During the years preceding the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau is pursuing its commitment to reducing the cost of conducting the census while maintaining the quality of the results. Testing of the feasibility of collecting tribal enrollment information is the primary objective of this test. A sample of 80,000 households will be drawn for a self-response-only operation, oversampled in areas with relatively higher concentrations of people identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, as indicated through American Community Survey data.
These households will be mailed census questionnaires and other materials that provide details about the available modes of response, including Internet. Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) will offer the option for completing the questionnaire on the telephone, as well as language assistance with completing the questionnaire and Interactive Voice Recognition to answer respondent questions and route calls appropriately.
Self-response to the test can occur through Internet, paper questionnaire or telephone modes. There will be no follow-up field operation to obtain response. However, there will be a sample of 15,000 housing units selected for reinterview. Responses received to both the self-enumeration and the reinterview will be used for the test results and evaluation.
A second objective is continued testing of the systems designed for Internet self-response and the integration of the systems associated with self-response. With the development of these systems, the Census Bureau has made the transition from in-house test systems created in prior years to the full systems designed under the Census Enterprise Data Collection and Processing (CEDCaP) contract. It is crucial to test and prove in the new systems in pre-decennial tests, starting with this 2017 Census Test. Internet Self-Response has been prioritized as the system to complete in time for the 2017 Census Test. The Internet Self-Response application will have a Spanish language option. Other key systems that will be tested are the CQA and the Operational Control System that is integrated with these two response modes. In addition, the processes to detect fraudulent questionnaire submissions will be established and tested. We will also test the ability to provision and run in a Cloud environment.
Further systems will be developed and tested through the integration stages in the planned 2018 End-to-End Census Test, in particular for the Nonresponse Followup and Update Enumerate operations. The 2018 End-to-End Census Test will be the last opportunity to test all systems in an integrated environment before full implementation in the 2020 Census.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form DG-1D 2017 Census Test - Self Response
2017 Census Test GOSC 3.1.pdf
2017 Census Test OMB Package Part A_final with updates.docx
2017 Census Test - Content Reinterview