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

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 ______________ I’m calling on behalf of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I'm calling in reference to the Green Goods and Services survey form your business submitted to BLS on (date rec’d at ORI). 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. I realize you are very busy, but would you have time to answer a few questions? The questions usually take about 15 minutes.

• Yes, have time NOW

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

Appointment Information:

APPT DAY: _________________ TIME OF DAY: _________________

CONFIRM PHONE NUMBER:____________________________________

Would you like me to fax or email you a copy of your returned form for reference during the interview before I call you back?

• Yes → What is your fax number/email?: ________________

• No (ALReaDY HAVE A COPY OR DON’T NEED ONE)

Thank you.

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 the 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? I will call you right back on this number once I send this out (RESCHEDULE APPT IF NEEDED).

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. Look at the instructions for each question. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all helpful and 5 being very clear and straightforward, how clear and helpful are the instructions?

• 1 →Which instructions were unclear?______________________________

• 2 → Which instructions were unclear?______________________________

• 3 → Which instructions were unclear?______________________________

• 4

• 5

• OTHER____________________________________

5. We asked for data for the following reference period (insert reference period information from form) in Section 3. Did you have any trouble understanding the reference period?

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

• No

6. We asked for employment counts for the pay period that included September 12, 2009 in Section 4. Did you have any trouble understanding the question?

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

• No

7. Were the items listed in Section 5 of the form easy to understand?

• Yes

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

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

• Yes

• No → Can you describe the differences?________________________________________

9. Were you able to provide the data for section 5 of the survey form, which requested percent of revenue by specific business activities?

   • Yes

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

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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

• Yes

• No → Why not?________________________________________

11. (DO THE MATH CALCULATING EMPLOYMENT FOR ONE OF THE INDEX ITEMS USING INFO FROM ITEM 4 AND ITEM 5). BLS is looking at using revenue shares to estimate employment associated with that activity. Is (CALCULATED NUMBER) a reasonable estimate for the employment, including support and administrative staff, associated with (INDEX ITEM FROM ITEM 5)?

• Yes

• No → Why not?________________________________________

12. 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 202-691-5185 or send an email to GGS@bls.gov. Thank you very much for your participation and your time today.

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