Five Ways the Department of Commerce Supports a Data-Enabled Economy

Through its 12 bureaus, the Department of Commerce creates the conditions for economic growth and opportunity on both a domestic and global scale. As the voice of business in the President’s Cabinet, Secretary Pritzker has spearheaded the Department of Commerce’s “Open for Business Agenda” Strategic Plan and focused on five strategic goals: trade and investment, innovation, environment, data and operational excellence. Secretary Pritzker’s two-year anniversary is June 26, and we are highlighting one of our strategic pillars by recognizing recent achievements. Here are five important accomplishments in Data since Secretary Pritzker joined the Commerce Department:

1. ESA assembled 19 technology leaders and established the Commerce Data Advisory Council to provide guidance and insight into how the Department of Commerce should analyze, promote, and disseminate its trove of data.
2. Commerce engaged with data users and launched a new Developer Outreach Program, which led to the launch of the Trade Developer Portal and a “City Software Development Kit” at the National Day of Civic Hacking.
3. Commerce recruited a new data team, led by the Department’s first-ever Chief Data Officer Ian Kalin, to improve the operations of the Department. The team is focused on the distribution and use of open data.
4. NOAA established Cooperative Research and Development Agreements to handle their Big Data initiative.
5. NYU’s GovLab worked with the Commerce Department, specifically USPTO, to shape the bureau’s open data roadmap. Govlab also outlined private sector recommendations for improving Commerce Department data management, which led to more data jams with data users.

The progress that the US Department of Commerce has made reflects both the dedication of Secretary Pritzker as well as the commitment of our 47,000 Commerce employees, to keeping America Open for Business.