Abstract:
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A basic premise of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS) is communication -- communication about events, policy and government program changes, calls to action, and, especially, communication between federal statistical agencies and their stakeholders. Major vehicles for COPAFS communication include: its quarterly meeting, which is designed for COPAFS members, always includes representatives from statistical agencies, and to which anyone is welcomed; its monthly newsletter for members whose purpose is to inform; and workshops and seminars on special topics that involve statistical agencies with their customers. This presentation will highlight examples of each of COPAFS’ approaches and remark on their successes in educating federal statistics’ users, and exposing federal statistical agencies to customer perspectives they might not otherwise have heard. At the same time, I will also recognize the dichotomy that can arise between broad-based communication and the paid-for privilege of special member information and contacts.
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