2025 SOC-QBPO Supporting Statement Part B

U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
OMB Information Collection Request
Survey of Construction Questionnaire for the Building Permit Official (SOC-QBPO)
OMB Control No. 0607-0125
B.

Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1.

Universe and Respondent Selection
We obtain information from a sample of 1,000, or 5.0 percent, of the
approximately 20,000 permit-issuing places. The Census Bureau field
representatives (FR) visit permit offices to obtain the information. The response
rate is 100 percent.

2.

Procedures for Collecting Information
The Census Bureau last updated the sample design for SOC in January 2005. The
design of the SOC sample is a stratified multi-staged cluster design. It is a subsample of the Current Population Survey (CPS) areas. The CPS strata are defined
as counties and independent cities within each state that were grouped based on
metropolitan status, labor force characteristics such as number of male and female
unemployed, race-ethnic origins, population change, and family and housing
characteristics. There are 820 of these strata. One area from each of these strata
was selected with probability proportional to the number of persons 16 and older.
These 820 areas were further grouped into 169 strata, according to census
division, metropolitan status, weighted building permit activity between 1999 and
2002, and 16+ populations (persons 16 and older). One area was selected (for
SOC) from each of these 169 strata with probability proportional to the weighted
measure of building permit activity and using a maximum overlap algorithm to
maximize overlap with the old SOC sample areas.
Each of the permit-issuing places in the 169 selected areas was assigned to one of
six classes based on activity. A systematic sample of these places was selected
from each area. Places were selected at different sampling rates in each of the
size classes so that larger proportions of the places were selected from the more
active size classes. For example, all places in the most active size classes fell into
the sample whereas only an expected one in 50 of the places in the least active
size class fell into sample. Approximately 959 permit-issuing places were
selected. Since the 2005 sample redesign, some permit-issuing places in the
original sample have discontinued issuing permits, merged with other places, or
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split into multiple places. As a result of these changes, we currently visit
approximately 1,000 places each month.
3.

Methods to Maximize Response
To maximize response rates, the FRs will explain what information is needed and
how it will be used before conducting the interview.

4.

Tests of Procedures or Methods
Field representatives provided informal feedback through correspondence at the
time of the monthly data collection and at refresher training sessions regarding
question clarification and survey questionnaire alignment. The most recent
refresher training session was held in the fall of 2024.

5.

Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection
The contact person for questions relating to the statistical aspects of the survey is
Ms. Bonnie Kegan, Chief, Construction Surveys Statistical Methods Branch. She
can be reached on (301) 763-7639.
The contact person for questions relating to the collection and analysis of the data
is Mr. William M. Abriatis, Chief of the Residential Construction Branch. He
can be reached on (301) 763-3686.

Attachments
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

SOC-QBPO (a PDF copy of the questions asked in electronic questionnaire)
SOC-QBPO(L) (letter to respondents)
BEA Support Letter
Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) comment on SOC QBPO Federal Register Notice
Census Quality Reinforcement Task Force (CQR) comment on SOC QBPO Federal
Register Notice

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