[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18418-18419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07884]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2018 Panel

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

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 the 
proposed 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation, as required 
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, submit written comments on or before 
June 19, 2017.

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 Jason M. Fields, U.S. Census Bureau, ADDP, 4600 
Silver Hill Road, Room HQ-7H153, Washington, DC 20233-0001, (301) 763-
2465 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to conduct the Survey of Income and Program 
Participation (SIPP) 2018 Panel in 4 waves beginning in February 2018. 
Wave 1 of the SIPP 2018 Panel will be conducted from February to May of 
2018. Wave 2 is scheduled to be conducted from February to May of 2019. 
Wave 3 is scheduled to be conducted from February to May of 2020. Wave 
4 is scheduled to be conducted from February to May of 2021. The SIPP 
is a household-based survey designed as a continuous series of national 
panels. The SIPP represents a primary source of information about 
annual and sub-annual dynamics of income, family and household content, 
movement into and out of government programs, and interactions of these 
topics in a single, unified database allowing for in-depth, informed 
analyses. Government domestic policy formulators depend heavily upon 
SIPP information concerning the distribution of income received either 
directly as money or indirectly as in-kind benefits and the effect of 
tax and transfer programs on that distribution. They also rely on data 
that provides improved and expanded information on the dynamics of 
income and the general economic and financial situation of the U.S. 
population, in the context of the household situation, which the SIPP 
has provided on a continuing basis since 1983. The SIPP has measured 
levels of economic well-being and permitted measurement of changes in 
these levels over time.
    A portion of the 2018 SIPP Panel will use an Event History Calendar 
(EHC) that facilitates the collection of dates of events and spells of 
coverage. The EHC is a tool to assist the respondent's ability to 
recall events accurately over the one year reference period and provide 
increased data quality and inter-topic consistency for dates reported 
by respondents. The EHC is intended to help respondents recall 
information in a more natural ``autobiographical'' manner by using life 
events as triggers to recall other economic events. The EHC was 
previously used in the 2014 Panel. The content of the 2018 SIPP Panel 
will match that of the 2014 SIPP Panel very closely. As with the 2014 
Panel, the 2018 Panel SIPP design does not contain freestanding topical 
modules; however, a portion of traditional SIPP topical module content 
is integrated into the 2018 SIPP Panel interview. Examples of this 
content include questions on medical expenses, child care, retirement 
and pension plan coverage, marital history, and adult and child well-
being.
    The 2018 SIPP Panel begins with a new ``Wave 1'' sample of survey 
respondents who were not interviewed in the previous 2014 SIPP Panel. 
The 2018 SIPP Panel Wave 1 will interview respondents about the 
previous calendar year, 2017, as the reference period and will proceed 
with annual interviewing going forward. The 2018 SIPP Panel will use 
the same interviewing method structure as in the 2014 Panel, in which 
adults (age 15 years and older) who move from the prior wave household

[[Page 18419]]

will be followed. Consequently, future waves will incorporate dependent 
data, which is information collected from the prior wave interview 
brought forward to the current interview as a way to reduce respondent 
burden and improve data quality.
    The Census Bureau plans to continue to use Computer Audio-Recorded 
Interview (CARI) technology for all of the respondents during the 2018 
SIPP Panel. CARI is a tool available during data collection to capture 
audio along with response data. With the respondent's consent, a 
portion of each interview is recorded unobtrusively and both the sound 
file and screen images are returned with the response data to Census 
Headquarters for evaluation. Census staff may review the recorded 
portions of the interview to improve questionnaire design and for 
quality assurance purposes.
    Approximately 20,000 households are expected to be interviewed for 
the 2018 SIPP Panel. We estimate that each household contains 2.1 
people age 15 and above, yielding approximately 42,000 person-level 
interviews per wave in this panel. Completing the SIPP interview will 
take approximately 60 minutes per adult on average, consequently the 
total annual burden for 2018 SIPP interviews will be 42,000 hours per 
year in FY 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

II. Method of Collection

    The 2018 SIPP Panel will use the Computer-Assisted Personal 
Interviewing (CAPI) method of data collection. The instrument will 
consist of one interview per person per wave (year) resulting in four 
total interviews over the life of the panel. Each interview will 
reference the previous calendar year depending on the wave. A field 
representative will conduct the interview in person with all household 
members 15 years old or over using regular proxy-respondent rules. In 
the instances where the residence is not accessible or the respondent 
makes a request, the field representative will conduct the interview by 
telephone.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0977.
    Form Number: SIPP/CAPI Automated Instrument.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 42,000 people per wave.
    Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes per person on average.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 42,000 hours per wave.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141 and 
182.

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.

Sheleen Dumas,
PRA Departmental Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-07884 Filed 4-18-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3511-07-P