[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 170 (Friday, August 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53171-53172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21588]


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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: American Community Survey Methods Panel Tests.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0936
    Form Number(s): ACS-1, ACS-1(SP), ACS-1PR, ACS-1PR(SP), ACS 
CATI(HU), ACS CAPI(HU), ACS (Internet).
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 276,645.
    Number of Respondents: 444,150.
    Average Hours per Response: 34 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests authorization from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct the American 
Community Survey (ACS) Methods Panel tests. The ACS collects detailed 
socioeconomic data from about 3.5 million households in the United 
States and 36,000 in Puerto Rico each year. Resulting tabulations from 
that data collection are provided on a yearly basis. The ACS allows the 
Census Bureau to provide timely and relevant housing and socio-economic 
statistics for even small levels of geography.
    An ongoing data collection effort with an annual sample of this 
magnitude requires continuous research, testing and evaluations aimed 
at improving questionnaire content and data collection operations. The 
ACS Methods Panel is a research program that is designed to address and 
respond to emerging issues and survey needs. During the 2013-2015 
period, the Methods Panel may include testing methods for increasing 
survey efficiencies, reducing survey cost, lessening respondent burden, 
and improving response rates. Testing may also include methods that 
might increase data quality. At this time, plans are in place to 
propose several tests: a 2013 Questionnaire Design Test, a 2015 ACS 
Content Test, and a series of Internet tests. Because we cannot 
anticipate issues that may arise in the production survey or from the 
proposed studies, we may conduct additional testing as needed. 
Additional testing would focus on methods for reducing data collection 
costs, improving data quality or testing new questions that have an 
urgent need to be included on the ACS.
    In September through December 2010, the Census Bureau conducted the 
2010 ACS Content Test that included testing revisions to current ACS 
questions as well as two new questions (Computer ownership and Internet 
usage, and Parental Place of Birth). During the Content Test, the 
Census Bureau determined that the ACS paper questionnaire did not 
contain enough space to accommodate certain configurations of proposed 
content changes. While selected content from the test does fit on the 
current form, we need to be proactive to accommodate future content 
requests on the ACS mail questionnaire. In the 2013 ACS Questionnaire 
Design Test, we will study the impact of a longer (36-page) 
questionnaire against our current 28-page form. The experimental 
treatments are noted below, but we have not finalized the forms for 
this test at the time. We will also study whether changing the size of 
the form to a standard size (8.5 x 11) booklet has an impact on 
response, compared to both the 28- and 36-page forms. The results of 
this testing will help the Census Bureau to decide which questionnaire 
format change has the least negative impact on response and data 
quality.
    Because the 8.5 x 11 questionnaire will be roughly 44-pages long, 
we cannot fold the form before mailing it as we do with the current 36-
page questionnaire. Thus, this test will also include an experimental 
panel where a 36-page questionnaire is mailed flat (without folding) so 
that we can cleanly determine the effect of questionnaire size versus 
folding.
    This test will also include several changes to make the 
questionnaire more compatible with optical character recognition 
software, including altering the response box formats for numeric 
write-in fields to allow them to be captured automatically rather than 
keyed. This part of the test will allow us to examine any changes to 
response behavior as well as to estimate anticipated cost savings from 
the automatic capture. Lastly, this test will include a test of 
variations in the relationship question and the marital status series 
per the OMB initiative to ensure these questions are inclusive of all 
relationship types and partnerships. Based on the results of this 
testing, a secondary, follow-up test may be needed to refine the 
questionnaire identified as the best alternative from this test.
    Second, in response to Federal agencies' requests for new and 
revised ACS questions, the Census Bureau plans to conduct the 2015 ACS 
Content Test. We will determine the changes to the current ACS content 
and the addition of new content through the OMB Interagency Committee 
for the ACS in 2013. OMB must approve requests for content changes 
prior to testing. The objective of the 2015 ACS Content Test, for both 
new and existing questions, is to determine the impact of changing 
question wording, response categories, and redefinition of underlying 
constructs on the quality of the data collected. The Census Bureau 
proposes to evaluate changes to the questions by comparing the revised 
questions to the current ACS questions, or for new questions, to 
compare the performance of question versions to each other as well as 
to other well-known sources of such information. We plan to design the 
test similar to past content tests, using two experimental panels to 
compare current versus revised content. We will

[[Page 53172]]

also use a reinterview to help generate measures of response error.
    Third, we want to implement several iterative ACS Internet tests 
based on issues that arose from two ACS Internet tests conducted in 
2011. Both of these tests studied the impact of different notifications 
of an Internet option in the survey invitations. Production ACS will 
begin collecting data using the Internet in January 2013. One problem 
detected in the 2011 tests was the impact to item nonresponse for 
questions in the later parts of the survey due to Internet break-offs. 
The Internet tests in 2013-2015 will look at potential ways to 
restructure messaging and change the Internet design to help reduce 
break-offs and encourage response in a timely manner. Testing will also 
include a reexamination of the potential for using the Internet to 
collect data in Puerto Rico, since results from the 2011 test did not 
show any distinct advantage. Testing plans are largely undefined at 
this point, but we will submit more detailed information once plans are 
solidified.
    Other considerations for testing include a second Content 
Reinterview Survey to build upon the results from the first Content 
Reinterview Survey that is currently in the field due to the 
introduction of the web mode and content changes. We are also 
considering testing designed to improve data collection operations in 
Group Quarters, such as the introduction of a web option and developing 
a separate questionnaire for institutionalized populations. There are 
no specific test plans for these projects at this point.
    Other testing is being considered, but the specific details of 
these tests are not known at this time. However, these tests cover 
similar testing topics of content and methods to address emergent 
issues or needs. The tests may be conducted on both residential 
households or group quarters.
    The Census Bureau is still in the early stages for planning and 
implementing the proposed tests. Subsequently the materials to be used 
in the tests have not been developed. For changes to the tests 
described in this justification, the Census Bureau will submit a non-
substantive change request documenting the change.
    The ACS must collect data on a continual basis and aggregate one, 
three, or five years worth of data to release data for all states, 
Congressional districts, counties, cities, and small towns down to the 
census tract and block group level. Essentially the ACS collects data 
every day of the year, either by mail, Internet (beginning in January 
2013), telephone interviews or personal-visit interviews. There are 
many federal programs that distribute funds based on population and 
income data from the Census Bureau, including data from the ACS. 
Federal agencies use ACS data to determine appropriate funding for 
state and local governments through block grants. State and local 
governments use ACS data for program planning, administration and 
evaluation. Thus, the reliability and the quality of the data must 
remain high in order for the users to rely on the data for funding 
decisions.
    So that the Census Bureau can provide critical information to 
governments and the private sector, the ACS collects comprehensive 
demographic, social, economic, and housing statistics covering every 
community in the nation. The ACS provides a continuous stream of 
updated information for states and local areas on an annual basis, and 
has revolutionized the ways the country uses data to understand 
communities and plan for the future.
    ACS Methods Panel testing, such as the Questionnaire Design Test, 
Internet Tests, and the 2015 Content Test, provide a mechanism to 
investigate ways to reduce or at least maintain data collection costs 
and improve the quality of the data.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141, 193, 
and 221.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0336, 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 email ([email protected]).

    Dated: August 28, 2012.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-21588 Filed 8-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P