Findings and Recommendations from Rounds 1 and 2 Cognitive Testing of the Phase 4 Small Business Pulse Survey

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Catherine Buffington, Special Projects and Research (ADEP)
Lucia Foster, Center for Economic Studies
Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS) stakeholders
From: Amy E. Anderson Riemer, Chief, Data Collection Methodology & Research Branch(DCMRB)
Kristin Stettler, DCMRB
Melissa Cidade, DCMRB
Rebecca Keegan, DCMRB
Jessica Nickle, DCMRB
Krysten Mesner, DCMRB
Date:

February 4, 2021

SUBJECT: Findings and Recommendations from Rounds 1 and 2 Cognitive Testing of the Phase 4 Small
Business Pulse Survey
c
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide major findings and recommendations (along with
resolutions) from the first and second rounds of cognitive testing for the fourth phase of the Small
Business Pulse Survey (SBPS), per terms of clearance from OMB. A draft of the Small Business Pulse
Survey questionnaire tested in Round 1 of Phase 4 is appended as Attachment A, and the Round 2 Phase
4 test questionnaire is Appendix B. The interview protocol is appended as Attachment C. Finally,
Attachment D contains the final revised questions that we recommend for Phase 4 of the SBPS.

Methodology
This section includes a brief overview of the research design used in testing these two instruments.
In Round 1 of testing, we conducted 21 interviews representing 10 industries; in Round 2 of testing, we
conducted 17 interviews, representing 8 industries. In total, then, we conducted 38 interviews
representing 11 industries. See Table 1 for an overview of completed interviews by sector (collapsed).
To be eligible for recruitment, companies must meet at least one of the following criteria as determined
by their responses to the 2017 Economic Census1:
•
Any small business concern that meets SBA’s size standards (either the industry based sized
standard or the alternative size standard);
•
Any business, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, 501(c)(19) veterans organization, or Tribal
business concern (sec. 31(b)(2)(C) of the Small Business Act) with the greater of:
o 500 employees, or
o That meets the SBA industry size standard if more than 500;
•
Any business with a NAICS Code that begins with 72 (Accommodations and Food Services)
that has more than one physical location and employs less than 500 per location; and/or
•
Sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed persons.
1

These parameters align with eligibility criteria for the first implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program
(PPP) as outlined in Section 1102(b) of title I of division A of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(Public Law 116-136). These criteria remained in place for subsequent PPP funding; see the Small Business
Administration’s guidance on PPP, available: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-reliefoptions/paycheck-protection-program

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For this research, we targeted sample from the Phase 1 SBPS from weeks 5, 6, and 7. We chose these
firms specifically because their last contact with the Census Bureau was long enough ago to minimize
satisficing due to familiarity with the questions, but recent enough that the research is still salient. We
included both respondents to the first round of the SBPS, and non-respondents, if they agreed to
participate.
Researchers sent the first round invitation email in January 2021 to 2,300 email addresses representing
businesses falling within the outlined parameters. That contact resulted in 710 opened emails and 13
scheduled interviews. We sent a second recruitment email for Round 1 a few days later to this same list,
resulting in 581 opened emails, and an additional 23 scheduled interviews. These 36 scheduled
interviews resulted in 21 completed interviews.
We sent the second round invitation email later in January 2021, to an additional 3,382 firms meeting
the specified criteria. That contact resulted in 941 opened emails, and lead to 26 scheduled interviews,
and 17 completed interviews.

Table 1: Completed Interviews by Industries (Collapsed)

Industry
Mining and Construction*
Manufacturing
Wholesale
Retail
Services
Total

Completed Interviews
4
8
7
8
11
38

*

Industries collapsed to meet disclosure avoidance protocols.

Once a respondent was on the phone, Census researchers had the respondent confirm consent to
participate in the research, and then complete the entire online survey. Upon completion, the
researcher then asked retrospective cognitive probes to elicit detail on the response process. The
probes focused on a subset of questions that were new or revised for this round of SBPS testing. While
the intent of this methodology was to ensure proper context for the target questions, it did mean that
respondent responses to our cognitive probes about specific survey questions, to some degree, were
impacted by their impressions of the survey as a whole.

Findings about the survey overall
Overall Pandemic Impact
Respondents want to describe the overall impact of the pandemic on their businesses and felt limited
by the “In the last week” reference period. As in previous rounds of testing, when asked ‘in the last
week’ some respondents became frustrated that the survey was not asking about a longer time
reference. This ties into the issue seen throughout all rounds of cognitive testing of the SBPS
instrument, where most respondents have a desire to share the impact that the pandemic has had on
their business. Because of the strong desire to share the impact of the pandemic on their business,

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respondents may adjust their answers beyond the boundaries of the reference period to reflect a
greater impact on their business. We suspect that this urge to share beyond the specified timeframe,
however, has waned since the earlier rounds of testing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Continue to retain the text capture box at the conclusion of the survey to ensure that respondents have
a space to record their wider concerns.
RESOLUTION:
Retain concluding text capture box.

Additional Research Topics
Asked about what we might be ‘missing’ from the small business experience of the COVID-19 novel
coronavirus pandemic, respondents were forthcoming with additional topics that may be of research
interest in the future. A few respondents mentioned that the SBPS does not ask about morale and
other measures of worker engagement since the pandemic, noting that some workers are feeling
increased stress since March 2020. Others brought up additional issues their businesses are facing that
are not directly caused by the pandemic, but are related to the current operating environment. These
included postal delays and deliveries to empty offices; changes in demand (increases and decreases)
impacting revenue; impacts of fluctuations in staffing throughout the pandemic; and additional products
and services developed in response to the pandemic. A few respondents mentioned that the survey
does not ask about state and local ordinances related to social distancing and other pandemic
prevention strategies that are negatively impacting the business. Respondents also mentioned other
events of the last year that have impacted their business, including Western forest fires, a historically
active hurricane season, and civil unrest. Finally, several respondents mentioned that the SBPS does not
currently ask about re-opening plans. This includes plans and policies in development to keep workers
and consumers safe, as well as forward-looking plans for changes in work arrangements (as in,
continued telework or changes to work stations), staffing needs, and other issues as the pandemic
continues to unfold.
RECCOMENDATION:
Because of the dynamic and unprecedented nature of the global pandemic, we recommend continued
refinement of the SBPS instrument. The distance between construct and measurement can widen
quickly in the midst of an unpredictable environment, and it is incumbent upon survey researchers to
reevaluate which questions are (or are not) working at any given time in order to better understand
complex social and economic phenomena.
RESOLUTION:
Pursuant to available resources and need, subject matter experts and methodologists should continue
to revisit the SBPS content to update and refine questions in a timely manner.

