[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55032-55034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22417]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic 
Clearance for the 2010 Census Program for Evaluations and Experiments

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION: Notice.

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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: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before November 24, 2008.

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 Jason Machowski, Bureau of the Census, HQ-3H470C, 
Washington, DC 20233; (301) 763-4173.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau will conduct the 2010 Census Program for 
Evaluations and Experiments (CPEX) to evaluate the current census and 
to build a foundation on which to make early and informed decisions for 
planning the next one in 2020. Program planners designed CPEX to 
measure the effectiveness of the 2010 Census design (including 
operations, systems, and processes), in addition to determining how the 
design impacts data quality.
    The 2010 CPEX consists of assessments, experiments, and 
evaluations. Assessments document final volumes, rates, and costs for 
individual operations or processes; they do not involve unique data 
collections, and therefore will not be submitted for clearance. 
Experiments are quantitative studies that occur during a decennial 
census. The decennial environment is required for experimental studies 
because it provides the best conditions to learn about the value of new 
methods and to accurately measure their effectiveness and feasibility. 
Finally, evaluation studies analyze, interpret, and synthesize the 
effectiveness of census components, and their impact on data quality 
and coverage. Evaluation studies use data collected from census 
operations, processes, systems, and auxiliary data collections.
    The 2010 CPEX program will operate as a generic clearance. This 
public notice specifically accounts for data collection plans for four 
experiments and three evaluations. The balance of evaluations that 
potentially require independent data collections in the 2010 CPEX will 
be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on a flow 
basis, as more detail of the activities are known. The estimated number 
of respondents and annual reporting hours being requested cover both 
the known and yet to be submitted experiments and evaluations.
    The Census Bureau plans four experimental designs: Alternative 
Questionnaire Experiment (AQE); 2010 Nonresponse Followup (NRFU) 
Contact Strategy Experiment; 2010 Deadline Messaging (DM) Experiment, 
and 2010 Privacy Notification (PN) Experiment. Most of the experimental 
designs have been developed to test more than one research objective, 
resulting in multiple treatments per study. All experimental 
questionnaires received will be treated as the respondents' official 
census form. This public notice also includes three evaluations: 2010 
AQE Reinterview Evaluation; 2010 Content Reinterview Evaluation; and 
2010 Alternative Group Quarters (GQ) Questionnaire Evaluation.

Alternative Questionnaire Experiment (AQE)

    The AQE has several objectives. The overall goal of the study is to 
continue efforts to develop a user-friendly mailout questionnaire that 
can be accurately completed by respondents. This experiment will test 
various designs on how the Census Bureau asks respondents to provide 
their data on the paper form. A large focus of the 2010 AQE is on 
methods to improve the completeness and accuracy for reporting of race 
and Hispanic origin. Four panels will test the performance of a 
combined race and Hispanic origin question (these data are currently 
collected by asking two separate questions: one on race and one on 
Hispanic origin). In addition to testing a combined question on race 
and Hispanic origin, seven panels will be devoted to potential 
refinements of the current separate-question approach, for a total of 
eleven panels devoted to race and Hispanic origin research. Other 
topics covered by the AQE include an examination of true residence 
status by

[[Page 55033]]

collecting additional information on the initial census return 
pertaining to household coverage (one panel) and an examination of the 
effectiveness of all questionnaire changes made since Census 2000 (one 
panel). The Census Bureau accomplishes the latter by administering the 
Census 2000 form to a subset of the 2010 universe.
    The AQE comprises fourteen panels, including a control panel. The 
estimated sample size for each panel dealing with race and Hispanic 
origin is 30,000. The estimated sample size of the panel examining 
alternative designs of the undercount (and overcount) questions in the 
mail form, to effectively identify census coverage errors for follow-up 
is 30,000. The estimated sample size of the panel examining combined 
effects on the data of all questionnaire changes made in the 2010 mail 
questionnaire is 10,000. For all panels, a national sample of 
households will be selected with a stratified sample design. Sample 
households will receive one of thirteen experimental forms instead of 
the standard 2010 Census form. For the control panel, the estimated 
sample size is 30,000. These households will receive the standard 2010 
Census form.
    The performance of the experimental treatments will be measured in 
two ways. First, researchers will compare item nonresponse statistics 
and overall mail response rates to the 2010 Census ``control'' panel 
(i.e., the standard 2010 census form which excludes experimental 
factors). The statistics include mail response rate, data item 
nonresponse rates, data item distributions, ``correctness'' of the 
household count question, and the rate at which respondents incorrectly 
skip questions that they should answer. Second, researchers will 
analyze findings from the AQE Reinterview Evaluation described later in 
this document.

