[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 14374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6119]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Partnership Program Focus Groups and Interviews.
    Form Number(s): None.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden Hours: 150.
    Number of Respondents: 120.
    Average Hours per Response: 48 minnutes.
    Needs and Uses: For the 2010 Census, among the many other outreach 
efforts, the Census Bureau conducted the Partnership Program, involving 
commercial entities of national scope; State, local and Tribal 
governments; and regional and local corporations and organizations. The 
purpose of the Partnership Program was to target historically ``hard-
to-count'' (HTC) areas in hopes of increasing census form mail-back 
rates. Over 800 National Partners participated in the 2010 Census 
Partnership Program. The program will continue to be an integral part 
of future inter-census year promotional activities. The proposed data 
collection for Partnership Program Research will assist the Census 
Bureau by (1) identifying the enhancers, incentives, and barriers to 
maintaining partner relationships over time; (2) investigating the 
rationales behind organizations refusing to participate in the 
Partnership Program; and (3) identifying the specific improvements to 
the Partnership Program that will lead to more engagement by 
Partnership organizations.
    The Census Bureau needs to collect and analyze qualitative data to 
address the following research questions:
    (a) How can the Partnership program be improved and the 
partnerships be maintained in the future during the intercensal years 
as well as for the 2020 Census?
    (b) What metrics can be used to monitor and assess the impact of 
the Partnership Program in the intercensal years and for the 2020 
Census?
    Essentially, the research for which data collection approval is 
being sought seeks to inform the future direction, composition, and 
maintenance of this outreach program for the next eight or nine years, 
in preparation for the 2020 Census.
    The Census Bureau proposes to collect qualitative data via six 
focus groups and 30 individual interviews among national Partnership 
Program participant organizations. The Census Bureau intends to ask 
program participants about ways the program can be improved, and ways 
in which their own participation can be enhanced in future years. The 
resulting qualitative data will be used by Census Bureau management 
staff to create recommendations for program redesign in order to 
improve the program in the years leading to the next Census.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; State, local or Tribal governments.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 141 and 193.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: March 11, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-6119 Filed 3-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P