The primary database from which the condensed tables in Section 5.1 and Appendix C are derived is composed of input–output tables that correspond to the 85-industry IO tables, in that the final versions have 82 rows and 88 columns. All the input–output tables used are originally derived from the benchmark tables produced by the BE A (Bureau of Economic Analysis), which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In an effort to improve the compatibility of the data for different years and from different sources, various adjustments and modifications were carried out on the data series used. Most significantly, Juillard (1988) carried out several adjustments on the input-output tables so as to have as consistent a methodology as possible for all the benchmark years. Several additional adjustments and aggregations were conducted in order to render data sets from different sources more consistent. Among these, the major adjustments were: (1) reversing the methodology of force account construction used with the BEA IO tables; (2) adjusting the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor) capital stock and depreciation matrices for oil and gas exploration costs; and (3) modifying employment and employee compensation data so as to maximize consistency within the adjusted IO tables for all benchmark years.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce has successively published benchmark input–output tables for 1947, 1958, 1963, 1967, 1972, and 1977 (see respectively, BEA 1970, 1965, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984). Table A.I lists industries and commodities for the 1972 table.