Question-specific Findings and Recommendations:
Item 7 (Negative COVID-19 test)

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Round 1:
Q7. In the last week, did this business require employees to test negative for COVID-19 prior to
working onsite?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
Not applicable, this business did not have employees onsite in the last week.

FINDING:
Respondents struggled with “prior to working onsite,” especially those representing firms that have
dispersed or variable work sites.
The concept of testing negative for COVID-19 is amorphous; respondents included health and
temperature checks and logging, and monitoring for other obvious symptoms of COVID-19, e.g.,
coughing. Respondents also mentioned the lack of availability of testing and different types of testing
(for example, rapid results tests in juxtaposition to submitted slower turnaround tests).
Finally, some respondents mentioned specific employees and the company’s actions relative to that
particular instance, rather than thinking of the question as asking about larger, company-wide testing
policies. Many of the companies we talked to mentioned being small enough to track individual
exposure to COVID-19 and react on a case-by-case basis, while others simply have not developed a
company-wide testing policy.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider changing to “before physically coming to work” to account for non-centralized worksites. Bear
in mind that this question’s resultant data may include activities outside of the scope of testing, and that
respondents may invoke a singular or small subset of employees specifically rather than a companywide policy on testing.
RESOLUTION:
Tested updated language in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q7. In the last week, did this business require employees to test negative for COVID-19 before
physically coming to work?
Select only one:
• Yes
• No
• Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last
week.
FINDING:

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Using the updated question wording, respondents reported being cued to the physicality of reporting to
a work site – any work site. We noted that by drawing attention to reporting to work in any location, we
saw fewer instances of “testing creep” – that is, respondents were more likely with the revised wording
to mention activities outside of actual formal COVID-19 testing. We also reported fewer instances of
individuation in reporting, and more responses mentioning implementation – or lack – of company-wide
policies. While we cannot rule out that this measurement error will persist in the updated question
wording, we are confident that for some respondents, the updated wording mitigates some of this
source of measurement error.
RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.
RESOLUTION:
Retain Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 8 (Proof of COVID-19 vaccination)
Round 1:
Q8. In the last week, did this business require employees to have proof of vaccination for
COVID-19 prior to working onsite?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
Not applicable, this business did not have employees onsite in the last week.

FINDING:
Respondents generally pointed to two examples of proof of vaccination – either a card marking the date
and type of vaccine distributed, and often including information about necessary subsequent booster
shots, and/or medical records or other formal documentation from a health care provider. A couple of
respondents mentioned that they might just need verbal confirmation from the employee of vaccination
status; this was particularly true of very small businesses.
This question suffered from the same measurement error as the corresponding Round 1 question
related to COVID-19 testing regarding worksites. For respondents representing firms with noncentralized worksites, there is ambiguity in the phrase “prior to working onsite.” At the same time,
respondents also individuated their answers to this question, thinking of a particular employee or group
of employees when responding, rather than a company-wide policy.
Many respondents mentioned the lack of availability of the COVID-19 vaccine at this time. This
inconsistent accessibility makes this question more hypothetical for some respondents than others; that
is, for those who cannot access the vaccine (whether because of prioritization to special populations or

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shortages), asking about requiring proof of vaccination is something they may need to address in the
future but is not at current an issue.
Finally, several respondents mentioned that the sensitivity of the topic of this question made them
uncomfortable. In most cases, this was rooted in personal opinions regarding the availability or efficacy
of the COVID-19 vaccine, though a few also mentioned that they would feel uncomfortable asking
employees about vaccination status, citing privacy concerns.

RECCOMENDATION:
Consider changing to “before physically coming to work” to account for non-centralized worksites and to
provide consistency with the immediately preceding question. Given the hypothetical and sensitive
nature of this question, consider that the resultant data may include higher item non-response, missing
not at random (MNAR), which could impact data quality.

RESOULTION:
Tested updated language in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q8. In the last week, did this business require employees to have proof of COVID-19 vaccination
before physically coming to work?
Select only one:
• Yes
• No
• Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last
week.

FINDINGS:
Similar to item 7, when we tested the updated language of “before physically coming to work,” we
noted a reduction in respondent confusion about reporting to worksites. Note that this wording update
does not ameliorate the hypotheticality or sensitivity of the item, and so the caution on the possibility
for increased item non-response MNAR remains.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOULTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 10 (Operating Capacity Impact)

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Round 1 and Round 2:
10. In the last week, was this business’s operating capacity affected by any of the following?
Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this business could conduct under
realistic operating conditions.
Select all that apply:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Ability to re-hire furloughed or laid off employees and/or hire new employees
Availability of employees to work
Ability of employees to work remotely
Availability of COVID-19 tests for employees
Availability of COVID-19 vaccine for employees
Physical distancing of employees
Physical distancing of customers and/or limits on the number of concurrent customers
Availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and/or related equipment or supplies
Availability of other supplies or inputs used to provide good or services
None of the above

FINDING:
Most respondents could easily articulate an interpretation of operating capacity that is in line with the
one provided on the survey. When prompted, respondents mentioned output, employees, revenue and
other indicators of operating capacity. A few mentioned that the question seemed applicable only to
certain industries; note, however, that these respondents could provide appropriate data for this item.
Finally, some respondents asked about additional factors impacting operating capacity outside of the
provided list, including mandatory state or local closures, increased demands in certain COVID-19
related products or services, and industry-specific economic impacts beyond those directly related to
COVID-19.
Researchers specifically tested two categories added to this round of SBPS testing – availability of
COVID-19 tests for employees and availability of COVID-19 vaccines for employees. We found that these
two categories were clear and did not increase the burden of this question for respondents. Note that
because we encountered low measurement error in Round 1 of testing, we did not alter the wording for
Round 2.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the tested question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the tested question wording for the production instrument.

