment will consult withthe Council as t the manner and form in which the information will be collected and prepared.

d. After the information has been collected and prepared in the manner and form prescribed by the Council, it will be submitted to the Council for presentation to the international organization concerned.

6. Requests From the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Other International Financial Institutions

Under the provisions of Executive Order No. 10033, as amended, and Executive Order No. 11269, the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies is responsible for determining-after consultation with the Director of the Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards-what information is essential in order that the United States Government may comply with official requests for information received from the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international organizations the policy coordination of which is the responsibility of the National Advisory Council. Requests subject to determination by the National Advisory Council will be dealt with in the following manner:

a. Any department or establishment which receives an official request for information from such an international organization will send promptly to the Council a statement or outline of the request, in duplicate. It may also send the Council its recommendations as to the response to be made.

b. The National Advisory Council will determine what information is essential in order that the United States Government may comply with such requests, and will notify the department or establishment concerned.

c. The Director will determine which department or establishment will collect or make available such information. Such department or establishment will consult with the Council as to the manner and form in which the information will be collected and prepared.

d. After the information has been collected and prepared in the manner and form prescribed by the Council, it will be submitted to the Council for presentation to the international organization concerned.

6. Special Arrangements

The Director may make special arrangements relating to requests from international organizations for U.S. data with any department or establishment or any international body which has been assigned special responsibility relating to an international organization.

7. Channels for Communications

Section 1 of Executive Order No. 10033 provides that statistical information prepared in response to official requests from international organizations will be transmitted to the requesting international organizations through established channels by the Secretary of State or by the Federal executive agency authorized by the Secretary to transmit such information. Requests from the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development, and other international financial institutions are expected from this provision. The Department of State will maintain established channels of communication for this purpose. The Director will notify the affected departments and establishments, in connection with his responsibilities under this Directive, of any changes by the Department of State with respect to channels of communication.

8. Material Requested by Director

Each department or establishment will furnish to the Director such additional material pertaining to requests for information which are within the purview of this Directive as he may from time to time require. The department or establishment will notify the Director in writing of any budgetary restrictions, requirements of military security or confidentiality, or any other limitation which prevents substantial compliance with a determination by the Director under this Directive.

9. Plans and Reports Forms

A determination or approval by the Director under this Directive with respect to any matter involving the use of a plan or report form does not include clearance of the plan or report form. Plans or report forms are subject to clearance by OMB under Circular No. A-40.