2010 Nonresponse Followup (NRFU) Contact Strategy Experiment

    The primary objective of this experiment is to understand the 
effects of changing the number of NRFU contacts in a census 
environment. This study has the potential to provide large cost savings 
through a possible reduction in NRFU contacts. In recent decennial 
censuses, enumerators have attempted six contacts. The goal is to 
determine whether cost savings can be realized by reducing the number 
of NRFU contacts, while maintaining the same level of data quality.
    The 2010 NRFU Contact Strategy Experiment comprises three panels 
(including a control panel), with an estimated sample size of 40,000 
each, for an estimated total sample of 120,000. Three Local Census 
Offices (LCOs) will be chosen. In each of these three, one field office 
supervisor district (FOSD) will be selected for this experiment. Within 
the selected FOSDs, the panels (that is, number of contacts) will be 
assigned to whole crewleader districts (CLDs). Panels are split into 
two enumerator form treatments (allowing a maximum four contacts, or a 
maximum five contacts) and a ``control'' (that is, a maximum of six 
contacts). There are up to eight CLDs in each FOSD. All enumerators in 
a particular CLD will use the same enumerator form.

2010 Deadline Messaging (DM) Experiment

    The goal of the 2010 DM Experiment is to assess alternatives for 
increasing mail response by including a deadline message for 
questionnaire return on various mailing pieces in addition to 
implementing a delayed mailing schedule (building on previously 
successful testing). The Deadline Messaging experiment tests three 
different messages, which are implemented both in combination with the 
compressed schedule and without the compressed schedule. The experiment 
also implements the standard mailing materials (no deadline message) 
sent on the compressed schedule, for a total of seven treatments. The 
treatments are as follows: Deadline Messaging 1: Tests a ``mild'' set 
of deadline messages on the advance letter, initial questionnaire cover 
letter, and outgoing envelope of the initial questionnaire package 
(i.e., uses a mild set of messages that simply indicates the date that 
the form should be mailed back by); Deadline Messaging 2: Tests a set 
of deadline messages with ``progressive urgency'' on the advance 
letter, initial questionnaire cover letter and outgoing envelope of the 
initial questionnaire package (i.e., uses a stricter and progressively 
more urgent message wording that emphasizes the ``deadline'' date and 
also provides a reminder that census response is required by law); 
Deadline Messaging 3: Tests a ``NRFU motivation'' set of deadline 
messages on the advance letter, initial questionnaire cover letter, and 
outgoing envelope of the initial questionnaire package (i.e., people 
are reminded about the inconvenience of interviewers coming to their 
home); Compressed Schedule: 2010 Census standard materials mailed on a 
``compressed schedule''. That is, the advance letter, initial 
questionnaire package and reminder postcard are all slightly delayed, 
to reach the respondent closer to Census Day; and the three combination 
treatments. A control panel will receive the standard set of 2010 
mailing materials sent on the standard mailing schedule. The estimated 
sample size for all panels is 10,000 each, for a total of 80,000.

