CES Work Statements

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM

A. PROGRAM INFORMATION

The Current Employment Statistics (CES) program is a nationwide monthly payroll survey of business establishments. CES provides current estimates of employment, hours, and earnings in industry and area detail for the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) funds and administers the CES program, and provides conceptual, technical, and procedural guidance in sampling, data collection, and estimation. State agencies are responsible for some aspects of CES data collection, estimation, and publication in cooperation with the BLS.

The CES program uses the standardized procedures described in the Current Employment Statistics State Operating, Touch-tone Data Entry (TDE), and Automated CES (ACES) System Manuals, as well as those contained in the work statement and BLS technical memoranda. Applicants should put an "X" or a check mark in the spaces provided on the following pages to indicate agreement to comply with stated program requirements.

B. DELIVERABLES

There are two categories of data items that must be delivered for the BLS to operate the CES program: (1) those required for the national CES program, and (2) those required for the State and area program. Each program has monthly and annual requirements, and each item must be delivered according to the schedule specified in the CES Manual, technical memoranda, and on the following pages.

Content

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Due Dates

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National Estimates

Monthly

1.	a.	Directly collect individual establishment microdata, for those units the State has elected to continue collecting; edit and screen the data to ensure accuracy; and transmit the microdata to the BLS for the earliest possible national closing.	[____]	In accordance with the schedule specified in the CES Manual for the first, second, and third closings each month.	[____]
	b.	Receive sample reports collected by all BLS collection sites -- the Regional DCCs, EDI Center, and One Point TDE, -- via EUSWeb; review edit and screening outputs and transmit data questions to the appropriate collection source using OnTrack, and ensure transmission of any remaining State-collected data to BLS for the earliest possible national closing.	[____]	In accordance with the schedule procedures specified in the CES Manual for the first, second, and third closings each month.	[____]

B. DELIVERABLES (CONTINUED)

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1.		c.		Verify successful transmission of all telecommunications using the Elvis Monitor in conjunction with the ACES transaction log. Unsuccessful transmissions will be immediately followed up according to procedures specified in the CES Manual and technical memoranda.		[____]	In accordance with the schedule specified in the CES Manual for the first, second, and third closings each month.			[____]
2.		Access microdata, registry transactions (additions, deletions, and changes), and other data files from EUSWeb. Process all BLS-generated transactions.				[____]				[____]

Quarterly

3.

States will maintain RU-coded files that define the exact match between CES sample members and their QCEW report.

[____]

In accordance with procedures specified in the CES Manual.

[____]

Annually

4.

Report on non-UI covered employment.

[____]

Specified annually in time for national benchmark needs.

[____]

State and Area Estimates

Monthly

5.	a.	Deliver: Preliminary and revised estimates for employment, hours and earnings of all employees for States and selected areas. Gross Monthly Earnings of all employees at the Statewide total private level. Preliminary and revised estimates for employment, hours, and earnings of production and non-supervisory workers for States and selected areas.	[____]	In accordance with the monthly schedule and procedures specified in the CES Manual.	[____]
	b.	States will test and utilize a new web-based ACES system; the system will be parallel tested through Q1 FY2009, and will be deployed in Q2 FY2009.	[____]	In accordance with the monthly schedule and procedures specified in the CES Manual.	[____]
	bc.	States will participate in estimation research and testing. This research will focus on minimizing the sum-of-state and national estimation differences. States will review estimates produced using alternative estimators and will BLS-specified Control Totals for statewide total private employment and provide feedback on microdata, estimation, and schedule issues affecting the Control Totals testing or implementation.	[____]	In accordance with the monthly schedule specified by BLS.	[____]
	d.	States will participate in efforts to restore those series lost due to the FY08 budget cut.	[____]	In accordance with the schedule specified by BLS.

B. DELIVERABLES (CONTINUED)

Content

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Due Dates

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Annually

5.	cd.	State and area monthly and annual average series benchmarked to the March QCEW report adjusted for comparability with CES definitions. Post benchmark estimates will reflect replacement with edited second quarter UI data. Subject to availability, third quarter UI data should also be tabulated and reviewed for use in replacement methodology.	[____]	Prior to submittal of preliminary January estimates on the new benchmark and according to BLS defined schedule which allows for timely review of revised benchmarked data and seasonal factors.	[____]
	de.	Review new seasonal factors and seasonally adjusted data for statewide employment in accordance with BLS specifications. Review new seasonal factors and seasonally adjusted data for MSA employment – for all MSAs that pass BLS criteria for seasonal adjustment – in accordance with BLS specifications. Review new seasonal factors and seasonally adjusted data below the super-sector level for statewide employment data leading to potential publication with the January estimates.	[____]	Prior to submittal of preliminary January estimates on the new benchmark and in accordance with BLS defined schedule.	[____]
	ef.	Review and modify, as needed, State and area publication cells, based on BLS publication guidelines. These guidelines include review and modification to assure adequate sample for estimation of employment, all employee payrolls, and gross monthly earnings, as well as definitional changes mandated by OMB to metropolitan areas and industry classification systems.	[____]	Prior to benchmark processing each year; in accordance with BLS defined schedule.	[____]
	g.f.	Review new Net Birth/Death factors. Identify – during the review period – those factors that need additional BLS review and possible model-based adjustment.Reconstruct, review, and publish series resulting from the change to NAICS 2007.	[____]	In accordance with BLS guidelines and schedules.	[____]

