QCEW Green Goods and Services Sector Industry Pre-testing - Forms Testing

Attachment 4: Scripts for respondent and non-respondent follow-up interviews

Script for green goods and services

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

Typographical conventions: italics for programmer notes, all caps for items not read or instructions to the interviewer.

Introduction

Intro1. Hello. My name is ______________ from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS. I'm calling in reference to the Green Goods and Services survey form your business has submitted to BLS. May I please speak to (contact name)?

Intro2. (Reintroduce yourself if necessary) Our records indicate you were responsible for submitting your firm’s BLS Green Goods and Services survey form. Did you complete that survey form?

If not, do you know who completed it?

Name:_______________________________

Phone:_______________________________

Fax:_________________________________

Thank you for your time (hang up and contact the name given).

Continue with correct respondent

Intro3. It would be very helpful to us if we could talk to you about your experience completing the survey form you submitted to us. Are you willing to answer questions about the BLS Green Goods and Services survey form?

• Yes → Go to Intro4.

• No → Why not?____________

(IF ANSWER NO) Thank you for your time. (hang up).

Thank you for your time. (hang up and contact name given).

Intro4. We routinely ask businesses to help us collect the best data possible, so we are contacting a small sample of our respondents to discuss their experiences filling out our survey forms. We use this information to design forms that improve data quality and minimize respondent burden. Do you have a copy of the BLS Green Goods and Services survey form you completed?

• Yes

• No → Can I can fax or email you a copy of that survey form now?

What is your fax number/email address?________________________

Intro5. I realize you are very busy, but would you have some time now to answer a few questions? The questions usually take about 15 minutes.

• Yes, have time

• No → When would be a good time to call you back?

Appointment Information:

APPT DAY: _________________ TIME OF DAY: _________________

Intro6. I called [Phone number]. Is this the best phone number to use to reach you?

• Yes

• No → Correct the information here: ____________________

Questionnaire Script

BLS has been asked to collect data that measures the environmental sector of the U.S. economy. Before we can do this though, we need to make sure that our survey forms are successfully capturing environmental sector data while minimizing respondent burden. The information you provide us today will help us collect the most accurate and reliable data possible, with the minimum amount of burden to respondents.

Before we begin, let me assure you that the purpose of this call is strictly for informational and statistical purposes to help us design the BLS Green Goods and Services survey forms. Your participation is completely voluntary and you can decline to answer any question at any time. Information related to this study is confidential and will not be released to the public in any way that would allow identification of individuals or establishments, except as prescribed under the conditions of the Privacy Act Notice.

NAICS index item mapping questions

1. Do you have BLS Green Goods and Services survey form that we sent to you available, so you can refer to it?

• Yes

• No → Can I can fax or email you a copy of your completed survey form now?

What is your fax number/email address?________________________

2. Do you remember or can you estimate how long it took you to complete and return this form?

____________________________ (FILL IN ANSWER)

3. Was the time it took you to complete reasonable?

• Yes

• No → Why not? ________________________________________

4. Were the instructions on how to complete the form clear?

• YES

• NO→ Which instructions were unclear?

_____________________________________________________________________

5. We asked for data for the following reference period (insert reference period information from form). Did you have any trouble understanding the reference period?

• Yes → Can you describe the problem or misunderstanding?________________________________________

• No

6. Were the items listed in Section 4 of the form easy to understand?

• Yes

• No → Can you describe the problem or misunderstanding?________________________________________

7. Did the items listed in Section 4 correspond to the products or services of your firm?

• Yes

• No → Can you describe the differences?________________________________________

8. Were you able to provide the data for section 4 of the survey form, which requested percent of revenue by specific business activities?

   • Yes

   • No → Why were you unable to provide this data?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

9. We asked for percent of revenue. Would you have found it easier to provide exact revenue?

• Yes

• No → Why not?________________________________________

10. Do you have any feedback or comments on this form or data collection initiative?

_______________________________________________________________

Those are all the questions I have for you. If there is anything else you would like us to know about your experience, please call us at 202-XXX-XXXX or send an email to XXX@bls.gov. Thank you very much for your participation and your time today.

