American Community Survey Methods Panel Tests

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form ACS-1(2025) (02-28 ACS Methods Panel Paper Questionnaire	Form	Modified	Repair queued
Form ACS-1(2025) (02-28 ACS Methods Panel Test	Form	Modified	Repair queued
OMB NSCR ACS SOGI Discontinuation.docx	Justification for No Material/Nonsubstantive Change	Uploaded 2025-04-17	Repair queued
OMB NSCR ACS SOGI Discontinuation.docx	Justification for No Material/Nonsubstantive Change	Uploaded 2025-03-18	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
190927	ACS Methods Panel Test	Form	Modified	ACS Methods Panel Paper Questionnaire
190927	ACS Methods Panel Test	Form	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0607-0936	ICR Reference No: 202503-0607-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202407-0607-002
Agency/Subagency: DOC/CENSUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: American Community Survey Methods Panel Tests
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 04/17/2025
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 03/21/2025
Terms of Clearance:

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	07/31/2027	07/31/2027	07/31/2027
Responses	369,000	0	369,000
Time Burden (Hours)	216,819	0	216,819
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing monthly survey that collects detailed housing and socioeconomic data from a sample of about 3.5 million addresses in the United States and about 36,000 addresses in Puerto Rico each year, where it is known as the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS). The ACS also collects detailed socioeconomic data from a sample of residents living in group quarters (GQ) facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico. Resulting tabulations from this data collection are provided on a yearly basis. The ACS allows the U.S. Census Bureau to provide timely and relevant housing and socioeconomic statistics, even for low levels of geography. The ACS conducts research, testing, and evaluations, through its Methods Panel program, aimed at improving the survey. The ACS Methods Panel is a research program designed to address and respond to survey issues and needs. The Census Bureau, for decades, has submitted information collection request revisions to conduct various iterations of the Methods Panel. In 2024, the Census Bureau requested authorization from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to revise the previous authorization for the ACS Methods Panel to conduct a test of new content to the survey, called the 2024 ACS Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Test. The information collected in the 2024 ACS SOGI test was to be used to evaluate the quality of data from questions on sexual orientation and gender identity. The research sought to inform recommendations for potential production ACS implementation on question wording and response options, whether a confirmation question is asked of everyone or only of those people with discrepant responses for sex at birth and current gender identity, and the style of write-in boxes to use for internet respondents. Federal agencies had expressed interest in and identified legal uses for this information, including civil rights and equal employment enforcement. This Non-substantive Change Request is to request OMB approval to discontinue our use of OMB Control Number 0607-0936 for the ACS SOGI Test and to update records in ROCIS to formally show that the Census Bureau canceled the second part of the SOGI Test in January 2025 to bring it in compliance with Executive Order 14168. The Census Bureau is asking, however, that OMB Control Number 0607-0936 be reserved for future Methods Panel testing. The Census Bureau will submit a new request for future testing not related to gender identity.

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

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 64404	09/19/2023
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 33314	04/29/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
ACS Methods Panel Test	ACS-1(2025) (02-28-2024)	ACS Methods Panel Paper Questionnaire

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	369,000	369,000	0	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	216,819	216,819	0	0	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $10,000,000

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

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

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

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

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

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

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

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

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

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

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 03/21/2025

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