Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions

Data Quality

Data quality/nonsampling errors:

Although every effort (as described in the Data Processing section) is made in all phases of collection, processing, and tabulation to minimize errors, the data are subject to nonsampling errors such as inability to obtain data for every variable from all units in the panel, inaccuracies in classification, response errors, misinterpretation of questions, mistakes in keying and coding, and coverage errors.

Data in these tables are subject to possible inaccuracies in classification, response, and processing. Every effort is made to keep such errors to a minimum through care in examining, editing, and tabulating the data submitted.

It should be noted that some systems report all or part of receipts and expenditures on an "accrued" basis, and in some cases receipts are accrued but expenditures are on a cash basis. Therefore, the relationship between quarterly revenues and expenditures does not directly tie to an equivalent change in cash and security holdings. However, these differences in the quarterly series will generally be resolved within the fiscal year.

Response Rates

In the table below, the "unit response rate" is the number of units within the 100-member panel who provided data for the QSPP. The unit response rate considers all units equally. The "total quantity response rate" (TQRR) is a response rate that incorporates the size of the unit's assets (denoted by the unit's Z81 value). These two response rates may differ because larger units are more influential than smaller ones. For example, a unit response rate of 87 indicates that 87 units responded; if the TQRR is 90, that means those 87 units represent 90 percent of the assets. For more information about the calculation of TQRRs for economic surveys, please refer to Census Bureau Standard D-3, Appendix B http://www.census.gov/quality/standards/appendixd3b.html

	2009		2010		2011		2012
	unit response rate	total quantity response rate	unit response rate	total quantity response rate	unit response rate	total quantity response rate	unit response rate	total quantity response rate
Q1	89	82	90	91	91	96	90	95
Q2	92	92	97	99	90	92	89	92
Q3	93	93	92	96	92	97	86	92
Q4	90	90	92	98	91	96	88	93