Bureau of Business and Economic Research

Name

Bureau of Business and Economic Research

Legal name

Bureau of Business and Economic Research

Website

https://bber.umt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Research and Forecasting Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)

Keywords

• Economic forecasting services
• Industry research studies
• Economic impact analysis
• Forest industry research
• Survey research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant-Funded Research: BBER conducts commissioned research studies funded by government agencies, industry associations, foundations, and private organizations. Revenue comes from research contracts and grants rather than commercial product sales. Major clients include Montana Hospital Association, Montana High Tech Business Alliance, Montana World Trade Center, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Montana Healthcare Foundation, and various USDA Forest Service programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) is a university research department within the University of Montana's College of Business that conducts economic forecasting, industry studies, and survey research focused on Montana and the western United States. It produces annual state and county economic forecasts, publishes the Montana Business Quarterly magazine, produces the daily Montana Economic Minute podcast, and operates a Forest Industry Research Program that tracks timber harvest and log prices across ten western states.

Product overview

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) is a university research department within the University of Montana's College of Business that produces economic and industry data rather than a unified software product. Its portfolio consists of multiple research programs and publications including: the Montana Business Quarterly (award-winning publication), Economic Outlook Seminar (annual event), Montana Economic Minute (daily podcast), Data Center (searchable archive), and five functional research areas covering Economic Analysis, Forest Industry Research, Survey Research, Health Care Research, and Manufacturing Research. BBER does not offer a traditional software product with modules or add-ons, but rather provides research services, publications, and data products focused on Montana's economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Montana Business Quarterly

Quantifiable outcome

• Medicaid expansion brings over $600 million into Montana annually, generating between 5,900 and 7,500 jobs and $350-$385 million in personal income each year (2018-2020)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term cooperation with USDA Forest Service FIA Program for forest inventory and analysis data collection. BBER participates in the national Timber Products Output (TPO) program and has developed timber harvest data tools in cooperation with Forest Service Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain Research Stations.
• Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBER is a participant in two phases of the NARA project: Feedstock Supply Chain Analysis and Extension Initiative. Supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Grant from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Focuses on woody biomass supply analysis for wood-based jet fuel production.
• University of Idaho, Department of Renewable MaterialsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on forest products industry research and reporting; partnership since 2002 on annual Idaho Forest Products Industry outlook reports
• Montana Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor of the Economic Outlook Seminar series; partnered on manufacturing reports and economic outlook presentations traveling to Montana cities
• Federal Reserve Bank of MinneapoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Montana child care survey conducted on behalf of the Federal Reserve; study to inform families, organizations, businesses, and elected leaders about child care issues
• Montana Hospital AssociationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRetained by MHA to conduct analysis of economic contributions of Montana hospitals to the state's economy; study uses operating data from 53 hospitals in 44 counties for 2023
• Montana High Tech Business AlliancecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned BBER to collect information and insights from members for annual assessments of high-tech industry's economic footprint and growth prospects in Montana

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Headwaters Economics: Bozeman, Montana-based independent research nonprofit focused on economic development, natural resources, and policy analysis in the rural western U.S. Directly comparable to BBER's forest industry and regional economic focus, though privately rather than university housed.

Broad incumbents

• The Conference Board: Member-based business research organization producing economic forecasts, consumer confidence indices, and industry research used by enterprises and policymakers. Broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities to BBER but at a national/global scale and on a subscription/enterprise basis.
• Oregon Office of Economic Analysis: State-government economic forecasting office producing quarterly economic and revenue forecasts for Oregon, with a similar mandate to BBER's state and county forecasting programs. Comparable as a regional state-level economic analysis provider, though housed in state government rather than a university.
• Bureau of Economic Analysis: U.S. Department of Commerce agency producing national, state, and county economic accounts (GDP, personal income, employment). Broader incumbent producing many of the same data series that BBER leverages and contextualizes for Montana.

Emerging players

• Wood Mackenzie: Global research and consultancy covering natural resources, energy, and forest products markets with deep industry datasets. Comparable to BBER's Forest Industry Research Program in subject matter (forest products economics, timber markets), though at vastly larger commercial scale.
• Northern Arizona University Economic Policy Institute: NAU-affiliated research center producing economic analysis, demographic research, and policy studies focused on Arizona and the Four Corners region. Comparable to BBER as a university-based regional economic research outfit serving a western U.S. state, with shared themes in natural resource and rural economies.

Direct peers

• Indiana Business Research Center: Indiana University-affiliated research center providing state economic forecasting, demographic analysis, and industry studies for Indiana. Directly comparable to BBER in academic-anchored structure and single-state economic research mandate.
• University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research: UK CBER conducts state-level economic forecasting, impact analysis, and applied research for Kentucky. Directly comparable to BBER as a university-affiliated research bureau serving a single U.S. state's economy with federal and private clients.
• University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research: UNM's BBER is a peer university-based economic research bureau with the same name and mission: state and regional economic forecasting, industry studies, and survey research for a southwestern U.S. state. Closest direct comparable to BBER in structure, scale, and program mix.
• University of Tennessee Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research: University-based economic research center producing state and regional economic forecasts, industry impact studies, and survey research for Tennessee. Directly comparable to BBER in academic-anchored structure, public-facing forecasting, and commissioned industry studies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bbermt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bbermt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bureau of Business and Economic Research