National, State, and Area Estimates

6.	Electronic transmission of micro, macro, and registry data with specified backup.	[____]	In accordance with schedule in CES Manual.	[____]
7.	In Section F., “Sub-State Areas,” found on page 5, list all BLS published sub-State area(s) covered under the Cooperative Agreement for which estimates will be made and place an "X" in the appropriate column to indicate each type of estimate. Area definitions must comply with current OMB requirements for MSA boundaries.			[____]

C. PROGRAM PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

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Specifics on the methods for conducting the CES monthly survey are described in the CES Manual. The major elements involved are:

1. Enrollment

The State agency will continue a program of sample enrollment, following CES Manual guidelines, for the Government major industry division only. The State agency may elect to continue collecting data from the newly enrolled government establishments, or they may transfer ongoing collection of the data from these establishments to BLS.

[____]

2. Data Collection

a. The State agency will collect data from respondents each month using BLS/OMB-approved forms, or via BLS-approved electronic formats, for those establishments the State agency elects to continue collecting.	[____]
b. These data will be collected and edited in accordance with CES Manual requirements.	[____]
c. The State agency will maintain a program of delinquency control and refusal conversion in accordance with CES Manual requirements, for those establishments the State agency elects to continue collecting.	[____]
d. The State agency will conform with BLS requirements in Electronic Data Interchange, including timing requirements for coding and matching units, as specified in the CES Manual and Technical Memoranda.	[____]
e. States will prepare and mail CES schedules -- for those establishments the State agency elects to continue collecting -- in accordance with the schedule outlined in the CES Manual and related Technical Memoranda.	[____]

3. Estimation

a. The State will utilize the standard CES methodology, systems, and procedures for all private industries. States will adhere to BLS guidelines provided in the CES Manual and technical memoranda in developing these CES estimates. Series with insufficient sample for direct sample-based estimation will be estimated via the BLS small domain modeling technique. Government series will continue to be estimated under the quota sample and associated procedures.	[____]
The State will participate with BLS in the continuing work of publishing all employee hours and earnings series and gross monthly earnings series. States will continue to collect and edit sample data, for those units the State has elected to continue collecting, review and approve publication levels based on adequate sample, and produce and review the series.	[____]
The State will review cell suppressions based on p-percent confidentiality processing performed at the BLS. States may choose to utilize the Small Domain Model for cells that fail confidentiality processing, or they may attempt to obtain letters of consent from the unit(s) causing the cell to fail. If the latter option is selected, the letters of consent will be prepared and mailed according to BLS policy.	[____]
The State will review non-BLS cells for confidentiality. States will either suppress cells that fail confidentiality or they may attempt to obtain letters of consent from the unit(s) causing the cell to fail. If the latter option is selected, the letters of consent will be prepared and mailed according to BLS policy.	[____]

D. QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

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The State agency will cooperate with the BLS in conducting:

1. CES State Benchmark validations and resulting recommendations for corrections or improvements, and work closely with the BLS to implement these changes.	[____]
2. BLS editing and screening efforts for all data types by promptly answering data verification e‑mail requests, within two working days whenever possible, for those units the state has elected to continue collecting.	[____]
3. Data security by securing individual respondent data to prevent disclosure to unauthorized persons. This includes non-disclosure of estimates prior to publication, using standards outlined in the CES Manual and program memoranda.	[____]

E. EXCLUSIONS

The deliverables and cost estimates for the CES program should reflect only activities associated with the conduct of a sample survey of establishments for the areas shown in the work statement; developing estimates of industry employment, hours and earnings; and publication of these data. The following types of activities are not part of the CES program:

1. Development of sample-based or non-sample-based estimates for areas not listed in the work statement. However States may at their option maintain supplemental sample for non-CES areas within the TDE and ACES systems and utilize ACES to produce non-CES area estimates. Sample size is limited to the number of units that existed in 1997, prior to the freeze on State solicitation.

• States may at their option have BLS continue to collect sample ‘drops’ – or “offers” – in the non-CES areas within BLS collection systems, or the State may elect to collect the units at the State level. If the State chooses the former option a holdback in the allocation process will cover the cost of collecting these units. If the State chooses the latter option no funding will be provided to collect and edit the units. If a State elects to solicit additional non-government units in non-CES areas, then the State must collect both the sample “drops” and the newly solicited units; no BLS funding will be provided for these activities State. If a State chooses to solicit additional non-government units in non-CES areas, the solicited sample size is limited to 10% of the States’ CES non-government sample size.

2. Provision of technical assistance to State employment service managers in identifying industries or establishments from which potential job orders can be developed.

F. SUB-STATE AREAS

List all BLS published sub-State area(s) covered under the Cooperative Agreement for which estimates will be made and place an "X" in the appropriate column to indicate each type of estimate.

Area Employment Hours and Earnings

G. EXPLANATION OF VARIANCES