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Steve Gass
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       Revenues for Computer Systems Design and Related Services Up 
                      18 Percent, Census Bureau Reports

  The Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported today that the nation's
computer systems design and related service industries increased total revenues
by 18 percent, from $140 billion in 1998 to $165 billion in 1999.

  The tabulations for employer and nonemployer firms, released on the Internet,
show revenues for custom computer-programming services increased 19 percent, to
$62 billion; computer systems design services were up 14 percent, to
$77 billion; computer facilities management services showed a 28 percent 
increase, to $15 billion; and other computer related services were up
29 percent, to $10 billion.

  An overwhelming majority of revenues in the computer systems design and
related service industries 94 percent, or $154 billion were reported by employer
firms (establishments with paid employees) in 1999. These firms had $131 billion
in revenues in 1998.

  The computer services industry group's data are part of the 1999 Service
Annual Survey report covering the professional, scientific and technical
services sector. This sector includes revenues for architectural, engineering
and related services; management, scientific and technical consulting services;
scientific research and development services; advertising and related services;
and other professional, scientific and technical services. Other survey reports
will cover the health sector, the information sector, selected financial 
industries, and trucking and warehousing.

  This is the first year the Service Annual Survey uses the North American 
Industry Classification System.

  The data are subject to sampling variability and nonsampling errors. Sources
of nonsampling error include errors of response, nonreporting and coverage.
Measures of sampling variability, presented as relative standard errors, are
shown in the tables.