2008 CFU SUPPORTING STATEMENT_Pt. A

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Census Bureau

2008 COVERAGE FOLLOWUP TELEPHONE OPERATION

0607-XXXX

Part A. Justification

1. Necessity of the Information Collection

The U.S. Census Bureau requests authorization from the Office of Management and

Budget to conduct the 2008 Coverage Followup (CFU) Telephone Operation.

The 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal is the final step in the decennial cycle of research and testing leading up to the implementation of the 2010 Census. The 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal will provide an opportunity to see how well the Census Bureau integrates the various operations and procedures planned for the 2010 Census under as close to census-like conditions as possible.

In order to meet our constitutional and legislative mandates, we must implement a

re-engineered 2010 Census that is cost-effective, improves coverage, and reduces operational risk. Achieving these strategic goals requires an iterative series of tests to provide an opportunity to evaluate new or improved question wording, methodology, technology, and questionnaire design.

The Census Bureau previously completed three related studies designed to evaluate the efficacy of modified procedures for improving coverage (how well the Census Bureau counts people and housing units in the census) of the population and housing: (1) the 2004 Census Test Coverage Research Followup (OMB Approval Number

0607-0910); (2) the 2005 National Census Test Coverage Followup (OMB Approval Number 0607-0916); and (3) the 2006 Census Test Coverage Followup (OMB Approval Number 0607-0923.)

In support of the Census Bureau’s goals, the 2008 Coverage Followup (CFU) Telephone Operation will serve to clarify initial enumeration responses in an effort to improve within household coverage by identifying erroneous enumerations and omissions. Historically, the decennial census has been affected by undercounts that affect certain demographic groups (e.g. babies and minorities), and people in certain living situations, such as renters who move often and people whose residence is complicated or ambiguous.

Coverage interviews in the decennial censuses traditionally involve a second interview with the respondent to determine if changes should be made to their household roster as reported on their initial census return. The questions in the CFU interview attempt to determine if people were missed, and/or counted incorrectly. Corrections to the roster are made, if necessary, based on the 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal residence rules.

Title 13, United States Code, Section 141 authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a decennial census of the population, and Section 193 authorizes the Secretary to conduct tests to gather supplementary information related to the census.

2. Needs and Uses

The CFU Telephone Operation, which will be conducted May 1, 2008 through July 25, 2008, will be administered through computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) (see attachment A). Approximately 66,000 households will be included in the 2008 CFU telephone universe. This universe is selected based on the following criteria:

• initial census housing unit returns that responded “yes” to either coverage question;

• initial census returns that have a count discrepancy between the reported household population count and the actual number of persons recorded on the census form;

• initial census returns containing more than six persons;

• initial returns that are matched against an administrative records database to identify potential undercount; and

• initial census returns that are computer matched to determine possible duplicate person links.

This operation will be conducted in the two 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal sites: San Joaquin County, California and South Central North Carolina, including Fayetteville and nine surrounding counties (Chatham, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond and Scotland).

The CFU interview includes probing questions about:

• types of missing people,

• where college students live,

• where children in custody arrangements spend most of their time,

• where those who vacation spend most of their time,

• if anyone else in the household stays anywhere else any part of the time, and

• if anyone stayed in a facility where groups of people stay.

When anyone is identified as potentially counted or omitted in error, we then ask questions to establish the appropriate census residence of that person according to the residence rules in effect for the 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal.

We will contact respondents using telephone numbers provided by respondents on the initial census questionnaire. These interviews will be conducted at a commercial call center through CATI. The CATI script will be in English only. However, the interviewers will have a job aid which will have the instrument translated into Spanish. Because we are not conducting field interviews during Dress Rehearsal, when a telephone interview is unsuccessful, the case will be classified as a non-interview.

3. Use of Information Technology

The CATI instrument will display the interview questions on the computer screen. Interviewers will ask respondents questions and record the responses directly into the CATI instrument. Interviewers will record responses directly on the CATI instrument as told to them by respondents. Respondents may choose either a Spanish or English interview.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

To our knowledge, the 2008 CFU Telephone Operation does not duplicate information collected by any other agency.

5. Minimizing Burden

In order to minimize burden placed on the selected households, we will attempt to obtain the required information about all members of the household from only one person.

Additionally, the 2008 CFU Telephone Operation Iis collecting data from the universe of only those housing unit returns that meet the above-mentioned criteria, rather than the entire 2008 Dress Rehearsal respondent universe.

6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection

The proposed 2008 CFU Telephone Operation is a one-time data collection effort. It is our final opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of modified procedures for improving

coverage. Without this opportunity, the risks for operational failure and significant cost

increases for the 2010 Census are great. Ultimately, this could negatively affect the quality and completeness of the 2010 Census.

7. Special Circumstances

No special circumstances exist.

8. Consultations Outside the Agency

The Census Bureau published a notice in the Federal Register on May 23, 2007 (Volume 72, No. 99, pp. 28951-28952), inviting public comment on our plans to submit this information collection. We received one comment on the Federal Register Notice from the Brookings Institution supporting the collection of this information (see Attachment B). We also received another comment, which we deemed irrelevant to the operation.

We benefited from consultation with a variety of data users including, but not limited to, academicians, national researchers, and the Census Bureau’s Advisory Committees. They include the Race and Ethnic Advisory Committees, the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, and the Census Advisory Committee of Professional Associations. In addition, the Census Bureau consulted with outside experts, including Dr. Donald Dillman of Washington State University and the National Academy of Science Panel on residence rules.

9. Paying Respondents

Respondents participating in this survey will not receive any form of compensation for their participation.

10. Assurances of Confidentiality

All respondents will be informed that participation in the 2008 CFU Telephone Operation is required by law, that their responses are confidential, and that all information that could identify individuals will be held in the strictest confidence as stipulated by Title 13, United States Code. Respondents will be informed of this information verbally by the interviewers.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

The U.S. Census Bureau perceives no question in this operation as being sensitive.

12. Estimate of Hour Burden

Approximately 66,000 housing units will be contacted to participate in the 2008 CFU Telephone Operation. To calculate the burden hours, we assume a theoretical 100 percent response rate. Based on the results from cognitive studies, we estimate the telephone questionnaire will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The estimated total annual respondent burden for this operation is 11,000 hours.

13. Estimate of Cost Burden

There is no cost to respondents except for the time it takes to respond to the questions.

14. Cost to Federal Government

The estimated cost for the development and actual implementation of the is approximately $1.16 million; spread over two fiscal years (FY 2007 through FY 2008)

An interdivisional team developed the data collection methodologies and planned the test. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Management Division allocated resources for the operation.

15. Reason for Change in Burden

This is a new data collection effort.

16. Project Schedule

These dates are planned dates.

Milestone Description	Begin Date	End Date
2008 Census Dress Rehearsal Census Day	4/1/08	4/1/08
Conduct Telephone Interviewing Training	4/15/08	4/30/08
Conduct Telephone Interviewing	5/1/08	7/25/08
Residence Coding of CFU Collected Data as part of Data Integration	9/2/08	9/30/08

17. Request to Not Display Expiration Date

The expiration date will be read to the respondent by the interviewer.

18. Exceptions to the Certification

There are no exceptions to the certification.