2010 Privacy Notification (PN) Experiment

    The goal of the 2010 PN Experiment is to improve alternatives for 
increasing mail response by testing alternative presentation and 
placement of privacy messages in the initial questionnaire cover 
letter, reminder postcards, and envelopes. A sample of households will 
receive the alternative wording included on the cover letter that 
arrives with their 2010 Census questionnaire in one of two treatments: 
Privacy 1: Tests an added administrative records use message on the 
initial questionnaire cover letter; and Privacy 2: Tests an added 
administrative records use message and alternative statistical purpose 
message on the initial questionnaire cover letter. A control panel will 
receive the standard set of 2010 mailing materials. The estimated 
sample size is 10,000 for each panel, for a total of 20,000. (Note: The 
control panel for the PN Experiment is shared with the control panel 
for the DM Experiment. Therefore the sample size for it is not shown 
here to avoid counting it twice.)

2010 AQE Reinterview Evaluation and 2010 Content Reinterview Evaluation

    While they are technically two separate evaluations, the Census 
Bureau will combine the 2010 AQE Reinterview Evaluation and the 2010 
Content Reinterview Evaluation into one statistical design for purposes 
of operational efficiency. The overall sample for the 2010 AQE 
Reinterview Evaluation and the 2010 Content Reinterview Evaluation is 
58,500. As planners finalize the sample design for these evaluations, 
the Census Bureau will divide the 58,500 into three subsamples. The 
Census Bureau will use the first two subsamples for the 2010 AQE 
Reinterview Evaluation and the remaining subsample for the 2010 Content 
Reinterview Evaluation.
    In addition to the eleven panels devoted to race and Hispanic 
origin research, the Census Bureau will collect data via a follow-up 
reinterview from a subset of AQE respondents that focuses on the race 
and Hispanic origin questions. This reinterview will ask probing 
questions in addition to the various race and Hispanic origin 
treatments tested in the AQE. The data obtained in the probing 
reinterview will be critical to producing bias measures for the 
experimental AQE race and

[[Page 55034]]

Hispanic origin questions. As mentioned above, the AQE Reinterview 
Evaluation will be administered to two subsamples. The first subsample 
will ask probing questions on the design of separate race and Hispanic 
Origin questions, while the second subsample will ask probing questions 
on the design of a combined race and Hispanic Origin question.
    The Census Bureau will also conduct a Content Reinterview 
Evaluation. The Census Bureau conducts this evaluation to measure 
response error (including an examination of the reliability and 
accuracy of responses to the census questionnaire). In short, the 
reinterview consists of asking respondents the same set of questions on 
the Decennial Census Short Form (D-1) to determine if questions are 
worded sufficiently to produce consistent responses.

2010 Alternative Group Quarters (GQ) Questionnaire Evaluation

    By collecting an alternative address for all GQ respondents, this 
test examines additional ways of correcting duplicates and other 
erroneous enumerations in the Census without a costly follow-up 
operation. The address, previously asked of only GQ respondents who are 
allowed to claim a ``usual home elsewhere,'' would be asked of 
everyone. Results will be compared against the ``control,'' which 
consists of the standard 2010 Census individual GQ forms. This test is 
comprised of one treatment with an estimated sample size of 2,500. For 
this test, researchers will select whole GQs rather than selecting a 
subsample of residents from many GQs. For example, an entire college 
dormitory would be in sample as opposed to sampling residents of the 
dormitory who stay in rooms ending with an even number.

II. Method of Collection

    For experiments, the information will be collected through a 
variety of forms (delivered by mail or an enumerator) or face-to-face 
interviews. For evaluations, the information will be collected during 
personal visits by enumerators using paper forms or telephone 
interviews.
    The range of methods that may be needed for the balance of 
evaluations include customer satisfaction surveys, telephone surveys, 
field personal visits, and/or focus groups with respondents. The 
detailed methods will be provided in the separate OMB clearance 
submissions.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Numbers: The forms are too numerous to list here (if needed, 
see contact information above).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 700,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,000. (Please note that this 
only reflects burden hours that are in addition to what is already 
accounted for in the 2010 Census forms clearance package. Experimental 
forms replace the official 2010 Census for households in the 
experimental sample).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 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 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: September 19, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-22417 Filed 9-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P