[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3213-3215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00934]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2016-2018 
American Community Survey Methods Panel Testing

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

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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.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before March 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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 Cheryl Chambers, Rm. 3K067, U.S. Census Bureau, 
American Community Survey Office, Washington, DC 20233, by FAX to (301) 
763-8070 or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The American Community Survey (ACS) collects detailed socioeconomic 
data from about 3.5 million addresses in the United States and 36,000 
in Puerto Rico each year. The ACS also collects detailed socioeconomic 
data from about 195,000 residents living in Group Quarter (GQ) 
facilities. 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 socioeconomic statistics, even for low 
levels of geography.
    An ongoing data collection effort with an annual sample of this 
magnitude requires that the ACS continue research, testing and 
evaluations aimed at improving data quality, achieving survey cost 
efficiencies, and improving ACS questionnaire content and related data 
collection materials. The ACS Methods Panel is a research program that 
is designed to address and respond to survey issues and needs. During 
the 2016-2018 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 to improve data quality.
    At this time, plans are in place to propose several tests: a 2016 
ACS Content Test, a 2016 mail messaging test, a 2017 self-response test 
with the potential to test both mail messaging as well as questionnaire 
content, a 2018 self-response test building on the previous tests, as 
well as tests of Internet data collection enhancements in 2017 and 
2018. Since the ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging 
issues, we may conduct additional testing as needed. Any additional 
testing would focus on methods for reducing data collection costs, 
improving data quality, revising content, or testing new questions that 
have an urgent need to be included on the ACS.
    In response to Federal agencies' requests for new and revised ACS 
questions, the Census Bureau plans to conduct the 2016 ACS Content 
Test. In 2014, the Office of Management and Budget Interagency 
Committee for the ACS identified candidate versions of the requested 
new and revised questions, to be finalized in 2015. The objective of 
the 2016 ACS Content Test, for both new and existing questions, is to 
determine the impact of changing question wording and response 
categories, and redefining 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 two 
question versions to each other as well as to other well-known sources 
of such information.
    In response to declining response rates and increasing costs, the 
Census Bureau plans to study methods to increase self-response, the 
least expensive mode of data collection, especially Internet response. 
The tests would include changes to messages included in mail materials 
to motivate the public to respond to the ACS, increase awareness of the 
ACS, as well as changes to design elements of the materials, including 
color and graphics. The tests would be conducted in series, in 2016, 
2017, and 2018, building on previous tests' findings. Additionally, the 
test in 2017, and possibly 2018, may include content changes based on 
continued review of the ACS content for respondent burden. The Census 
Bureau will assess the impact on data quality of the changes to the 
questions.
    The ACS began collecting data using the Internet in January 2013. 
To date, the Web site used to collect the data is designed for a 
desktop computer screen. The Internet tests being proposed would 
evaluate Internet data collection via mobile devices, examine ways to 
reduce Internet break-offs, email testing, as well as other 
improvements to Internet data collection.

II. Method of Collection

    2016 Content Test--The ACS Content Test data collection protocol 
will be based on the protocol used in the production ACS. That is, we 
will collect data across four modes (Internet, mail, Computer Assisted 
Telephone Interviews (CATI), and Computer Assisted Personal Interviews 
(CAPI). There will also be a Content Follow-up reinterview as part of 
the content test where we will attempt a follow-up CATI reinterview 
with all households that responded in the field test and for whom we 
have a telephone number. This reinterview will focus on the particular 
questions that we are evaluating in the field test, and will not 
include every question asked in the original interview.
    2016 Mail Messaging Test--We will use the same modes we offer in 
ACS production in the first month of data collection for the self-
response test; that is, Internet and a mail-back paper questionnaire. 
No CATI or CAPI interviews are necessary for this test. Different 
strategies to encourage self-response may be used, including changes to 
the number and timing of the mailings as well as the materials included 
in each mailing.
    2017 Self-Response Test--We will use the same modes we offer in ACS 
production in the first month of data collection for the self-response 
test; that is, Internet and a paper questionnaire. For the portions of 
the test that include content changes, CATI and CAPI interviews are 
necessary. Different mail materials to encourage self-response may be 
used, including changes to the number of mailings as well as the 
materials included in each mailing. For the portions of the test that 
include content changes, a follow-up CATI reinterview will be conducted 
with all households that responded in the field test and for whom we 
have a telephone number. This reinterview will focus on the particular 
questions that we are evaluating in the field test, and will not 
include every question asked in the original interview.
    Internet Tests in 2017 and 2018--We will use the same modes we 
offer in ACS production in the first month of data collection for the 
Internet tests; that is, we will send a mailing asking sampled units to 
respond online, with a nonresponse follow-up mailing of a paper 
questionnaire about two and a half weeks later. There are no plans to 
conduct CATI or CAPI nonresponse follow-up on test cases.

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    2018 Self-Response Test--We will use Internet and a paper 
questionnaire for this test and include different mailing strategies. 
CATI and CAPI interviews, as well as Content Followup, may be necessary 
for this test if content changes are tested.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0936.
    Form Number(s): ACS-1, ACS-1(PR)SP, ACS CATI(HU), ACS CAPI(HU) and 
ACS RI(HU).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: We plan to contact the following 
number of respondents:
    2016 Content Test--70,000 sampled addresses during the field test 
and 40,000 responding addresses during the content follow-up conducted 
by telephone.
    2016 Mail Messaging Test--60,000 sampled addresses.
    2017 Self-Response Test--60,000 sampled addresses and 35,000 
responding addresses during the content follow-up conducted by 
telephone.
    Internet Tests in 2017 and 2018--108,000 sampled addresses each.
    2018 Self-Response Test--60,000 sampled addresses and 35,000 
responding addresses during the content follow-up conducted by 
telephone.
    Estimated Time per Response: Estimates are: 2016 Content Test, 40 
minutes, Content follow-up, 15 minutes; Mail Messaging Test, 40 
minutes; 2017 and 2018 Self-Response Test, 40 minutes, Content follow-
up, 15 minutes; Internet Tests, 40 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The estimate is an annual 
average of 112,722 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: Except for their time, there 
is no cost to respondents.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 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 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: January 15, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-00934 Filed 1-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P