[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41300-41301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17545]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2004 Census 
Test

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 September 9, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instruments and instructions 
should be directed to Edison Gore, U.S. Census Bureau, Building 2, Room 
2012, Washington, DC 20233-9200, 301-763-3998.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The 2004 Census Test is part of an extended test cycle leading up 
to the next decennial census. This testing cycle is an opportunity to 
evaluate new methods, procedures, systems, questions, and instructions 
designed to improve coverage and data quality in order to select the 
most promising ones for use in Census 2010.
    The test will be conducted in two sites--Queens, NY, and three 
rural counties in Georgia (Colquitt, Tift, and Thomas)--and will use 
two modes for data collection (paper and a Mobile Computing Device 
[MCD]). The 2004 Census Test will include an array of data collection, 
data capture, and data processing operations along with the associated 
support activities necessary for obtaining the data required for 
evaluation. No prototype data products or counts will be published.
    The Census Bureau also will conduct a two-part assessment (the Race 
and Hispanic/Latino Response Evaluation) in conjunction with the 2004 
Census Test. In the first part of the assessment, enumerator taping 
assistants (ETAs) will accompany enumerators during Nonresponse 
Followup ([NRFU]--See Definition of Terms) in order to record 
enumerator behavior and respondent reaction to the race and Hispanic 
questions. The second part will consist of telephone re-interviews. The 
Race and Hispanic/Latino Response Evaluation is scheduled to begin 
during the NRFU phase of the 2004 Census Test.
    Our experience in Census 2000 taught us important lessons 
emphasizing the need to begin planning and development early in the 
decade. Consequently, the Census Bureau established a number of Census 
2010 Planning Groups to investigate potential changes for the next 
decennial census. As part of the development cycle, the 2004 Census 
Test will evaluate the effectiveness of:
    1. Methodological innovations (e.g., changes in the residence rule 
instructions--See Definition of Terms),
    2. Content modifications (e.g., changes in the race and Hispanic 
origin questions and response categories, as well as dropping the 
``Some other race'' option), and
    3. Incorporation of evolving technologies (using an MCD for data 
collection during NRFU).
    The Race and Hispanic/Latino Response Evaluation is intended to 
evaluate personal visit respondent reactions to removing the ``Some 
other race'' category. The primary vehicle for this evaluation will 
combine the ETA interviews taped as part of the personal visits during 
2004 NRFU with the 2003 National Census Test results.
    Approximately 175,000 housing units in the test sites will receive 
a census form by mail. These housing units are expected to complete 
these forms and mail them back (mailout/mailback universe, i.e. housing 
units that have city-style addresses such as 806 Main Street). 
Additionally, enumerators will deliver a form to approximately 25,000 
housing units that have non city-style addresses such as Rt. 7, Box 
433. These housing units are asked to complete the forms and mail them 
back (update/leave universe).
    Beginning in June 2004, a sample of approximately 2,800 households 
in the Queens, NY site will be re-interviewed via telephone for the 
Hispanic/Latino Response Evaluation. (Although the Behavior Coding 
segment of the test will involve about 2,000 households, it will not 
involve an increase in respondent burden, since the coding will be done 
as the NRFU interview is conducted.)

[[Page 41301]]

II. Method of Collection

    Prior to receiving the 2004 questionnaire, each housing unit 
included in the test will be mailed an advance letter informing 
respondents that they will soon receive a census form. A few days after 
the questionnaire packages are delivered, each household will receive a 
reminder postcard that asks respondents to fill out and return their 
questionnaires, if they have not already done so. The postcard also 
will thank respondents who have already returned their forms.
    Census Day is scheduled for April 1, 2004. About 10 days after that 
date, each household in the mailout/mailback universe that did not 
return the initial form will receive a replacement questionnaire. After 
respondents have had a chance to complete and return their forms, 
enumerators will visit each housing unit that has not responded (NRFU). 
NRFU is scheduled to begin approximately three weeks after Census Day. 
Enumerators will use handheld MCDs rather than paper questionnaires for 
data collection during NRFU.
    Although the 2004 mailback form is similar to the Census 2000 short 
form in both content and format, there are several significant 
differences. These include revised wording for residence rules 
instructions; the addition of two coverage questions; a revised race 
question that eliminates the ``Some other race'' option; revisions in 
wording in the Hispanic origin question; and a format that allows a 
respondent to record information for up to 12 household members.
    Completing the paper questionnaire and responding to the questions 
again during the telephone section of the Race and Hispanic/Latino 
Response Evaluation will take approximately 10 minutes. Preliminary 
research indicates enumerator-filled forms (data collected using MCDs 
during NRFU) also will take about 10 minutes. All data capture 
operations will be conducted at the Census Bureau's National Processing 
Center (NPC) located in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
    In order to conduct the 2004 Census Test, we hope to create content 
and wording that will allow data collection using the MCDs to be 
comparable to other modes of response. The Census Bureau is designing 
software for handheld devices that is intended to incorporate both 
Spanish and English language capabilities and that will result in MCDs 
that will be easy for enumerators to use.
    The goal of the two-part Race and Hispanic/Latino Response 
Evaluation is to understand how changes to the Race and Hispanic origin 
questions affect response behavior. The evaluation will study missing 
data rates, NRFU response distributions, and behavior coding data 
gathered in the process of conducting some NRFU interviews.
    The Behavior Coding section of the test will involve taping and 
coding the behavior of about 2,000 enumerators and respondents during 
the NRFU personal visit interviews in the Queens, NY site. An ETA who 
accompanies each enumerator will record the selected interviews using a 
handheld recorder. ETAs will be trained to use basic interviewing 
techniques, operate the recorder, and take notes on respondent and 
interviewer behavior during the interview. Behavior coding is intended 
to provide data about respondents' verbal reaction to the race and 
Hispanic origin question as well as information about interviewer 
behavior while asking these questions. These interviews will be 
conducted and voice-recorded with the respondent's permission.
    The second section of the Race and Hispanic/Latino Response 
Evaluation--Re-interview Follow-up--also is restricted to the Queens, 
NY site. The 2004 Census Test questionnaire will be administered to 
selected respondents after the NRFU visit. We will re-administer the 
2004 Census Test questionnaire by telephone in order to evaluate the 
response distribution of the race question. The resulting response 
distribution is intended to provide information for evaluating the 
effect of changes in the race and Hispanic origin questions and 
response categories, as well as dropping the ``Some other race'' 
option.
    Employees from the NPC will contact a sample of approximately 2,800 
households to re-administer the 2004 questionnaire beginning in June 
2004. Data gathered as a result of these interviews will be processed 
at NPC. The goal for this segment of the Race and Hispanic/Latino 
Response Evaluation is 2,000 completed interviews.

Definition of Terms

    Residence Rules--Rules that respondents and the Census Bureau use 
to determine where people should be counted. They are meant to insure 
that everyone is counted once and in the right place for the primary 
purposes of apportionment.
    Nonresponse Followup (NRFU)--An operation developed to obtain 
completed questionnaires from housing units for which the Census Bureau 
did not receive a completed questionnaire in mail census areas 
(mailout/mailback, update/leave, and urban update/leave). Enumerators 
visit addresses to collect the information.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number(s): DB-1 (2004 Census Test).
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 200,000 households 
for the 2004 Census Test. Approximately 2,800 households for Race and 
Hispanic/Latino Response Evaluation.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 33,800.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: There is no cost to respondents except 
for their time to respond.
    Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority: Title 13 of the United States Code, sections 
141 and 193.

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; (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: July 7, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-17545 Filed 7-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P