Testing Plan

The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We will be conducting cognitive interviewing for a new questionnaire, the Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders to the Department of Defense Supplement: 2006-2007 (M-3DOD). The last collection instrument used to benchmark defense and non-defense data was the Shipments to Federal Agencies Benchmark Survey (MA-9675) conducted in 1992. The M-3DOD collects shipments, inventories, and order backlog data for Department of Defense and non-Department of Defense purposes from manufacturing establishments in 13 industry categories that encompass defense manufacturing activities.

We plan to conduct unstructured interviews with approximately 40 manufacturing companies in the 13 applicable industry categories. The 40 companies will be divided between two interviewing rounds. The first round will test the enclosed questionnaire. The cognitive interviewing will focus on the respondents’ ability to provide the requested data as well as their understanding of the wording and terminology used on the form and the overall layout. The second round of testing will focus on any changes that were made to the form as a result of findings from the first round of testing.

Interviews will be conducted from April through June, 2008. Manufacturing companies of varying sizes from the 13 applicable industries will be recruited in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as well as two other major metropolitan areas, to be determined. Interviews will take place at the business site and will be led by staff from the Establishment Survey Methods Staff within the Census Bureau’s Office of Statistical Methods and Research for Economic Programs.

Subject area specialists from the Census Bureau will accompany the researcher on most, if not all, of the interviews. They will assist with respondent debriefing, especially in cases where additional clarification of the subject matter is required. Interviews will be audio recorded with the participants’ permission, to aid researchers in accurately reporting findings and recommendations.

After businesses are recruited, participants will receive follow-up reminders about their appointments. Participants will be informed that their response is voluntary and that the information they provide is confidential and will be seen only by Census Bureau special sworn employees involved in the research project. We will not be providing monetary incentives to participants in this study.

We estimate that it will be necessary to interview only one respondent at each company. We estimate the length of the interviews will average 1 hour. Thus, the maximum estimated burden for this research is 40 hours.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is:

Amy E. Anderson

Establishment Survey Methods Staff

7K130F

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

(301) 763-7544

[email protected]