[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68329-68331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30323]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Generic Clearance for Master Address File (MAF) and Topologically 
Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) Update 
Activities

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 6, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, 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 instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Bob Tomassoni, Bureau of the Census, SFC2, Room 
1308A, Washington, DC 20233. Phone Number 301-763-2036 (or via the 
Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau presently operates a generic clearance covering 
activities involving respondent burden associated with updating our 
Master Address File (MAF) and Topologically Integrated Geographic 
Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) system. (The MAF is the Census 
Bureau's address database and TIGER is the geographic database.) We now 
propose to extend that generic clearance to cover update activities we 
will undertake during the next three fiscal years.
    Under the terms of the generic clearance, we plan to submit a 
request for OMB approval that will describe all planned activities for 
the entire period; we will not submit a clearance package for each 
updating activity. We will send a letter to OMB at least two weeks 
before the planned start of each activity that gives more exact 
details, examples of forms, and final estimates of respondent burden. 
We also will file a year-end summary with OMB after the close of each 
fiscal year giving results of each activity conducted. This generic 
clearance enables OMB to review our overall strategy for MAF and TIGER 
updating in advance, instead of reviewing each activity in isolation 
shortly before the planned start. The Census Bureau used the MAF for 
mailing and delivering questionnaires to households during Census 2000. 
The MAF is also used as a sampling frame for our demographic current 
surveys. In the past, the Census Bureau built a new address list for 
each decennial census. The MAF we built for Census 2000 is meant to be 
kept current, thereby, eliminating the need to build a completely new 
address list for future censuses and surveys. The TIGER is a geographic 
system that maps the entire country in Census Blocks with applicable 
address range or living quarter location information. Linking MAF and 
TIGER allows us to assign each address to the appropriate Census Block, 
produce maps as needed and publish results at the appropriate level of 
geographic detail. The following are descriptions of each activity we 
plan to conduct under the clearance for the next three fiscal years.

1. Record Linkage Follow-Up (Address Duplication Check) Evaluation

    In an effort to compile the most accurate Master Address File 
(MAF), the Census Bureau is planning the Record Linkage Follow-Up 
Address Duplication Check Operation to evaluate three different 
unduplication methods, one duplicate address linking software currently 
used by our Geography Division (GEO) and possibly two probabilistic 
matching software programs used by our Planning, Research, and 
Evaluation Division (PRED).
    This operation will address the Census Coverage Improvement 
objective, which attempts to minimize coverage errors and to gain 
insight into the causes of housing unit duplication through externally 
focused, probes and edits and examination of internal processing 
approaches.
    The Record Linkage Follow-Up Address Duplication Check will be 
conducted in the field to confirm probable housing unit duplicates 
identified by the unduplication criteria established for the 
probabilistic record matching and linking software, and not already 
reconciled from other 2004 Census Test field activities. This 2004 
Census Test operation addresses the following question: ``Can we reduce 
duplication at the time of the initial Master Address File (MAF) 
extract and during address list updating from Address Canvassing and 
from Update/Leave by using improved address record linkage methods?''
    The major objective of the Record Linkage Follow-Up Address 
Duplication Check operation is to determine the accuracy and future use 
of address unduplication prior to census operations. Verifiers will 
perform an Address Duplication Check on housing unit duplicates 
identified by probabilistic linkage.
    The 2004 Census Test Record Linkage Follow-Up Address Duplication 
Check operation will be conducted in the NW Queens, NY test site and in 
Colquitt, Tift, and Thomas counties in Georgia and will be managed out 
of Local Census Offices. The operation will take place between August 
16, 2004 and September 17, 2004 and will consist of a maximum workload 
of 10,800 addresses.
    The universe of linked addresses will come from output generated by 
the Auto Match and Big Match software and from GEO providing a file 
that includes the results of their duplicate confidence

