Fast Track Memo

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number 0690-0030)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) Revised Mailing Materials Cognitive Interviews

PURPOSE: There has been evidence from previous decennial census years that the census has an impact on ACS response rates. After observing this trend in 2000, the Census Bureau developed alternative ACS mailing materials for 2010 with the goal of minimizing the impact of the census on ACS response rates. The mailing materials differentiated the ACS from the 2010 Census and explained that respondents are required to complete both. The alternative mailing materials improved ACS participation compared to the production materials, which did not attempt to differentiate ACS from the 2010 Census. We also developed and cognitively tested a field flier that ACS field representatives could use during nonresponse followup to further differentiate ACS from the 2010 Census. This flier was viewed positively by field representatives, who reported using it frequently. Because of these materials were successful in 2010, we would like to implement similar changes for 2020. The purpose of this cognitive research is to evaluate whether revisions made to the ACS mail materials for 2020 are effective at communicating that ACS and census are different, and that respondents must complete both.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: General population

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [x] Other: Cognitive Interviews

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: ________________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [x] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [x] Yes [ ] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Screening	60	2 minutes	2 hours
Cognitive Interviews	20	60 minutes	20 hours
Totals			22 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is minimal.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [] Yes [x] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Respondents will be recruited through fliers posted at local community organizations, advertisements on Craigslist.com, and broadcast messages distributed through the Census Bureau’s daily online newsletter. All recruiting materials are attached (see Enclosure 4). Our recruiting efforts will target respondents who are most likely to handle the mail and react to it in a household. We will recruit respondents who read at different literacy levels, using education as a proxy measure. We will also recruit respondents with diverse demographic characteristics and household composition to the maximum extent possible.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[x] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [x] Yes [ ] No

1.      Line of Business – General Government

2.      Subfunction - Central Records and Statistical Mgt.

3.      Number of Respondents for small entity - 0

4.      Affected Public – Individuals and Households

5.      Percentage of respondents reporting electronically - 0

Please submit all instruments, instructions, correspondences (emails, letters, etc.) to respondents, and scripts as separate documents along with this request document.

Every instrument must have the following displayed –

OMB Control No. 0690-0030

Expiration Date: 7/30/20