[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4403-4404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1915]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Census 2000 Test Program Supplement

ACTION:  Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY:  The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES:  Written comments must be submitted on or before March 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5027, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

[[Page 4404]]

DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Keith Bennett, Bureau of the Census, Room BH114-
2, Washington, DC 20233; (301) 457-4173.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to test several methodologies, techniques, 
and strategies during Census 2000. It is important to examine 
innovative ideas in the environment for which they are intended to 
accurately measure effectiveness and feasibility. The Census Bureau 
received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to conduct four 
separate tests which are collectively referred to as The Census 2000 
Test Program. They are the Alternative Questionnaire Experiment in 2000 
(AQE2000), the Administrative Records Census Experiment in 2000 
(AREX2000), the Social Security Number [SSN], Privacy Attitudes, and 
Notification (SPAN) experiment, and the Response Mode and Incentive 
Experiment (RMIE). We plan to add supplemental collections to two of 
these tests.

RMIE Internet Usage Survey

    The RMIE will determine what effect the availability of different 
response modes combined with an incentive have on a sample of Census 
2000 short form respondents. Sample households will receive an 
invitation in their census short-form mail package inviting them to 
respond by one of three experimental response modes rather than by 
mail, including a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) with a 
live operator, an interactive voice response system where a respondent 
is prompted through the short form by machine, and the census Internet 
questionnaire. Of those households that receive an invitation, some 
will be given a calling card worth 30 minutes of long distance service 
as incentive.
    We plan to conduct phone interviews with a sub sample of the RMIE 
households invited to respond via the Internet, but who chose to 
respond by mail. For those who received no incentive, we will ask 
whether they had access to the Internet. If they did have access, we 
will ask why they did not use the Internet and ascertain whether an 
incentive would have elicited a response. If they did not have access 
to the Internet, we will ask if they would have responded if they had 
access. For those who received the incentive, we will ask whether they 
had access to the Internet. If they had no access they too will be 
asked whether they would have responded if they had access. If they had 
access, we will ask why they did not use the Internet. In addition, 
this panel will be asked a subset of questions about the incentive 
calling card they received. The interview will determine whether the 
respondents were aware of the incentive. We will ask those who were 
aware of the incentive why they did not take the offer, whether a 
larger incentive might have elicited a response, and whether they 
realized that the incentive was made operative only with the Internet 
response.

AQE2000 Residence Rules Reinterview

    The AQE2000 will test effectiveness of an alternative presentation 
format of residence rules in the decennial census. An accurate and 
complete count in Census 2000 requires that all people should be 
enumerated once and only once and in the correct location. Respondents 
make the determination of who is counted as residing within their homes 
and include these people on their census form. The appropriateness of 
these assignments is associated with the effectiveness and clarity of 
the census residence instructions that provide the respondent with 
guidelines about who should be included on the census form and who 
should be excluded.
    We plan to reinterview a sub sample of the AQE2000 sample 
households that returned the experimental (alternate version of the 
presentation format) and control (current versions of the presentation 
format) short-forms and provided telephone contact information. The 
reinterview will be conducted by telephone with the person in the 
household who signed the census form. The purpose of this reinterview 
is to test the effectiveness of the different presentation formats 
identified in the AQE2000. Topics addressed in the reinterview include 
listing of all household members (including potentially omitted 
persons), other locations where household members may reside, and the 
estimates of time spent in each of these locations. Other issues to be 
explored include complex living arrangements, respondents' ability to 
comprehend the residence rules, and possible sources of misconceptions 
stemming from experimental or control versions of the presentation 
formats.

II. Method of Collection

    For the RMIE Internet Usage Survey, data will be collected by means 
of a computer assisted telephone interview. For the AQE2000 Residence 
Rules Reinterview, the reinterview will be conducted by telephone and 
recorded on paper.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0862.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Internet Usage Survey--2,160; 
Residence Rules Interview--3,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Internet Usage Survey--5 minutes; 
Residence Rules Reinterview--20 min.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Internet Usage Survey--180 
hours; Residence Rules Reinterview--1,000 hours; Total = 1,180 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: None.
    Respondent's Obligation: Both are voluntary data collections.

IV. Request for Comments:

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 21, 2000,
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-1915 Filed 1-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P