American Community Survey Methods Panel Tests

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
ACSMethodsPanel_SupportingStatementB_052521.docx Supporting Statement B	2021-06-11
ACSMethodsPanel_SupportingStatementA_052521.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-06-11

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
190927	ACS Methods Panel Test Other-Study Plan and Mail Materials for the Strategic Framework	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0607-0936	ICR Reference No: 202106-0607-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202012-0607-005
Agency/Subagency: DOC/CENSUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: American Community Survey Methods Panel Tests
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 06/24/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	08/31/2021
Responses	437,333	455,500
Time Burden (Hours)	283,222	266,171
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing monthly survey that collects detailed housing and socioeconomic data from about 3.5 million addresses in the United States and about 36,000 addresses in Puerto Rico each year. The ACS also collects detailed socioeconomic data from about 195,000 residents living in Group Quarter (GQ) facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico. Resulting tabulations from this data collection are provided on a yearly basis. The ACS allows the Census Bureau to provide timely and relevant housing and socioeconomic statistics, even for low levels of geography. An ongoing data collection effort with an annual sample of this magnitude requires that the ACS continue research, testing, and evaluations aimed at improving data quality, reducing data collection costs, and improving the ACS questionnaire content and related data collection materials. The ACS Methods Panel is a research program designed to address and respond to survey issues and needs. As part of the Decennial Census Program, the ACS also provides an opportunity to research and test elements of survey data collection that relate to the decennial census. As such, the ACS Methods Panel can serve as a testbed for the decennial census. From 2021 to 2024, the ACS Methods Panel may test ACS and decennial census methods for reducing survey cost, addressing respondent burden, and improving survey response, data quality, and survey efficiencies. The ACS Methods Panel may also address other emerging needs of the programs. At this time, plans are in place to propose several tests related to self-response, group quarters, and nonresponse followup data collection operations. Tests may also be conducted to explore the use of administrative records. Because the ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging issues, we may propose additional testing as needed. Any testing would focus on methods for reducing data collection costs, improving data quality, improving the respondent experience, revising content, or testing new questions that have a need to be included in the Decennial Census Program.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 13 USC 141, 193, and 221
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 8756	02/09/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 33215	06/24/2021
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
ACS Methods Panel Test

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	437,333	455,500	0	-18,167	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	283,222	266,171	0	17,051	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: As an ongoing testing program, the ACS plans testing in 3-year increments in line with the OMB Clearance process. Testing proposed here is in reaction to emerging issues related to improving data quality, reducing data collection costs, and improving the ACS questionnaire content and related data collection materials. Changes in technology, emerging societal issues, and cutting-edge survey methodology necessitate testing to maintain the highest relevance for ACS survey estimates. Additionally, since the ACS Methods Panel can serve as a testbed for the decennial census, census methods that showed promise in the 2020 Census but could not be fully evaluated due to Census environment constraints are good candidates for ACS Methods Panel testing from 2021 to 2024. The agility of this ongoing testing program benefits the larger field of survey methodology, as well as contributing specifically to reducing survey cost, addressing data collection efficiencies, and improving data quality for the ACS and decennial census.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $4,000,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 06/24/2021

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