Item 12 (Square footage leased/rented)

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Round 1:
Q12. The White House declared a national emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on
March 13, 2020.
Since March 13, 2020, did this business decrease the amount of square footage leased/rented
for operations?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
Not applicable, this business does not lease/rent space.

FINDING:
Generally, this question performed as expected. We asked respondents about the March 13th date,
relative to the ‘start’ of the pandemic’, and most agreed that this date corresponds with their own
understanding of the start of the pandemic.
At the same time, some respondents mentioned that the amount of space their firm has been occupying
since that date has fluctuated, with some decreasing in size and some increasing in size to accommodate
their work during the pandemic. It may be useful to capture these changes by giving respondents the
ability to specify whether their square footage has increased or decreased during this time.
Note that in conducting this testing, we heard from several respondents who selected ‘no’ when first
completing, but during debriefing noticed the ‘not applicable’ option and said it would be a better fit for
their company. The data from this question may include some response error if respondents are missing
the appropriate category.

RECOMMENDATION:
Because of the inconsistent impact of the pandemic across small businesses, we recommend testing
options that allow respondents to specify how their space may have changed since March 13, 2020.

RESOLUTION:
Tested updated language in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q12. The White House declared a national emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on
March 13, 2020.
Since March 13, 2020, did this business change the amount of square footage leased/rented for
operations?
Select only one:
•
Yes, increased
•
Yes, decreased
•
No change
•
Not applicable, this business does not lease/rent space.

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FINDING:
Including the additional categories for increasing or decreasing space did not confuse or burden
respondents. Overall, they could answer the question easily. Note that we still saw instances of
respondents selecting ‘no’ (in this case, ‘no change’) when ‘not applicable’ may have been the more
appropriate response option.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 13 (Permanently add pickup/carryout/delivery)
Round 1:
Q13. Since March 13, 2020, did this business permanently add pickup/carryout/delivery as a
means of providing goods/services to its customers?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
This business already used pickup/carryout/delivery as a means of providing goods/services
to its customers prior to March 13, 2020.

FINDING:
During testing, respondents indicated that they understood the meaning of the question overall.
However, some respondents noted that the question felt industry-specific, and that their particular work
would not accommodate pickup, carryout, or delivery. These respondents struggled to select a
response, noting that their issue is not that they already had pickup, carryout, or delivery (as captured in
category 3), but that the question is asking about adding a feature that is inappropriate for their
business. These respondents indicated that they would prefer an option of “not applicable” or
equivalent, and categorized themselves in the ‘no’ response category. While that may be the intended
functionality for this question, note that it does cause some cognitive burden to respondents who are
looking for a “not applicable” option.
Asked about whether the change is temporary or permanent, most respondents indicated that they
could tell if the change was only for the duration of the pandemic or not. A few respondents noted that
their company added protocols for contactless delivery or pickup of their product or service, and asked
if this was in-scope; these companies provided these delivery modes prior to the pandemic, but added
in the option for no-contact. A few others mentioned that they had added “curbside” pickup as a new
feature of delivering goods and services.

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RECOMMENDATION:
To reduce instances of missing newly added capabilities, we recommend refining the question wording
to include “contactless” and “curbside” pickup.

RESOLUTION:
Updated language tested in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q13. Since March 13, 2020, did this business permanently add curbside or contactless pickup,
carryout, or delivery as a means of providing goods/services to its customers?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
This business already used curbside or contactless pickup, carryout, or delivery as a means
of providing goods/services to its customers prior to March 13, 2020.

FINDING:
The inclusion of “contactless” and “curbside” in the question stem encouraged businesses that have
permanently added these capabilities to select “yes.” However, the issue of those wanting a “not
applicable” option remains. Note that resultant data will not indicate whether the business has not
added pick-up, carryout, or delivery or whether the business is not capable of adding such modalities.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 14 (Changes to capital expenditures)
Round 1:
Q14. Since March 13, 2020, what changes did this business make to its budgeted capital
expenditures for 2020?
Select all that apply:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Canceled budgeted capital expenditures
Postponed budgeted capital expenditures
Decreased budgeted capital expenditures
Increased budgeted capital expenditures
Introduced new unbudgeted capital expenditures
This business had no changes to budgeted capital expenditures for 2020.

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FINDING:
In testing this question, we noted that respondents are not using a unified definition for capital
expenditures. A few noted that this is a technical accounting term, and responded to the question using
that epistemology. However, others took capital expenditures to encompass any large purchase made
on behalf of their company. Note that the resultant data will include this difference.
At the same time, we noted that businesses – and particularly very small businesses – consider
“budgeted” more rigid than alternatives, like “planned.” A few commented that they simply do not
include capital expenditures in their annual budgeting; instead, they handle these expenditures as they
arise. This could lead respondents to exclude capital expenditures because they are taking the word
‘budgeted’ too literally.

RECOMMENDATION:
Test “planned” as an alternative to “budgeted” to mitigate possible underreporting error.

RESOLUTION:
Updated language tested in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q14. Since March 13, 2020, what changes did this business make to its planned capital
expenditures for 2020?
Select all that apply:
• Canceled planned capital expenditures
• Postponed planned capital expenditures
• Decreased planned capital expenditures
• Increased planned capital expenditures
• Introduced new unplanned capital expenditures
• This business had no changes to planned capital expenditures for 2020.
• This business had no planned capital expenditures for 2020.

FINDING:
On average, respondents were more comfortable with the word “planned” in this question, as opposed
to “budgeted,” noting that planned is generally more flexible in orientation. We continued to hear from
respondents who used disparate definitions of a capital expenditure, so this response error is still
embedded in this question and will be present in data resulting from this question.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

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Item 15 (Emergency paid sick leave) and Item 16 (Expanded family and medical leave)
Round 1 and Round 2:
Q15. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect on April 1, 2020.
Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business’s employees use COVID-19 related emergency paid
sick leave as offered through provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)?
Select only one:
•
•
•
•

Yes
No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA emergency paid
sick leave
No, all of this business’s employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders
No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees
where providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going
concern).

