Request for NSC

The U.S. Census Bureau requests permission to make non-substantive changes to the questionnaire under the clearance for the Federal Statistical System Public Opinion Survey (OMB number 0607-0969). The objective of this research is to gather data on public understanding of and trust in Federal Statistical Agencies and federal statistics. These public opinion data will enable the Census Bureau to better understand public perceptions, which will provide guidance for communicating with the public and for future planning of data collection that reflects a good understanding of public perceptions and concerns.

From February 2012 through September 2013, the Census Bureau added 25 questions nightly onto an ongoing data collection by the Gallup Daily Tracking Survey. From October 2013 through March 2014, the Census Bureau added 10 questions to the survey. Under a recompeted contract, Gallup resumed data collection on September 15, 2014 continuing through the end of this clearance on August 28, 2015. When clearance was granted again on October 23, 2015, we reinstated the 5 core items as well as the first set of rotational items under this clearance.

Core questions focus on awareness of and attitudes towards federal statistics and federal statistical agencies. Five questions are core time series questions and there is the option to collect data on up to 20 other items on a rotational basis. We are proposing asking a series of questions on reasons for not wanting to respond by internet for the 2020 Census. These questions will help the Decennial Census program look for ways to encourage internet response and mediate potential fears. The second set of questions that we are proposing are about public opinion towards a centralized clearinghouse of government data and under what circumstances the public might be more likely to favor such a thing.

OMB and Census have agreed that these rotating questions constitute non-substantive changes to this submission. Attached to this letter is the tracking document that contains a complete history of all questions asked and the date that each question was or is planned to be asked.

We are requesting to field these questions for 100 nights from approximately January 1 through April 10, 2017.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and study design is:

Jennifer Hunter Childs

Center for Survey Measurement

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C. 20233

202-603-4827

jennifer.hunter.childs@census.gov