The Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) program provides a secure environment managed by the U.S. Census Bureau for qualified researchers on approved projects to access restricted-use federal microdata for statistical research. Access to the FSRDC network requires submission of a successful research proposal. For more information about how to submit a research proposal, visit the Census Bureau’s Restricted-Use Data Application Process webpage or the Standard Application Process (SAP) Portal at www.ResearchDataGov.org. Contact an FSRDC administrator in your area if you are interested in applying for data access using an FSRDC. In addition to access from more than 30 secure locations throughout the country, researchers on eligible projects may also be authorized to access the FSRDC computing environment to work on their approved project(s) from a secure designated space within their personal residence. There is no direct-to-remote option and all researchers that are new to the FSRDC network will be required to utilize an FSRDC lab to begin work on their first project.

Remote access is authorized on a project-by-project basis, usually in relationship to the data usage terms underlying the datasets on a project.  It is common that researchers on multiple projects may not be authorized for remote access on all their projects. Likewise, not all researchers on an eligible project may be authorized for remote access. Ultimately, approval for researchers to work remotely is at the discretion of the Census Bureau and our partnering federal agencies, and subject to law, regulation, and the terms of any applicable agreements.  

For more information on project and researcher eligibility for remote access see below:

Project Eligibility for Remote Access

• For a project to be considered eligible for remote access, ALL datasets on that project must be remote access eligible. If one or more datasets are not eligible, the project is not eligible.
• FSRDC federal partners determine whether or not they permit their projects to be accessed remotely and not all participate in the remote access program. 
  
  • These federal partners do not currently authorize remote access on their projects:
    • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 
    • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
      
    • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
    • National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
    • Federal Reserve Board Microeconomic Surveys Unit (FRB) 
  • These federal partners do authorize remote access on their projects:
    • Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 
    • National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)
    • Census Bureau/IRS SOI - Most data held by the Census Bureau and protected under Title 13 U.S.C. or commingled with Federal Tax Information (FTI) protected under Title 26 U.S.C. are eligible for remote access. Download the spreadsheet below for a list of data registered in the Standard Application Portal that are not eligible for remote access. 
      

Researcher Eligibility for Remote Access

• All researchers must be affiliated with or have otherwise made arrangements (ex. payment of a seat fee) with an FSRDC institutional partner, have an approved project, and obtain Special Sworn Status (SSS), before applying for remote access.
  • An overview of the process for obtaining SSS is available here.
  • Researchers are also required to complete any additional data use or licensing agreements as may be applicable to their project. 
• Researchers will be required to visit the physical FSRDC at the institutional partner they are affiliated with or make arrangements with that institutional partner to visit another location for in-person badging and orientation and begin working on their project if they have not previously worked in an FSRDC.
• Researchers must meet all requirements for data access as they otherwise would in a physical FSRDC lab, including but not limited to completion of all required initial and refresher training and completion of annual reports.
• Researchers will be required to complete a virtual access training with their FSRDC administrator and will be evaluated on their understanding of the program rules before they are authorized to work remotely.
• Researchers will be required to identify and secure a single designated worksite within their personal residence that meets program requirements. If a researcher moves in the middle of a project, their remote access will be temporarily suspended, and they must have their new location approved before they are authorized to access their project remotely again. 
• Researchers will be required to submit to video inspections of their authorized worksite by their FSRDC administrator at least annually.
• Researchers must sign a Remote Access Agreement verifying that the worksite they are designating and securing at their personal residence meets all program requirements, that they understand all of the program rules for participation, and that they accept the penalties for any violations of those rules.

If you have questions about the eligibility of data for a project you plan on submitting, or if you are a current researcher who has questions about the eligibility of your project(s) for remote access, contact your FSRDC administrator.