Q16. Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business’s employees use COVID-19 related expanded
family and medical leave provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)?

Select only one:
•
•
•
•

Yes
No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA expanded family
and medical leave
No, all of this business’s employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders
No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees
where providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going
concern).

FINDING:
The results of testing these questions indicate high measurement error. As a general, underlying
concept, we found many respondents who are simply unfamiliar with the FFCRA. This was particularly
true of smaller businesses, but even some of the larger small businesses noted that they may have to
reach out to someone else at the firm to answer this question, and doubted that this would be
systematically tracked at all. Respondents entangled FFCRA with other federal leave legislation – like
the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – as well as their own internal leave policies, both before
COVID-19 and ad hoc as a result of the pandemic.
Some respondents are not delineating between these two questions: FFCRA for sick leave vs. FFCRA
leave for family and medical leave. Not only did businesses indicate that they do not believe that these

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data are being tracked, they further noted that if anyone is tracking this information, they are not doing
it at this level of detail.
Additionally, respondents found three categories of “no” to be cognitively burdensome. Some noted
that the three categories are not mutually exclusive: a company can both use the small business
exemption and at the same time have had no eligible employees request or have qualifying reasons to
exercise this leave. Respondents struggled to categorize themselves into one or the other response
option, suggesting that the data resulting from this question may not reflect accurately how FFCRA is (or
is not) being implemented.

RECOMMENDATION:
Because of the high cognitive burden, ambiguity in response categories, and general inconsistencies in
familiarity with FFCRA, we recommend dropping this question from the production SBPS instrument.

RESOLUTION:
These two items have been dropped from the Round 4 SBPS production instrument.

Item 17 (Requested financial assistance)
Round 1:
Q17. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was enacted providing
additional Coronavirus pandemic relief.
Since December 27, 2020, has this business requested financial assistance from any of the following
sources?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Select all that apply:
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Forgiveness
Main Street Lending Program
Deferral of Federal Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
COVID-19 Related Federal Paid Sick and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Tax Credits
Federal Employee Retention and Rehiring Tax Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owner(s)
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not requested financial assistance from any source since December 27, 2020.

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FINDING:
For the most part, respondents can answer this question easily. However, one issue that was prevalent
through testing was respondent confusion and frustration over the timeframe of this question. Looking
back through interview notes, we note that almost half of respondents noted the date correctly, and
about half of respondents answered for the entirety of the pandemic, not limiting to December 2020
and beyond. This led to an abundance of “false positives” for this question, with respondents indicating
programmatic requests, but including requests outside of the specified time period.
In tandem, respondents struggled to differentiate between the first round of programming in response
to the pandemic – which took effect in the spring of 2020 – and this second round of legislation – which
took effect in December 2020. Some of this, we suspect, is a result of the recency of the new legislation;
indeed, our first interviews were completed before respondents were even capable of requesting
financial assistance through the second round of PPP legislation. At the same time, though, we heard
from respondents planning on applying once it became available, and they too struggled with how to
identify that this was their second round of application.
We also noted that a number of response options did not resonate with respondents. They found some
of the categories awkward and could not identify the program being referenced, or the referenced
program had low or no salience for them.
We included the category “Owners” – a change from the previous round category of “Self” – which
performed as expected in testing. Respondents were able to identify that this category referred to the
owners of the company putting personal financial resources into the business.

RECOMMENDATION:
Given the confusion over the various rounds of legislation tied to these programs, we recommend
delineating between round 1 and round 2, or otherwise drawing attention to the intent of the question
– requests in round 2. This may also ameliorate some of the issues around noticing the timeframe, as
well.
In consultation with subject matter experts, we recommend dropping the following categories:
• Main Street Lending Program
• Federal Employee Retention and Rehiring Tax Credit (to be reworded)
• Deferral of Federal Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
• COVID-19 Related Federal Paid Sick and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Tax Credits (to be
reworded)

RESOLUTION:
Tested updated wording in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q17. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was enacted providing a second
round of Coronavirus pandemic relief.
Since December 27, 2020, has this business requested financial assistance from any of the following
sources?

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Select all that apply:
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), first time applicant
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), second time applicant
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
• Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
• Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit
• Other Federal programs
• State or local government programs
• Banks or other financial institutions
• Owners
• Family or friends
• Other sources
• This business has not requested financial assistance from any source since December 27, 2020.

FINDING:
In Round 2, we broke out first time and second time applications to PPP as response categories and we
added “second round” in the introductory sentence to help respondents cue in on the timeframe and
the legislation. In prompting respondents to differentiate between being a first time or second time
applicant, we noticed that they were more likely to reference the date. Respondents seemed to
understand the concept of the second round of available funds and whether or not a company was
applying for the first time or the second time. Note that while we noted a decrease in error related to
the time frame, we still had a number of respondents who missed the date and reported financial
requests inappropriately. There will be response error in the resultant data.
Additionally, this question is a ‘select all that apply’ capture type. However, two of the categories in the
revised Round 2 question are now mutually exclusive: a business cannot be both a first time and a
second time applicant to PPP.

RECCOMENDATION:
We recommend programming the production instrument such that the first two categories of the Round
2 revision are mutually exclusive; that is, if a respondent selects one, he cannot select the other.
Likewise, in subsequent Pulse testing, we may want to consider asking about both rounds of funding
separately, as discrete questions, to help respondents differentiate between the two. However, we
have not tested this question series, so we cannot recommend including both questions on the Round 4
production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 18 (Received financial assistance)

DRB Clearance Number (CBDRB-FY21-ESMD006-007)

Round 1:
Q18. Since December 27, 2020, has this business received financial assistance from any of the
following sources?
Select all that apply:
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
• SBA Loan Forgiveness
• Main Street Lending Program
• Deferral of Federal Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
• COVID-19 Related Federal Paid Sick and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Tax Credits
• Federal Employee Retention and Rehiring Tax Credit
• Other Federal programs
• State or local government programs
• Banks or other financial institutions
• Owner(s)
• Family or friends
• Other sources
• This business has not received financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020.