Script for green goods and services

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO NON-RESPONDENTS

Typographical conventions: italics for programmer notes, all caps for items not read or instructions to the interviewer.

Introduction

Intro1. Hello. My name is ______________ from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS. I'm calling in reference to the Green Goods and Services survey form your business received from BLS on (date mailed). May I please speak to (contact name)?

Intro2. (Reintroduce yourself if necessary) Our records indicate you received a BLS Green Goods and Services survey form. Did you receive that survey form?

If not, do you know who received it?

Name:_______________________________

Phone:_______________________________

Fax:_________________________________

Thank you for your time (hang up and contact the name given).

Continue with correct respondent

Intro3. It would be very helpful to us if we could talk to you about why you may not have completed the survey form you received. Let me assure you that there are no penalties for not completing or submitting this form. We simply want to understand a firm’s reaction to the form and discover if there was anything we could have done to make you more likely to respond. Are you willing to answer questions about the BLS Green Goods and Services survey form?

• Yes → Go to Intro4.

• No → Why not?____________

(IF ANSWER NO) Thank you for your time. (hang up).

Thank you for your time. (hang up and contact name given).

Intro4. We routinely ask businesses to help us collect the best data possible, so we are contacting a small sample of our non-respondents to discuss their reactions to our survey forms. We use this information to design forms that improve response, data quality and minimize respondent burden. Do you have a copy of the BLS Green Goods and Services survey form?

• Yes

• No → Can I can fax or email you a copy of that survey form now?

What is your fax number/email address?________________________

Intro5. I realize you are very busy, but would you have some time now to answer a few questions? The questions usually take about 15 minutes.

• Yes, have time

• No → When would be a good time to call you back?

Appointment Information:

APPT DAY: _________________ TIME OF DAY: _________________

Intro6. I called [Phone number]. Is this the best phone number to use to reach you?

• Yes

• No → Correct the information here: ____________________

Questionnaire Script

BLS has been asked to collect data that measures the environmental sector of the U.S. economy. Before we can do this though, we need to make sure that our survey forms are successfully capturing environmental sector data while minimizing respondent burden. The information you provide us today will help us collect the most accurate and reliable data possible, with the minimum amount of burden to respondents.

Before we begin, let me assure you that the purpose of this call is strictly for informational and statistical purposes to help us design the BLS Green Goods and Services survey forms. Your participation is completely voluntary and you can decline to answer any question at any time. Information related to this study is confidential and will not be released to the public in any way that would allow identification of individuals or establishments, except as prescribed under the conditions of the Privacy Act Notice.

NAICS index item mapping questions

1. Do you have BLS Green Goods and Services survey form that we sent to you available, so you can refer to it?

• Yes

• No → Can I can fax or email you a copy of the survey form now?

What is your fax number/email address?________________________

2. Would you tell me why you did not fill out the form?

____________________________ (FILL IN ANSWER)

3. Was the reason for your non-response the nature of the survey?

• Yes

• No

4. We asked for data for the following reference period (insert reference period information from form). Did you have any trouble understanding the reference period?

• Yes → Can you describe the problem or misunderstanding?________________________________________

• No

5. Did the items listed in Section 4 correspond to the products or services of your firm?

• Yes

• No → Can you describe the differences?________________________________________

6. Does your firm track percent of revenue by the categories listed in Section 4?

   • Yes

   • No → Why were you unable to provide this data?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

7. We asked for percent of revenue. Would you have found it easier to provide exact revenue?

• Yes

• No → Why not?________________________________________

8. Do you have any feedback or comments on this form or data collection initiative?

_______________________________________________________________

Those are all the questions I have for you. If there is anything else you would like us to know about your experience, please call us at 202-XXX-XXXX or send an email to XXX@bls.gov. Thank you very much for your time.

6