Background
The American Community Survey (ACS), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau (USCB), is one of the most significant sources of demographic, social, economic, and housing data in the United States. Unlike the once-a-decade long form, the ACS collects data year-round, reaching over 3.5 million households annually. The resulting data helps distribute more than $600 billion in federal and state funds and supports decision-making in government, business, research, and advocacy. These survey results are publicly available and fuel thousands of decisions that shape policy, infrastructure, education, and services across the country. To ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and security of this vast volume of information, the Census Bureau relies on complex data processing operations. OPTiMO was selected to provide expert support to the Decennial Information Technology Division (DITD) to process respondent data from the 2023–2026 data collection cycles, ensuring secure, reliable, and accurate outputs for national use.
The Challenge
Processing ACS data at scale requires navigating a broad set of technical and compliance-driven challenges:
- Managing large volumes of multi-mode survey data (web, phone, mail, and in-person) from millions of respondents
- Ensuring all processed data adheres to federal privacy regulations, including strict disclosure avoidance protocols
- Validating and testing complex interfaces and data exchange mechanisms to ensure reliability and security across internal Census systems
- Delivering and supporting multiple data product types while ensuring performance under tight release schedules
The USCB needed a contractor that could maintain legacy systems, support modernization efforts, and uphold the technical rigor required for national-level data processing.
The Solution
OPTiMO provided comprehensive support to the DITD, applying a flexible and Agile-aligned approach across software development, testing, documentation, and system operations. Key aspects of our solution included:
Robust Technical Support for Data Processing
- Build and modify scripts in Perl/Korn shell and SAS programs, using
- IBM/Cisco servers running Linux, within the framework of the ACS tabulation system to produce the following ACS 1-year and 5-year data products using the edited and weighted microdata
- Providing overall support and maintenance of the ACS-Decennial Tabulation System and assist the Government in producing produce ACS data products. The ACS Tabulation System consists of several sub-systems to generate various ACS data products, including specifications in spreadsheet form, parameter files, and geographic information to produce the tables for the ACS.
- Build and maintain test cases and supporting system documentation to ensure resources have a thorough understanding of Census legacy systems and critical points of integration.
Hybrid Agile and SDLC-Aligned Practices
- Employed iterative development techniques in line with Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) best practices
- Leveraged AI agents to identify and track requirements, defects, and test cases systematically, with clear mappings from contract deliverables through to functional outputs and an agreed upon definition of done.
Advanced Testing and Automation
- Conducted unit, integration, and interface testing of new methods and system enhancements to ensure functionality and performance
- Developed automated test scripts for key data collection tools to improve accuracy and efficiency in a post-COVID environment, which leaned more heavily on automated systems
- Identified testing success criteria, tracked results, and reported on test status to support government review
The Impact
OPTiMO’s work on ACS Data Processing Support played a pivotal role in ensuring that the U.S. Census Bureau delivered trusted, timely, and compliant data products—used by leaders and communities nationwide. Tangible results included:
- Seamless processing of ACS respondent data across multiple years, covering millions of records and generating high-quality data outputs for public dissemination
- Support for the production of data products like Data Profiles, Detailed Tables, Subject Tables, and Public Use Microdata (PUMS) files, used for everything from policymaking to academic research
- Strengthened data security and privacy, ensuring that all outputs met disclosure avoidance requirements without compromising usability
- Increased system efficiency and readiness for future technological upgrades, thanks to OPTiMO’s support in testing, automation, and modernization
- Enhanced operational agility and responsiveness, enabling the Census Bureau to deliver on its mission of providing trusted data for smarter decisions
By aligning technical precision with federal mandates and operational goals, OPTiMO enabled the U.S. Census Bureau to continue producing one of the nation’s most important statistical products—reliably, securely, and at scale.