FINDING:
Like Item 17, some categories for Item 18 proved to be not salient or unclear to respondents in testing.
One additional issue unique to Item 18, though, is the concept of “receiving” financial assistance. We
heard from a few respondents that they had gotten notice of approval of financial assistance, but that
the actual assistance had not yet been disbursed. We suspect that as the updated legislation ages – that
is, as we move further into 2021 – this specific situation will become increasingly rare.

RECOMMENDATION:
Update the categories to match Item 17.

RESOLUTION:
Tested updated wording in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q18. Since December 27, 2020, has this business received financial assistance from any of the
following sources?
Select all that apply:
•
•
•
•
•

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit

DRB Clearance Number (CBDRB-FY21-ESMD006-007)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owners
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not received financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020.

FINDING:
We found that the updated categories exhibited fewer instances of confusion and low salience
compared to Round 1.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Item 19 (Business travel expenditures)
Round 1 and Round 2:
19. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will have business travel expenditures for air, rail,
car rental, or lodging?
Select only one:
•
•
•

Yes
No
Not applicable, this business does not usually have business travel expenditures.

FINDING:
Item 19 performed as testing staff expected. Respondents used the examples listed – air, rail, car rental,
and lodging – to cue them to non-local travel related to business activities. Even the few respondents
who mentioned additional sources of business travel expenditures, including meals and incidentals, fuel
reimbursement for non-local travel, and others, responded to the question invoking non-local, business
related travel expenditures.
Asked about the time frame, most respondents agreed that June/July of 2021 is the scope of the
question. While some mentioned that they were being ‘optimistic’ or ‘pessimistic’ in their answers (as
the question asks them to predict future behavior based on current knowledge), they were able to
provide appropriate responses to this question.

DRB Clearance Number (CBDRB-FY21-ESMD006-007)

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain tested question wording.

RESOLUTION:
Retain tested question wording.

Item 20 (Six months, business needs)
Round 1:
20. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will need to do any of the following?
Select all that apply:
• Obtain financial assistance or additional capital
• Identify new supply chain options
• Develop online sales or websites
• Increase marketing or sales
• Learn how to better provide for the safety of customers and employees
• Identify and hire new employees
• Make a capital expenditure
• Cancel or postpone a budgeted capital expenditure
• Permanently close this business

FINDING:
Item 20 performed as the testing staff expected. However, since Item 20 echoes Item 14 (changes to
capital expenditures), we found the same differentiation between “budgeted” and “planned”.

RECOMMENDATION:
Update category to “Cancel or postpone a planned capital expenditure.”

RESOLUTION:
Updated category tested in Round 2.

Round 2:
Q20. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will need to do any of the following?
Select all that apply:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Obtain financial assistance or additional capital
Identify new supply chain options
Develop online sales or websites
Increase marketing or sales
Learn how to better provide for the safety of customers and employees
Identify and hire new employees
Make a capital expenditure
Cancel or postpone a planned capital expenditure
Permanently close this business

DRB Clearance Number (CBDRB-FY21-ESMD006-007)
•

None of the above

FINDING:
Updated wording performed as expected.

RECOMMENDATION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

RESOLUTION:
Retain the Round 2 question wording for the production instrument.

Attachment A:
Small Business Pulse Survey, Round 4:
Cognitive Testing Instrument – Round 1
Welcome to the Small Business Pulse Survey
The U.S. Census Bureau is requesting your assistance in understanding the effect of changing business
conditions due to the Coronavirus pandemic on your business. Your response is especially important
right now as it helps policy makers, government officials, and businesses like yours understand these
effects. Please complete this short 20 question survey; it will take approximately 5 minutes.
This survey asks about the experience of your business over the last week, but also about the experience
of your business since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. The White House declared a national
emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on March 13, 2020.
Q1. Overall, how has this business been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic? Select only one:

o Large negative effect
o Moderate negative effect
o Little or no effect
o Moderate positive effect
o Large positive effect

Q2 In the last month, what were the total operating revenues/sales/receipts for this business, not
including any financial assistance or loans? Select only one:

o $0 - $500
o $501 - $2,500
o $2,501 - $5,000
o $5,001 - $15,000
o $15,001 - $50,000
o $50,001 - $125,000
o $125,001 - $200,000
o $200,001 - $500,000
o $500,001 or more
o Don't know
Q3. In the last week, did this business have a change in operating revenue/sales/receipts, not including
any financial assistance or loans? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No

Q4. In the last week, did this business do any of the following? Select only one:

o Open a previously closed location
o Temporarily close a location
o Permanently close a location
o None of the above
Q5. In the last week, did this business have a change in the number of paid employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q6. In the last week, did this business have a change in the total number of hours worked by paid
employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q7. In the last week, did this business require employees to test negative for COVID-19 prior to working
onsite? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees onsite in the last week.

Q8. In the last week, did this business require employees to have proof of vaccination for COVID-19 prior
to working onsite? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees onsite in the last week.
Q9. In the last week, did this business have any of the following? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Domestic supplier delays
Foreign supplier delays
Difficulty locating alternate domestic suppliers
Difficulty locating alternate foreign suppliers
Production delays at this business
Delays in delivery/shipping to customers
None of the above

Q10. In the last week, was this business's operating capacity affected by any of the following?
Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this business could conduct under realistic
operating conditions. Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Ability to re-hire furloughed or laid off employees and/or hire new employees
Availability of employees to work
Ability of employees to work remotely
Availability of COVID-19 tests for employees
Availability of COVID-19 vaccine for employees
Physical distancing of employees
Physical distancing of customers and/or limits on the number of concurrent customers
Availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and/or related equipment or supplies
Availability of other supplies or inputs used to provide good or services
None of the above

Q11. How would you describe this business's current operating capacity relative to one year
ago? Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this business could conduct under
realistic operating conditions. Select only one:

o Operating capacity has increased 50% or more
o Operating capacity has increased less than 50%
o No change in operating capacity
o Operating capacity has decreased less than 50%
o Operating capacity has decreased 50% or more
Q12. The White House declared a national emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on March
13, 2020.
Since March 13, 2020, did this business decrease the amount of square footage leased/rented for
operations? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business does not lease/rent space.
Q13 Since March 13, 2020, did this business permanently add pickup/carryout/delivery as a means of
providing goods/services to its customers? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o This business already used pickup/carryout/delivery as a means of providing goods/services to
its customers prior to March 13, 2020.

