Uh oh. The Field Data Collection Automation [1] (FDCA) PDAs that are supposed to replace the traditional pen and paper method used by census-takers are not working properly. Thus, the census "dress rehearsal" this spring has been delayed by a month as the agency scurries to come up with backup plans. The FDCA program that was meant to save taxpayers $1 billion now has these delays sending the cost $600 million to as much as $2 billion.

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, testified [2] at the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing [3] on the status of the 2010 Census [4].

Gutierrez stated: "We have discovered serious problems with the FDCA program and I am personally involved in bringing key issues to the surface and developing a way forward. In short, the current situation is unacceptable."

The GAO published a report [5] on these Census problems and made an announcement [6] designating the 2010 Census Project as "High Risk". The GAO warned the Census bureau last year about slow and inconsistent data transmission [7] from last year's field testing. Guess they should have heeded that warning, right?

The IEEE blog [8] made a good point on this whole mess: "Fed Ex can use handhelds to track packages, why can't we do the same for collecting Census data - should be dead easy, right? The idea in itself wasn't not outrageous, as long as the risks involved were clearly understood and managed" and obviously they were not!