ACS Program Review - Stakeholder Feedback Form

American Community Survey Program		Final January 26, 2012
	Stakeholder Engagement Plan Summary for the American Community Survey Program Review

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Table of Contents

1 Background and Purpose 4

2 Objectives and Scope 4

3 Methodology 4

3.1 Stakeholder List Development 4

3.2 Outreach and Education Plan 5

3.3 Formal Feedback Collection and Summary 5

3.4 Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation 5

4 Communications Methods and Approach 5

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1. Background and Purpose

In April 201l, the Director of the Census Bureau formally commissioned a team to conduct a comprehensive review of the American Community Survey (ACS) program. The review is composed of eight components—four internal and four external. The four internal include: the Strategic Review, the Program Management Process Review, the Systems Engineering and Integration Process Review, and the Business Process Improvement Review. The four external components include: the Communications and Stakeholder Management Review, the Methodological Review, the Research and Evaluation Review, and the Data Products Review. The Director would like to get feedback from external stakeholders on these four external components. The purpose of this document is to explain how the Program Review Communications Team will solicit and compile the stakeholder feedback, which will occur between February and June 2012.

2. Objectives and Scope

The overall objective is to implement a manageable and appropriate program review engagement approach for a wide array of stakeholders. The result of the engagement will be a summary of the feedback received through this process that will be provided to a National Research Council panel, which is reviewing ACS methods and data products. Additionally, we want to use the program review stakeholder engagement approach as a prototype for ongoing communications and stakeholder engagement efforts for the ACS program.

3. Methodology

The Program Review Communications Team divided the stakeholder engagement into four main phases: (1) Stakeholder List Development; (2) Outreach and Education Plan; (3) Formal Feedback Collection and Summary; and, (4) Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation. Below is a more detailed description of the planned methods for each of the four main phases of the stakeholder engagement.

1. Stakeholder List Development

Request input from entities across the Census Bureau for lists of ACS Stakeholder Organizations:

• Compile lists into an initial inventory and organize stakeholder organizations into categories (e.g., federal, oversight, academia)

• Continue to vet initial inventory and add stakeholder organizations

• Obtain known organizational Points of Contact from Census Bureau staff

• Obtain missing information from organizational website

1. Outreach and Education Plan

• Identify and document engagement and feedback approaches and materials as well as program background information

• Reach out to external stakeholders

• Educate external stakeholders about the ACS program and the Program Review

1. Formal Feedback Collection and Summary

• Obtain generic Customer Feedback clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

• Provide stakeholders a standard feedback template should they choose to participate

• Identify emerging themes from the feedback

• Share feedback with stakeholders via IdeaScale.com. Stakeholders can also share their feedback directly via IdeaScale.com

• Provide feedback results to a National Research Council panel, which is reviewing ACS methods and data products

1. Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches used to engage stakeholders and modify as needed.

• Use as a prototype for developing an ongoing communications and stakeholder management and engagement effort for the ACS program, including expansion of our customer base

4. Communications Methods and Approach

This section of the plan describes the ways in which the Census Bureau plans to reach out to the stakeholders. Below is a list of the five main modes of communication:

• Email

• Webinar hosted by the US Census Bureau

• Phone meeting as requested

• Other live meetings as requested

• IdeaScale.com and ACS Program Review website

The following table provides additional details on the planned implementation. Specifically, for each proposed contact, the table presents the sender, the audience, the subject, the documentation, and the sequence within the overall engagement.

Email	From	To	Subject	Attachments	Sequence
1	Dr. Groves	All Stakeholders	Highlights Program Review, encourages participation	Fact Sheet Presentation Feedback Template	Initiate Engagement
2a	ACS Program Review Team	Stakeholders with previous outreach (i.e. REAC) and may have already given feedback.	Webinar invitation: Highlights Dr. Groves email, meeting details.	Instructions on how to participate in webinar Presentation Feedback Template	Approximately 1 week later
2b	ACS Program Review Team	New stakeholders (no previous outreach/ commentary)	Highlights Dr. Groves email and includes meeting details.	Instructions on how to participate in webinar Presentation Feedback Template	Approximately 1 week later
Host Webinar					Approximately 3 weeks later
3a	ACS Program Review Team	Stakeholders who attended the webinar	Thank you for attending, reminder to fill out feedback	Recording of taped presentation Feedback template	Approximately 4 weeks later
3b	ACS Program Review Team	Stakeholders who did not attend the webinar	Noticed you didn’t attend, attached is presentation and feedback.	Recording of taped presentation Feedback template	Approximately 4 weeks later
4	ACS Program Review Team	Stakeholders who have not responded at all	Haven’t heard from you – any other information we can provide you with?	Recording of taped presentation Feedback template	Approximately 10 weeks later