[[Page 68330]]

indicator run on the MAF for the 2004 Test Sites.
    The workload of linked addresses, called clusters, in the Record 
Linkage Follow-Up Address Duplicate Check operation will be a merged 
sample of the output from the three duplicate linking programs 
mentioned above.
    A sample of clusters will be included in the Address Duplicate 
Check. Large clusters, clusters with different Zip Codes, and clusters 
where two or more addresses are exactly the same, will be included in 
the Headquarters (HQ) fieldwork. The Headquarters (HQ) fieldwork will 
consist of no more than 6 people from Census HQ, traveling to the 2004 
Census Test sites to review and fieldwork 300 clusters.
    Verifiers will locate each address in the cluster on the ground and 
enter codes based on observation first. Then they will attempt to make 
contact with the respondent or qualified proxy to confirm the addresses 
existence for each address shown on the cluster-listing page. Verifiers 
will enter action codes based on respondent information. The verifiers 
will try to locate the other addresses shown in the cluster, to verify 
existence or nonexistence in an effort to confirm duplication of 
addresses within the cluster. Verifiers will not edit, add, or delete 
any addresses.
    The estimated time per response is 2 minutes. The most burdensome 
case scenario will be 10,800 addresses in no more than 5,300 address 
clusters. All of the fieldwork is expected to take place in FY 2004.

2. Address Canvassing

    An Address Canvassing operation will take place as part of the 2006 
Census Test. The operation will take place during the spring of 2005. 
The operation will be a standard address canvassing operation where 
census ``listers'' will canvass specified blocks and conduct brief 
interviews to verify or update address information against address 
information on the Census Bureau's address lists and maps. Lister's 
will enter action codes for every address based on what they found out 
during the visit. Lister's will also visit addresses not listed on our 
address lists and add them. They will record address information and 
action codes on address listing pages.
    Sites for the 2006 Census Test will be selected in 2004. Prior to 
the selection, there is no available information regarding estimated 
number of living quarters or respondent burden for the Address 
Canvassing operation.

3. TIGER Enhancement Database (TED)

    The TIGER Enhancement Database (TED) is an inventory of state, 
local, tribal and commercial geographic data critical to the 
modernization of the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER database. More 
specifically, the TED is an interactive Oracle database containing 
metadata about the geographic data necessary for coordinate correction 
and feature update in TIGER. Such metadata include, but are not limited 
to: Contact information, data accuracy, currency, format, and medium.
    TED is designed to be maintained and updated indefinitely to 
support MAF/TIGER Enhancements Program efforts throughout the decade. 
Metadata for population of the database will be collected on an ongoing 
basis from state/local/tribal governments, as well as, industry 
organizations and clearinghouses, and commercial suppliers.
    Determining which governments and commercial sources exist and 
gathering metadata about what they contain, will require contact with 
individuals and business entities. Once the inventory of available 
resources has been completed for all 3,232 counties, the Census Bureau 
and its contractor will begin to acquire the source materials described 
in the inventory. These source materials may include satellite imagery, 
aerial photography, Global Positioning System (GPS) files, Geographic 
Information System (GIS) files of transportation, hydrography, and 
other feature layers, address lists, and other graphic and tabular data 
that will provide updates to the MAF/TIGER database.
    In addition to the above, there may be other operations and/or 
evaluations that could be added in the next three years to help the 
Census Bureau prepare for Census 2010 and evaluate the quality of work 
done during various census tests. Any other operations and/or 
evaluations would be similar to those above and would fall under the 
clearance as MAF/TIGER updating activities.

II. Method of Collection

    The primary method of data collection for most operations/
evaluations will be personal interview by Census Listers, Verifiers or 
Enumerators using the operation/evaluation's listing form. In some 
cases, the interview could be by telephone callback if no one was home 
on the initial visit. For TED, the primary method of method of data 
collection will be telephone contact. See part I for details.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0809.
    Form Number: The form numbers for activities have not yet been 
assigned.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Varies by operation, see chart 
below for available estimates.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Varies by operation, see chart below 
for available estimates.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: FY04 360.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondents is that 
of their time to respond.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141 and 
193.

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                                                      FY 2004      Average hours   Responses per      FY 2004
                    Activity                        respondents    per response     respondent     burden hours
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Record Linkage Follow-Up Evaluation.............          10,800            .033               1             360
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................          10,800  ..............  ..............             360
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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

[[Page 68331]]

approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: December 2, 2003.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-30323 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P