Building Evidence on Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families (BEES)
No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection
No
Regular
Approved with change
05/16/2024
05/01/2024
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2026
02/28/2026
02/28/2026
4,090
0
4,090
1,472
0
1,472
0
0
0
The overall purpose of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) study is to conduct rigorous evaluations of innovative interventions aimed at improving employment outcomes, advances in the labor market, and economic security for low-income individuals and families. Populations of particular interest for BEES include individuals facing substance and opioid use disorders, disability or mental health challenges, and their families; criminal justice-involved populations; or others at increased risk of enrolling in TANF or SSI/SSDI. While the target population and domains may vary, all interventions will include an employment services component. BEES includes impact and/or implementation studies of 20 different programs.
ACF requests a non-substantive modification of the BEES survey token of appreciation structure as part of our ongoing efforts to address lower-than-expected response rates and observable non-response bias for the follow-up wave of key respondents. As indicated in the table above, response rates are falling short of the targets in many of the studies, and response rates are substantially lower for control group members than for program group members. In addition, refusal rates are higher than in similar studies at 12 percent, and only about 13 percent have been unlocatable. These response rates raise concern about whether BEES will produce unbiased estimates of the programs being studied.
The proposed increase in token of appreciation comes after many other efforts to address these concerns. The included nonsubstantive change memo highlights ACFâs efforts to date to secure the planned number of responses and address emerging non-response bias; describes proposed changes for the final phase of survey fielding; and explains the hypothesized benefits of the proposed approach and terms for assessment of the effort.
PL:
Pub.L. 115 - 31 413
Name of Law: Social Security Act, as amended by the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017
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:
(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;
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.
BEES Memo Incentive Change Request April 2024.docx
Program Staff Survey (Attachment O)