2020 Census NSC COVID 19 June Update

OMB Nonsubstantive Change Request
Department: Commerce
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau
Title: 2020 Census – June 2020 Update
OMB Control Number: 0607-1006
Expiration Date: 11/30/2021
Request:
This nonsubstantive change request is to document and inform the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) of where the 2020 Census program is today and changes that will be made
because of the COVID-19 outbreak. In order to maximize flexibility to adapt quickly in face of
the COVID-19 outbreak, the Census Bureau will make operational changes as needed and will
communicate regularly with OMB about the changes. As plans are finalized, the Census Bureau
will document the changes in nonsubstantive change requests monthly for the affected time
period.
The changes that were made to the 2020 Census in March and April 2020 were submitted to
OMB on April 30, 2020, and approved by OMB on May 11, 2020. This nonsubstantive change
request contains the changes to the program during the month of May.
On May 4, 2020, the Census Bureau announced that, in coordination with federal, state and
local health officials, the Census Bureau will begin a phased restart of some 2020 Census field
operations in select geographic areas. Updates on the operations resuming by location are
available at www.2020census.gov. This webpage will continue to be updated weekly as 2020
Census operations resume across the United States. The direct link is located here:
https://www.2020census.gov/en/news-events/press-releases/resume-field-operations.html.
The health and safety of Census Bureau staff and the public is of the utmost importance. All
returning staff receive safety training to observe social distancing protocols in the COVID-19
environment. For their safety and the safety of the public, the Census Bureau has ordered
Personal Protective Equipment for all field staff, including those who work in a field office.
These materials are secured and provided to staff before restarting operations.
As part of the phased restart of operations, the Census Bureau has resumed dropping off 2020
Census questionnaire packets at front doors of households in areas where the majority of
households do not receive mail at their home. These areas are designated as Update Leave
areas, where field staff working this operation hand-deliver questionnaire packets while
updating the address list, as necessary. This operation has been modified slightly to account for
COVID-19 concerns. Whereas the operation was designed to ask any respondent who might be
at home about the address and other potential housing units at that location, the address
update function is now performed by observation only. In addition, because of the late delivery
of the Update Leave packets and a reminder letter that was sent out, some Update Leave
households may have already self-responded. Therefore, a new insert was included to inform
respondents that they do not have to respond again if they have already responded. See
Attachment A for the inserts.
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Additionally, there will be an additional mailing for post office box addresses in mid-June 2020.
See Attachment B for the Post Office Box Delivery Areas postcard. The postcard is intended for
two different audiences that receive post office box mail and will go to approximately 1.5
million housing units:



Households in Type of Enumeration Area 1 (self-response) that receive mail at Post
Office Boxes and did not receive the other mailers.
Households in Type of Enumeration Area 6 (Update Leave) that receive mail at Post
Office Boxes and may not have had their questionnaire package delivered yet.

In addition, a postcard will be sent shortly before the start of Nonresponse Followup. The SelfResponse Sixth Mailing Addressed Postcard (D-P6) will be sent to an estimated 50 million
nonresponding housing units in self-response areas in mid-to-late July 2020. See Attachment C
for the postcard.
Finally, the Island Areas Censuses will use an additional version of the Notice of Visit. The
alternate phrasing in this Notice of Visit, “....or to complete the 2020 Census by phone..., ”
informs respondents that they may call the local office to complete the interview with an
enumerator over the phone. The original version of the Notice of Visit does not include this
telephone option. This new version of the Notice of Visit will be provided when respondents
have health-related concerns with a face-to-face interview, or when the enumerator has not
been able to make contact with the household. This Notice of Visit will be implemented
differently in each Island Area. The U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam will use only the new version,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will use both, and American Samoa will
continue to use the original version. Across the Island Areas, approximately 72,000 housing
units may receive the new Notice of Visit. See Attachment D for the Notice of Visit forms.
Further changes to field operations, contact strategy, or additional mailings may occur. Changes
made to the 2020 Census program will be documented and announced in news releases on the
www.2020census.gov website (the direct link is https://2020census.gov/en/news-events/pressreleases.html). In addition, the Census Bureau plans to submit monthly nonsubstantive change
requests documenting the changes to the program.

Attachments are located in the Self-Response Operations and Island Areas Censuses-Housing
Units Information Collections.
Attachment A: Update Leave Package insert – English (D-I-UL), English/Spanish (D-I-UL(ES)) and
Puerto Rico (D-I-ULPR(ES)).
Attachment B: Post Office Box Delivery Areas Postcard (D-PB-E).
Attachment C: Self-Response Sixth Mailing Addressed Postcard (D-P6).

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Attachment D: Island Areas Censuses Notice of Visit forms- American Samoa (D-NV2-AS),
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (D-NV2-MI), Guam (D-NV2-GU), and U.S Virgin
Islands (D-NV2-VI(ES)).

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