Q14. Since March 13, 2020, what changes did this business make to its budgeted capital expenditures
for 2020? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Canceled budgeted capital expenditure(s)
Postponed budgeted capital expenditure(s)
Decreased budgeted capital expenditure(s)
Increased budgeted capital expenditure(s)
Introduced new unbudgeted capital expenditure(s)
This business had no changes to budgeted capital expenditure(s) for 2020.

Q15. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect on April 1, 2020.
Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business's employees use COVID-19 related emergency paid sick leave
provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? Select only one:

o Yes
o No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA emergency paid sick
leave.

o No, all of this business's employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders.

o No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees where
providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going concern).

Q16. Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business's employees use COVID-19 related expanded family and
medical leave provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? Select only one:

o Yes
o No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA expanded family and
medical leave.

o No, all of this business's employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders.

o No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees where
providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going concern).

Q17. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was enacted, providing
additional Coronavirus pandemic relief.
Since December 27, 2020, has this business requested financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Forgiveness
Main Street Lending Program
Deferral of Federal Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
COVID-19 Related Federal Paid Sick and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Tax Credits
Federal Employee Retention and Rehiring Tax Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owner(s)
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not requested financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020

Q18. Since December 27, 2020, has this business received financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
SBA Loan Forgiveness
Main Street Lending Program
Deferral of Federal Employment Tax Deposits and Payments
COVID-19 Related Federal Paid Sick and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Tax Credits
Federal Employee Retention and Rehiring Tax Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owner(s)
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not received financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020.

Q19. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will have business travel expenditures for air, rail,
car rental, or lodging? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business does not usually have business travel expenditures.
Q20. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will need to do any of the following?
that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Obtain financial assistance or additional capital
Identify new supply chain options
Develop online sales or websites
Increase marketing or sales
Learn how to better provide for the safety of customers and employees
Identify and hire new employees
Make a capital expenditure
Cancel or postpone a budgeted capital expenditure
Permanently close this business
None of the above

Select all

Q21. In your opinion, how much time do you think will pass before this business returns to its usual level
of operations? Select only one:

o 1 month or less
o 2-3 months
o 4-6 months
o More than 6 months
o I do not believe this business will return to its normal level of operations.
o This business has permanently closed.
o There has been little or no effect on this business's normal level of operations.
o This business has returned to its normal level of operations.

Attachment B:
Small Business Pulse Survey, Round 4:
Cognitive Testing Instrument, Round 2
Welcome to the Small Business Pulse Survey
The U.S. Census Bureau is requesting your assistance in understanding the effect of changing business
conditions due to the Coronavirus pandemic on your business. Your response is especially important
right now as it helps policy makers, government officials, and businesses like yours understand these
effects. Please complete this short 20 question survey; it will take approximately 5 minutes.
Q1. Overall, how has this business been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic? Select only one:

o Large negative effect
o Moderate negative effect
o Little or no effect
o Moderate positive effect
o Large positive effect

Q2. In the last month, what were the total operating revenues/sales/receipts for this business, not
including any financial assistance or loans? Select only one:

o $0 - $500
o $501 - $2,500
o $2,501 - $5,000
o $5,001 - $15,000
o $15,001 - $50,000
o $50,001 - $125,000
o $125,001 - $200,000
o $200,001 - $500,000
o $500,001 or more
o Don't know
Q3. In the last week, did this business have a change in operating revenue/sales/receipts, not including
any financial assistance or loans, relative to the previous week? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No

Q4. In the last week, did this business do any of the following? Select only one:

o Open a previously closed location
o Temporarily close a location
o Permanently close a location
o None of the above
Q5. In the last week, did this business have a change in the number of paid employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q6. In the last week, did this business have a change in the total number of hours worked by paid
employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q7. In the last week, did this business require employees to test negative for COVID-19 before physically
coming to work? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week.

Q8. In the last week, did this business require employees to have proof of vaccination for COVID-19
before physically coming to work? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week.
Q9. In the last week, did this business have any of the following? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Domestic supplier delays
Foreign supplier delays
Difficulty locating alternate domestic suppliers
Difficulty locating alternate foreign suppliers
Production delays at this business
Delays in delivery/shipping to customers
None of the above

Q10. In the last week, was this business's operating capacity affected by any of the following?
Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this business could conduct under realistic
operating conditions. Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Availability of employees to work
Ability of employees to work remotely
Availability of COVID-19 tests for employees
Availability of COVID-19 vaccine for employees
Physical distancing of employees
Physical distancing of customers and/or limits on the number of concurrent customers
Availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and/or related equipment or supplies
Availability of other supplies or inputs used to provide good or services
None of the above

Q11. How would you describe this business's current operating capacity relative to its operating capacity
prior to the Coronavirus pandemic? Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this
business could conduct under realistic operating conditions. Select only one:

o Operating capacity has increased 50% or more
o Operating capacity has increased less than 50%
o No change in operating capacity
o Operating capacity has decreased less than 50%
o Operating capacity has decreased 50% or more

Q12. The White House declared a national emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on March
13, 2020.
Since March 13, 2020, did this business change the amount of square footage leased/rented for
operations? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
o Not applicable, this business does not lease/rent space.
Q13. Since March 13, 2020, did this business permanently add curbside or contactless pickup, carryout,
or delivery as a means of providing goods/services to its customers? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o This business already used curbside or contactless pickup, carryout, or delivery as a means of
providing goods/services to its customers prior to March 13, 2020.

Q14. Since March 13, 2020, what changes did this business make to its planned capital expenditures for
2020? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Canceled planned capital expenditures
Postponed planned capital expenditures
Decreased planned capital expenditures
Increased planned capital expenditures
Introduced new unplanned capital expenditures
This business had no changes to planned capital expenditures for 2020.
This business had no planned capital expenditures for 2020.

