Section B Justification

Supporting Statement

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Census Bureau

Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions

OMB Control Number 0607-0143

(F10)

Section B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Description of Universe

The 100 largest public retirement systems, as determined by their total cash and security holdings reported in the 2012 Census of Governments, account for about 87.2 percent of the total assets of all state and local government retirement systems. These 100 systems are the universe for the survey.

After a census has been taken, it is considered best practice to reselect the largest 100 retirement systems. The second quarter for 2014 presented data from the new universe of the 100 largest public retirement systems. The previous quarters represent data from the old universe. Three of the 100 units from the old universe were replaced with new retirement systems. The Census Bureau released a report online that contains the bridge between the old and new units for the first and second quarter of 2014. The universe will be reexamined after the 2017 Census of Governments. Any changes to the universe will be implemented for the first quarter of 2019 with another bridge report to provide data users with a link between the old universe and the new universe.

This survey does not produce any statistical estimates for the public-employee retirement systems universe.

2. Sampling Methodology and Estimating Procedures

The data in this survey are from all 100 units in the target population. Therefore, all weights are 1.0000, and the estimates are simple aggregations of reported and imputed data. On average, 5 to 20 percent of the responses are imputed.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

Of those who respond to the survey, 100 percent are submitted via internet. All of the 100 respondents will receive an email reminder encouraging them to report online.

In an effort to maximize response Census Bureau staffs have initiated the following over the past three years:

1. Improved telephone follow-up:

Staff use prior response rate analysis to determine which units report when, focusing follow-up efforts on the early reporting respondents in the early weeks and later reporting respondents in the later weeks, thereby attaining response rate goals methodically and more efficiently.

2. Efficient data compilation:

Staff research which public pensions publish financial data on the Internet and maintain a record of these systems. If these systems do not report by data collection closeout, staffs compile data from the Internet for these particular units. Late reporting units use the option to submit late data for prior quarters as well as submit revisions to prior quarter data. Revisions are made to the prior quarter data releases to incorporate these late receipts and revisions.

Useable replies are received each quarter from 88.4% of respondents on average.

3. Testing of Procedures

The frequency, limited scope, flexibility, and continuity of this survey make it essentially self-testing. The Census Bureau has conducted this survey since 1968 and the content has changed very little over the past 23 years. During both technical and non-response follow-up calls, we emphasize our flexibility concerning formats and procedures and encourage the survey panel to report electronically to facilitate their responses.

5. Contact

Contact the person listed below for statistical aspects and data collection:

Phillip Vidal

Chief, Pension Statistics Branch

Governments Division

(301)763-1749

phillip.m.vidal@census.gov

Attachments

1. Form F-10

2. Request Emails

3. Collection Instrument Screenshots

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