The American Community Survey (ACS); Proposed Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau

The American Community Survey (ACS); Proposed Information

Collection

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paper work and respondent burden, invites the general public

and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(C)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Englemeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room

5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions

should be directed to Cynthia Taeuber, Bureau of the Census,

Demographic Statistical Methods Division, Washington, DC 20233. Her

telephone number is (301) 457-2899.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The American Community Survey, which the Census Bureau initiated in

November 1995, is a continuing full-scale operation of a continuous

measurement system. Continuous measurement is a reengineering of the

method for collecting the housing and socio-economic data traditionally

collected in the decennial census. By selecting a new sample of

addresses every month, the American Community Survey provides data

every year instead of once in ten years. It blends the strength of

small-area estimation from the decennial census with the quality and

timeliness of continuing surveys through its large monthly survey.

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The Census Bureau began the American Community Survey in four

sites, added new sites each of the last three years, and presently

conducts the American Community Survey in 31 sites. The expansion to 31

sites in November 1998 began the comparison phase of the continuous

measurement system.

This comparison phase of the American Community Survey is designed

primarily to collect information necessary to understand differences

between estimates derived from the American Community Survey and the

Census 2000 long form. This phase will help the Census Bureau and the

Federal Government better understand the costs and benefits of a

continuous measurement system, and make possible eliminating the long

form in Census 2010. The content of the American Community Survey

during the comparison phase is basically the same as the content of the

Census 2000 long form. There are some differences to reflect the fact

that the American Community Survey is conducted every month.

In November 1999, the Census Bureau plans to continue the

comparison phase in the 31 sites, and to begin a three-year comparison

phase on a national level as part of the decennial program. For this

comparison, the Census Bureau is conducting the American Community

Survey in counties with a broad mix of geographic and demographic

characteristics.

In addition to selecting a sample of residential addresses, the

Census Bureau will select a sample of group quarters (GQs) and conduct

the American Community Survey with a sample of persons within the GQs.

(To prevent duplication with Census 2000, the Census Bureau will not

conduct American Community Survey interviews in group quarters during

2000.) The Census Bureau will also conduct a reinterview operation with

a small sample of households to monitor the quality of data collected

during Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI).

II. Method of Collection

The Census Bureau will mail questionnaires to households selected

for the American Community Survey. For households that do not return

questionnaires, Census Bureau staff will attempt to conduct interviews

via Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) and CAPI.

For some GQs, we will mail questionnaires to respondents. For other

types of GQs, Field Representatives will either help respondents

complete questionnaires or leave questionnaires and ask respondents to

return them by mail.

Census Bureau staff will conduct reinterviews using CAPI.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0607-0810.

Form Number: ACS-1, ACS-1(GQ), ACS-3(GQ), ACS-290.

Type of Review: Regular.

Affected Public: Individuals and households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: During the period of November 1999

through October 2002, we plan to contact the following number of

respondents: 2,554,850 households; 112,000 persons in group quarters;

and 25,000 households in reinterview.

Estimated Time Per Response: Estimates are 38 minutes per

household, 15 minutes per person in group quarters, and 10 minutes per

household in the reinterview sample.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The estimate is an annual

average of 560,000 burden hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: Except for their time, there is no

cost to respondents.

Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.

Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on respondents, including through the use of

automated collections techniques or others forms of information

technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and included in the request for OMB approval of this information

collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 4, 1999.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information

Officer.

[FR Doc. 99-14592 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]

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