Q15. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect on April 1, 2020.
Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business's employees use COVID-19 related emergency paid sick leave
provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? Select only one:

o Yes
o No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA emergency paid sick
leave.

o No, all of this business's employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders.

o No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees where
providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going concern).

Q16. Since April 1, 2020, did any of this business's employees use COVID-19 related expanded family and
medical leave provided by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? Select only one:

o Yes
o No, no eligible employees requested or had a qualifying reason for FFCRA expanded family and
medical leave.

o No, all of this business's employees were exempted as health care providers or emergency
responders.

o No, this business used the small business exemption (for employers below 50 employees where
providing paid leave would have jeopardized the viability of the business as a going concern).

Q17. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was enacted, providing a second
round of Coronavirus pandemic relief.
Since December 27, 2020, has this business requested financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), first time applicant
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), second time applicant
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), loan forgiveness
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owners
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not requested financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020

Q18. Since December 27, 2020, has this business received financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owners
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not received financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020.

Q19. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will have business travel expenditures for air, rail,
car rental, or lodging? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business does not usually have business travel expenditures.
Q20. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will need to do any of the following?
that apply:

▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢
▢

Obtain financial assistance or additional capital
Identify new supply chain options
Develop online sales or websites
Increase marketing or sales
Learn how to better provide for the safety of customers and employees
Identify and hire new employees
Make a capital expenditure
Cancel or postpone a planned capital expenditure
Permanently close this business
None of the above

Select all

Q21. In your opinion, how much time do you think will pass before this business returns to its usual level
of operations? Select only one:

o 1 month or less
o 2-3 months
o 4-6 months
o More than 6 months
o I do not believe this business will return to its usual level of operations.
o This business has permanently closed.
o There has been little or no effect on this business's usual level of operations.
o This business has returned to its usual level of operations.

Attachment C:
Small Business Pulse Survey, Round 4:
Cognitive Interviewing Protocol
Introduction:
Name: ${e://Field/CONTACT_NAME}
Phone: ${e://Field/COCALL}
Hello. Thank you for your time today!
We are looking to obtain feedback on a revised version of a short survey that has been designed to
learn more about the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on small businesses.
Our purpose for speaking with you today is to see how respondents answer the survey questions, to
evaluate how the questions work or don’t work. We are not testing you– we only want to evaluate the
questionnaire.
Today, we will have you complete the short questionnaire, then we will review some of the questions
with you to get your feedback. I sent you an email with a link to the survey. Can you please click on the
link and read over the first page?
This study is being conducted under the authority of Title 13 USC, which means that I will not share your
name or the name or any identifying information about your business. We plan to use your feedback to
improve the survey questions and make sure they make sense to respondents like you.
Do you agree to participate?
Thank you.
Please click on the checkbox at the bottom of the screen. Do not advance the screen; I'll let you know
when to press the next button.

Warm-Up Questions:
Before we begin, could you tell me a little bit about your business? What types of goods or services
does this business provide?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

And, what is your role in the business? What kind of responsibilities do you have? What is your title?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Instrument Completion:
Ok! Now I'd like for you to go through the survey question by question. Please tell me your answer to
each question as you go along. After you are done, we will go back and discuss some of the questions in
more detail.
Interviewer: Encourage the respondent to tell you his/her answers to the questions, but do not probe.

Debrief:
Thank you for completing the survey. On your screen should be a summary of your responses. You can
use this as we talk a little bit more about some of the questions you have just answered. We may go out
of order, just so you know.

But first, what is your overall impression of this survey?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 7:
Let's start with item 7.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
What does "prior to working onsite" mean to you?
What does the word "prior" mean to you in the context of this question? What time frame did you
consider here?
How recent would a test have to be to 'count'?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer?
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve this question?
How do you think others in your industry might interpret this question?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Item 8:
And now to Item 8.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
What does "proof of vaccination" mean to you?
How easy or difficult was it to answer this question?
How do you think others in your industry might interpret this question?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 10:
Ok, now lets look back at Item 10.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
Would you consult any records or would you estimate?
Would you need to reach out to anyone else in your firm to answer this question?
What does "operating capacity" mean to you?
Do the answer categories seem appropriate?
What does "Availability of COVID-19 tests for employees" mean to you?
What does "Availability of COVID-19 vaccine for employees" mean to you?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 12:
Now on to Item 12.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
What does "amount of square footage leased/rented for operations" mean to you?
Is "amount of square footage" the same as "amount of space" to you?
What time period were you thinking about?
What does "Since March 13" mean to you?
How well do you remember this time (March 2020)?
Do you consider that the start of the pandemic, or do you think of some other date or other time frame
when thinking about the beginning of the pandemic?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer? If difficult, why?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Item 13:
Next let's look at Item 13.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
How would you answer this question if you were not sure if it will be temporary or permanent?
How easy or difficult to answer this question? If difficult, why?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 14:
Thank you! Let's look at Item 14.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answers to this question?
What does "budgeted capital expenditures for 2020" mean to you?
Would "planned capital expenditures for 2020" be more or less clear?
What would you include and what would you exclude when answering this question?
Do the answer categories seem appropriate?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Item 15:
Next up is Item 15
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answers to this question?
Would you need to consult with anyone else at your business to answer this question? Who?
Were you familiar with the Families First Coronavirus Response Act?
Did you think of other sick leave policies your business may have put into place in response to the
pandemic?
Has your business advertised or otherwise informed workers that this paid sick leave is available?
How easy or difficult was this to answer?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 16:
Let's look at item 16.
What is this question asking you about?
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer? Why?
How is this question different from Item 15, if at all?
Who would you include for this question? Exclude?
Would you need to talk to anyone else at your company to answer this question?
Would you need to look at company records?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Item 17:
And now, on to Item 17.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answers to this question?
How easy or difficult was it for you to answer this question?
What time period were you thinking about when you answered this question?
Did you notice that this question is asking about the most recent Coronavirus relief legislation?
Would your answer be different if we did not put that date, or if we asked this question based on a
different date?
What does the category "Owner(s)" mean here?
What would this include? Exclude?
What do you think of when you read the word 'Owner(s)' as a response category here?
How many of these programs are you familiar with?
How easy or difficult was it to answer this question?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 18:
And now Item 18.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answers to this question?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer?
If difficult, why?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Item 19:
Ok, let's look at Item 19.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answers to this question?
What does "business travel expenditures" mean to you?
What would you include when answering this question? Exclude?
Are there things other than air, rail, car rental, or lodging that you would want to include?
What time period were you thinking about when answering this question?
What does "in the next six months" mean to you?
How easy or difficult was this question to answer?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Item 20:
And finally, let's look at Item 20.
Please tell me in your own words what this question is asking.
How did you come up with your answer to this question?
What does "make a capital expenditure" mean to you?
Is there another way to word that to make more sense?
What does "cancel or postpone a budgeted capital expenditure" mean to you?
Is there another way to word that to make more sense?
Think about the list as a whole - how easy or difficult was it for you to read through this list?
Do the categories make sense? Are any of them unclear?
What about the order of the categories? Do they make sense as is, or do you think that they should be
reordered? In what way?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Wrap-Up
We are almost done. I just have a few more questions.
Do you have any suggestions for other issues related to the Coronavirus pandemic's effect on small
businesses? What are we missing?
Overall, how easy or difficult was it to answer these questions?
Do you have any other comments or suggestions about anything we have discussed today?
That's all the questions I have for today! Thank you so much for your time today. We really appreciate
the help!
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Attachment D:
Small Business Pulse Survey, Round 4:
Final Revised Questionnaire
Welcome to the Small Business Pulse Survey
The U.S. Census Bureau is requesting your assistance in understanding the effect of changing business
conditions due to the Coronavirus pandemic on your business. Your response is especially important
right now as it helps policy makers, government officials, and businesses like yours understand these
effects. Please complete this short 20 question survey; it will take approximately 5 minutes.

