The Business and Industry Data Center Program was started in 1988 by the U.S. Census Bureau as an expansion of the State Data Center Program. The BIDC Program is designed to meet the growing need by decision makers for effective use of economic statistics. The Census Bureau promotes the BIDC Program as a means to increase the public's awareness of economic and demographic data and to make wider use of this data.

Illinois will help meet this need by providing small businesses, independent contractors and future businesses in Illinois convenient access to statistical data and other sources of usable information. Our goal is to enhance the ability of small businesses to plan, market, manage and expand their businesses in Illinois and throughout the world. This will be accomplished by creating a system of regional and local affiliates capable of providing basic information to the small business community, completing complex analysis as needed and performing regional economic analyses.

We have created five Regional Affiliates throughout the state. These affiliates will be responsible for collecting and disseminating information to both the end users of the data and to the local affiliates. They will also provide a quarterly regional economic analysis, furnish expertise in one or more data bases and provide assistance to local affiliates and data users as needed.

Local Affiliates have been created in each region. Local Affiliates are responsible for dealing directly with small businesses and other data users, providing basic census, economic, and demographic information, other data prepared by the Regional Affiliates or the state, and offering technical assistance in basic data interpretation. Issues involving more complex analysis or interpretation will be referred to the appropriate Regional Affiliate.