GQETCS OMB Statement

OMB Memo

Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Capability Survey (GQETCS)

OMB Number 0607-0725

May 26, 2015

The U.S. Census Bureau is underway with its planning efforts for the 2020 Census. Census will streamline data collection processes and implement new and improved methods to count the U.S. population for the 2020 Census. One such method is the use of electronic administrative records (ARs) data. This includes counting individuals residing in Group Quarters (GQs), such as college residence halls, residential treatment centers, skilled-nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, hospitals, military installations, and locations servicing individuals experiencing homelessness.

Under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725), the Special Enumeration Program Branch (SEPB) of the U.S. Census Bureau plans to conduct the Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Capability Survey (GQETCS) in June over a six-week period. The purpose of this online, nine question survey (see attached screenshots), is to explore the availability of administrative records data and the capability of GQ administrators and/or each primary GQ contact under their jurisdiction to electronically send those records directly to the Census Bureau.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Enterprise Internet Solutions (EIS) team will develop the GQETCS survey using the Centurion system. The Centurion system enables Census to promise confidentiality of collected data. The SEPB staff will engage approximately 200 GQ administrators, the same stakeholders for which Census had partnership agreements with for the 2010 Group Quarters Operations. Census will mail letters to these GQ administrators, along with their individual user ID and password requesting their responses to the survey questions. SEPB will remind administrators to complete the survey as needed with a phone call.

GQ administrators will access the GQETCS survey via a secure URL. At the point of entry, a link to the Privacy Act Statement (see attached) will be displayed to inform the administrator of 1) the collection authority for the survey, 2) the purpose of the collection, 3) the use for the collection and disclosure information, and 4) a statement regarding the voluntary submission of personal information and the consequence for not providing it. The total estimated burden for GQ administrators to respond to the GQETCS is 50 hours (200 administrators x 15 minutes), dependent upon whether they include any written comments for question 9.

The following reference documents are attached:

• Attachment 1 – Request letter from Lisa Blumerman, Associate Director for the 2020 Census and Decennial Census Programs

• Attachment 2 - Screen Shots of the Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Capability Survey (GQETCS)

• Attachment 3 - Privacy Act Statement

• Attachment 4 – Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The primary contact person for questions regarding this effort is:

Latrice Brogsdale-Davis, Supervisory Statistician

U.S. Census Bureau

DCMD HQ-3H584B

4600 Silver Hill Road

Washington, DC 20233

Email: Latrice.M.Brogsdale.Davis@census.gov

Phone: 301.763.7337

The secondary contact person for questions regarding this effort is:

Dora Durante, Branch Chief

U.S. Census Bureau

DCMD HQ-3H592

4600 Silver Hill Road

Washington, DC 20233

Email: Dora.B.Durante@census.gov

Phone: 301.763.9371

Attachment 1

[Date]

Dear Group Quarter Administrator:

The U.S. Census Bureau is underway with its planning efforts for the 2020 Census. We have gleaned lessons learned from the 2010 Census and are excited about streamlining data collection processes and implementing new and improved methods to count the U.S. population for the 2020 Census. This includes taking a different approach to count people in facilities such as yours also known as Group Quarters. Group Quarters (GQs) include college residence halls, residential treatment centers, skilled-nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, hospitals, military installations, and locations servicing individuals experiencing homelessness. Critical to our success to accurately count individuals residing in GQs, is to establish and maintain partnerships with you and other group quarter administrators.

The goal of our improved data collection process is to conduct the 2020 Census at a lower cost per group quarter facility than in the 2010 Census, while maintaining high-quality results. This includes the initiative to reduce paper operations, explore the availability for using administrative records (internal records that you maintain on a regular basis) and have the capability to receive these records electronically via a secure transfer protocol for the 2020 Census.

Reducing the burden on you and your staff to report Census data is a driving force and motivating factor in pursuing this streamlined electronic records approach to count individuals in preparation for the 2020 Census. In an effort to significantly cut costs and reduce or eliminate the paper questionnaire, the Census Bureau plans to conduct a 2016 Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Test to explore the availability of administrative records, and the capability of GQ administrators and/or each primary GQ contact under your jurisdiction to electronically send those records directly to the Census Bureau.

In preparation for the 2016 Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Test, we request your assistance with a short pre-test survey, the Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Capability Survey, that will help us better design the 2016 test. Please complete this survey online by going to https://respond.census.gov/gqetc and answering the following questions:

1. Do you have the data items listed below readily available electronically for each GQ facility/building under your jurisdiction?

• Address information for each GQ facility under your jurisdiction

• Type of each GQ facility under your jurisdiction

• Maximum number of individuals that can stay in each GQ

The Group Quarters (GQ) Electronic Transfer Capability Survey collection is authorized under OMB number 0607-0725

(Approval Expiration – September 30, 2016).

• Demographic information for those residing in the GQs to include:

• Name

• Sex

• Age & Date of Birth

• Hispanic Origin & Race(s)

2. What type of file format can you provide the data items (e.g., Excel, Text, Word, Database format, SPSS, SAS, etc.)?

3. Do you have the ability to provide and electronically transmit (via Internet) these data to the Census Bureau?

In order to accomplish the goals of the 2016 Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Test and the 2020 Census, we need the cooperation and support of potential partners (administrators, managers, and proprietors of group quarter facilities), such as yourself. While your response to the pre-test survey is voluntary, it is vitally important. The past cooperation of GQ administrators was instrumental to the overall success of counting the Group Quarters population in 2010, and again, we ask for your support.

Please know that all information is confidential and protected by law, and we cannot share it with anyone or any other government agency.

We would appreciate your response to the online survey within two weeks from the date of this letter. If we have not received your response within this timeframe, a staff member from the Special Enumeration Program Branch (SEPB) will contact you directly to obtain the information. If you have any questions, please email the SEPB staff at dcmd.gqetcs@census.gov or

call 301-763-9333.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Blumerman

Associate Director for the 2020 Census and Decennial Census Programs

Enclosures:

Privacy Act Statement

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The Group Quarters (GQ) Electronic Transfer Capability Survey collection is authorized under OMB number 0607-0725

(Approval Expiration – September 30, 2016).

Attachment 3

Privacy Act Statement

Authority for the collection of information for the 2016 Group Quarters Electronic Transfer Test is provided under 13 U.S.C. §§141 and 193.

The purpose of collecting this information is to explore the availability of using administrative records and test the capability to receive these data electronically from group quarters administrators and/or each primary GQ contact under their jurisdiction. Personal information collected includes contact name, name of agency, agency address, telephone number, and email address.

Disclosure of the information provided to us is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a) and may be shared with other Census Bureau staff for the work-related purposes identified in this statement. Disclosure of this information is also subject to the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Record Notice COMMERCE/CENSUS-5, Decennial Census Program.

Personal information submitted on this system is voluntary, however, failure to provide the information will affect the Census Bureau’s ability to conduct group quarters enumeration during the 2020 Decennial Census.

Attachment 4

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Statement

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average fifteen minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Paperwork Project 0607-0725, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Room 3H584B, Washington, DC 20233. You may e-mail comments to Paperwork@census.gov; use "Paperwork Project 0607-0725" as the subject.