ACS NSC GQ Materials June 2022

Request for Non-substantive Change to the
American Community Survey and the Puerto Rico Community Survey
Revisions to the Group Quarters Materials
OMB Control No. 0607-0810
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
Purpose
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing monthly survey that collects detailed
housing and socioeconomic data from a sample of 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 a sample of about 170,000 residents living in group quarters (GQ)
facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico where it is known as the Puerto Rico Community
Survey (PRCS). Resulting tabulations from this data collection are provided on a yearly basis.
The ACS allows the U.S. Census Bureau to provide timely and relevant housing and
socioeconomic statistics, even for low levels of geography.
Background:
The current ACS information collection was approved on June 6, 2022, for three years, with an
expiration date of June 30, 2025. This non-substantive change request is to revise the Group
Quarters (GQ) facility-level and respondent-level materials for both stateside and Puerto Rico
beginning in 2023. The ACS plans to implement these changes to more clearly communicate
and address respondent concerns, with the goal of gaining interview cooperation.
The ACS GQ data collection process includes mailing letters and an informational brochure to
each facility in sample monthly, as well as providing the sampled residents with an introductory
letter and brochure. Also, included are letters thanking the facility’s point of contact and
resident for their participation. Many of these materials have not been revised since 2016.
Based on research related to communications theory, survey research, and plain language and
design principles, the introductory letters, and the letters used by the regional offices to follow
up with unsuccessful facility and resident-level interviews, were updated to address concerns,
such as look and feel, language, and design. First, the look and feel of the letters were updated
to include more white space and reduce text, leaving only essential information. Secondly, the
language of the introductory letters was updated to be more concise and accessible. Finally, the
design of the introductory letters included updates to the graphics and fonts. The reason for
these changes were to gain increased facility and resident-level response.
The GQ informational brochures were also updated with a new look and feel, new pictures and
plainer and clearer language. The overall look and feel of the brochures were updated to have
less text, more white space, and current pictures to match the new text in the brochure. The
pictures were changed to a more updated style. Additionally, the language was consolidated
and updated to plainer and clearer language.

The GQ facility-level and respondent-level thank you bookmarks will replace the thank you
letters. By making it smaller and colorful, the goal is to attract more attention than just another
letter that, learned from informal feedback, may likely be ignored. Research indicates that with
a colorful bookmark there is a better chance that it will be read and clearly understood, and
hopefully we will gain more cooperation.
Below is a list of the updated Group Quarters data collection materials:
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Attachment A – ACS-17(L)(GQ) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter – Stateside
English
Attachment B – ACS-17(L)(GQ)(PR) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter –
Puerto Rico English/Spanish
Attachment C – ACS-17(L)(GQ)(S) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter Stateside Spanish
Attachment D – ROSCO GQ Facility No One Home –English
Attachment E – ROSCO GQ Facility Refusal – English
Attachment F – ROSCO FR Security Verification – English
Attachment G – ROSCO Laptop Refusal – English
Attachment H – ROSCO GQ Introductory 18L – English
Attachment I – ACS-50(GQ) Group Quarters ACS FAQ Brochure – Stateside
English/Spanish
Attachment J – ACS-50(HUGQ)(PR) FAQ Brochure – Puerto Rico English/Spanish
Attachment K – ACS-50(GQ)(RA) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure –
Remote Alaska
Attachment L – ACS-51(GQ)(F) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure –
Stateside English/Spanish
Attachment M – ACS-26(B)(GQ) Group Quarters Thank You Bookmark – Stateside
English/Spanish
Attachment N – ACS-26(B)(GQ)(PR) Group Quarters Thank You Bookmark – Puerto Rico
English/Spanish

Attachment A – ACS-17(L)(GQ) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter – Stateside English

Attachment B – ACS-17(L)(GQ)(PR) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter – Puerto Rico
English/Spanish

Attachment B – ACS-17(L)(GQ)(PR) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter – Puerto Rico
English/Spanish

Attachment C – ACS-17(L)(GQ)(S) Group Quarters Resident Introduction Letter - Stateside Spanish

Attachment D – ROSCO GQ Facility No One Home –English

Attachment D – ROSCO GQ Facility No One Home –English

Attachment E – ROSCO GQ Facility Refusal – English

Attachment E – ROSCO GQ Facility Refusal – English

Attachment F – ROSCO FR Security Verification – English

Attachment G – ROSCO Laptop Refusal – English

Attachment H – ROSCO GQ Introductory 18L – English

Attachment H – ROSCO GQ Introductory 18L – English

Attachment I – ACS-50(GQ) Group Quarters ACS FAQ Brochure – Stateside English/Spanish

Attachment I – ACS-50(GQ) Group Quarters ACS FAQ Brochure – Stateside English/Spanish

Attachment J – ACS-50(HUGQ)(PR) FAQ Brochure – Puerto Rico English/Spanish

Attachment J – ACS-50(HUGQ)(PR) FAQ Brochure – Puerto Rico English/Spanish

Attachment K – ACS-50(GQ)(RA) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Remote Alaska

Attachment K – ACS-50(GQ)(RA) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Remote Alaska

Attachment L – ACS-51(GQ)(F) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Stateside
English/Spanish

Attachment L – ACS-51(GQ)(F) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Stateside
English/Spanish

Attachment L – ACS-51(GQ)(F) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Stateside
English/Spanish

Attachment L – ACS-51(GQ)(F) Group Quarters Facility Administrators FAQ Brochure – Stateside
English/Spanish

Attachment M – ACS-26(B)(GQ) Group Quarters Thank You Bookmark – Stateside English/Spanish

Attachment N – ACS-26(B)(GQ)(PR) Group Quarters Thank You Bookmark – Puerto Rico English/Spanish