Q1. Overall, how has this business been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic? Select only one:

o Large negative effect
o Moderate negative effect
o Little or no effect
o Moderate positive effect
o Large positive effect

Q2. In the last month, what were the total operating revenues/sales/receipts for this business, not
including any financial assistance or loans? Select only one:

o $0 - $500
o $501 - $2,500
o $2,501 - $5,000
o $5,001 - $15,000
o $15,001 - $50,000
o $50,001 - $125,000
o $125,001 - $200,000
o $200,001 - $500,000
o $500,001 or more
o Don't know
Q3. In the last week, did this business have a change in operating revenue/sales/receipts, not including
any financial assistance or loans, relative to the previous week? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No

Q4. In the last week, did this business do any of the following? Select only one:

o Open a previously closed location
o Temporarily close a location
o Permanently close a location
o None of the above
Q5. In the last week, did this business have a change in the number of paid employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q6. In the last week, did this business have a change in the total number of hours worked by paid
employees? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
Q7. In the last week, did this business require employees to test negative for COVID-19 before physically
coming to work? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week.

Q8. In the last week, did this business require employees to have proof of vaccination for COVID-19
before physically coming to work? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business did not have employees physically coming to work in the last week.
Q9. In the last week, did this business have any of the following? Select all that apply:

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Domestic supplier delays
Foreign supplier delays
Difficulty locating alternate domestic suppliers
Difficulty locating alternate foreign suppliers
Production delays at this business
Delays in delivery/shipping to customers
None of the above

Q10. In the last week, was this business's operating capacity affected by any of the following?
Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this business could conduct under realistic
operating conditions. Select all that apply:

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Availability of employees to work
Ability of employees to work from home
Availability of COVID-19 tests for employees
Availability of COVID-19 vaccine for employees
Physical distancing of employees
Physical distancing of customers and/or limits on the number of concurrent customers
Availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and/or related equipment or supplies
Availability of other supplies or inputs used to provide good or services
None of the above

Q11. How would you describe this business's current operating capacity relative to its operating capacity
prior to the Coronavirus pandemic? Note: Operating capacity is the maximum amount of activity this
business could conduct under realistic operating conditions. Select only one:

o Operating capacity has increased 50% or more
o Operating capacity has increased less than 50%
o No change in operating capacity
o Operating capacity has decreased less than 50%
o Operating capacity has decreased 50% or more

Q12. The White House declared a national emergency because of the Coronavirus pandemic on March
13, 2020.
Since March 13, 2020, did this business change the amount of square footage leased/rented for
operations? Select only one:

o Yes, increased
o Yes, decreased
o No change
o Not applicable, this business does not lease/rent space.
Q13. Since March 13, 2020, what changes did this business make to its planned capital expenditures for
2020? Select all that apply:

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Canceled planned capital expenditures
Postponed planned capital expenditures
Decreased planned capital expenditures
Increased planned capital expenditures
Introduced new unplanned capital expenditures
This business had no changes to planned capital expenditures for 2020.
This business had no planned capital expenditures for 2020.

Q14. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 was enacted, providing a second
round of Coronavirus pandemic relief.
Since December 27, 2020, has this business requested financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), first time applicant
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), second time applicant
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), loan forgiveness
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owners
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not requested financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020

Q15. Since December 27, 2020, has this business received financial assistance from any of the following
sources? Select all that apply:

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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave Credit
Employee Retention and Rehiring Credit
Other Federal programs
State or local government programs
Banks or other financial institutions
Owners
Family or friends
Other sources
This business has not received financial assistance from any source since December 27,
2020.

Q16. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will have business travel expenditures for air, rail,
car rental, or lodging? Select only one:

o Yes
o No
o Not applicable, this business does not usually have business travel expenditures.
Q17. In the next 6 months, do you think this business will need to do any of the following?
that apply:

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Obtain financial assistance or additional capital
Identify new supply chain options
Develop online sales or websites
Increase marketing or sales
Learn how to better provide for the safety of customers and employees
Identify and hire new employees
Make a capital expenditure
Cancel or postpone a planned capital expenditure
Permanently close this business
None of the above

Select all

Q18. In your opinion, how much time do you think will pass before this business returns to its usual level
of operations? Select only one:

o 1 month or less
o 2-3 months
o 4-6 months
o More than 6 months
o I do not believe this business will return to its usual level of operations.
o This business has permanently closed.
o There has been little or no effect on this business's usual level of operations.
o This business has returned to its usual level of operations.