Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; 2026 Census Test-Peak Data Collection, 1952-1957 [2025-00270]

Agencies

• Census Bureau
• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 6 (Friday, January 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1952-1957]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00270]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; 2026 Census Test--Peak Data Collection

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed new information collection, for the 2026 Census Test, prior to 
the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before March 11, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference ``2026 
Census Test--Peak Data Collection'' in the subject line of your 
comments. You may also submit comments, identified by Docket Number 
USBC-2024-0028, to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the public 
record. No comments will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov for 
public viewing until after the comment period has closed. Comments will 
generally be posted without change. All Personally Identifiable 
Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by 
the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential 
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. 
You may submit attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, 
Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Michael Snow, Supervisory Program Analyst, Decennial Program 
Management Office, Decennial Census Management Division, 301-763-9912, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The 2026 Census Test is the first of two major field tests planned 
to help the Census Bureau prepare for the 2030 Census. The 2026 Census 
Test is not an end-to-end test of all operations. Instead, it is a 
scaled-down version of the selected aspects of the census conducted in 
six field sites across the nation. The test also includes a nationally 
representative sample of households, who are able to respond to the 
test online, by phone, or by mail. The U.S. Census Bureau will test 
changes and enhancements planned for the 2030 Census in the real world 
and on a larger scale than research simulations allow. In 2028, a 
second test will serve as a dress rehearsal of census operations and 
handoffs between them.
    The goals of the 2026 Census Test are to test operational viability 
of new and revamped systems and methods researched and developed for 
the census, to identify, document, and address potential challenges; 
and to evaluate the efficacy of proposed changes to ensure the overall 
quality of the 2030 Census design. Some decisions, including names of 
operations and workload estimates, have yet to be made as the Census 
Bureau is finalizing the test plans; however, at this time, the Census 
Bureau can present aspects of the test that affect the public.

Self-Response

    Self-Response collects respondent information via the internet, 
phone interviews, and paper questionnaires. A description of the self-
response modes for housing units (HUs) follows in the next sections. An 
HU is a private residence for a person or small group of people (such 
as a family or group of roommates). Each housing unit must have a 
separate entrance that provides direct access to the outdoors or to a 
common space within a building (such as a hall, lobby, or stairwell) 
without having to pass through the living quarters of any other people. 
A living quarters is typically a structure that is intended for 
residential use. However, any structure or place where someone is 
living (or where someone is sleeping without having a usual home 
elsewhere) is also considered a living quarters, even if it is not 
intended for residential use.

Internet Self-Response (ISR)

    Internet Self-Response (ISR) allows the public to respond online. 
ISR was

[[Page 1953]]

available for the first time in the 2020 Census, and nearly 80 percent 
of all self-responses were collected via the ISR instrument. For the 
2026 Census Test, ISR intends to maximize online responses from HUs to 
support expected reductions in data collection via paper, telephone, 
and in-field enumeration (IFE).
    The ISR design for the 2026 Census Test builds on the successes of 
the 2020 Census. Four principles govern the design work: (1) providing 
a secure web-based application for collecting individual responses, (2) 
providing the best user experience possible, including quick and easy 
access; (3) utilizing electronic data collection instruments to 
increase data quality; and (4) ensuring that the ISR systems can 
support anticipated volumes of responses and other systems usage needs 
while adhering to all appropriate systems, information security 
policies, and procedures for ensuring data security. This is important 
because self-response data are the most accurate and improve census 
data quality.

Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA)

    Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) makes it easier for people to 
self-respond. MQA consists of scheduled community events jointly hosted 
by Census Bureau staff and community partners to engage with the public 
in communities who are hard-to-count and/or historically undercounted. 
Census Bureau staff work closely with community organizations, local 
governments, partners, and other stakeholders to host these events at 
neighborhood and community events, public gatherings, etc. to 
facilitate response to the census. MQA staff answer questions about the 
2026 Census Test, provide promotional materials, and help the public 
respond.
    The keys to improving quality and coverage are developing 
strategies to engage hard-to-count populations. MQA supports self-
response by providing an additional avenue for people to respond to the 
census, especially in areas with low or no internet access. Promotional 
materials, a social media presence, and targeted messaging for specific 
communities encourage participation. The 2026 Census Test of MQA will 
focus on designing and testing methods for operationalizing MQA rather 
than measuring increases in response rates.
    In addition, the Census Bureau is testing a data-driven approach to 
determine the most effective locations for MQA events. This approach 
examines historical and real-time data about response propensity 
(likelihood of different demographic groups or geographic areas to 
respond to the decennial census) alongside other demographic data to 
hyperfocus on those areas with historically low response rates or 
historically undercounted populations.
    Decisions concerning specific locations within the six 2026 Census 
Test sites to conduct MQA events have not yet been made. The selections 
will be based on historic response rates, demographic and logistical 
characteristics of the test sites, and the presence of partnership 
activities.

Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA)

    Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) enables enumeration by 
helping people respond to the 2026 Census Test questionnaire by phone. 
Phone Self-Response is the enumeration of HUs by telephone. The Census 
Bureau provides live customer service representatives (toll-free 
numbers) who can take a caller's census response over the phone via a 
personal interview or help them complete the questionnaire (online or 
paper) themselves. An automated front-end system uses Interactive Voice 
Response (IVR) technology to resolve basic questions, thereby reducing 
the number of agents required. Questionnaire assistance is provided in 
multiple languages as determined by research on current language needs. 
CQA also provides questionnaire support for respondents and 
administrators of specific noninstitutional group quarters (GQs). (See 
the definition of GQs in the section titled Group Quarters 
Enumeration.) Planning for CQA involves determining the expected 
inbound call volumes, the timing of peak volumes, and a plan for 
handling unexpectedly large volumes. CQA is responsible for staffing, 
training, and managing the day-to-day work of the call center during 
peak production. CQA analyzes data trends to enhance customer 
experience and provide efficient and accurate assistance.

Paper Data Capture (PDC)

    Paper Data Capture (PDC) collects 2026 Census Test responses on 
paper questionnaires. It is largely unchanged from the 2020 Census 
design. The PDC process consists of steps including mail receipt, 
document preparation, scanning and keying. A quality assurance (QA) 
process guarantees accurate data capture. Enhancements focus on 
improving system and processing efficiencies.

In-Field Enumeration (IFE)

    IFE is a field activity that collects responses in person. IFE 
captures the status of HUs and enumerates HUs that do not or cannot 
self-respond. This includes follow-up with nonmailable addresses and 
those that require an in-person visit for quality control purposes. For 
the 2026 Census Test, IFE covers the scope of three 2020 Census 
operations (Nonresponse Followup [NRFU], Update Leave [UL], and Update 
Enumerate [UE]) and comprises four components:
     IFE Contact Strategy Development.
     In-Field HU Enumeration.
     Remote Enumeration (including IFE for nonmailable 
addresses).
     In-Field Quality Control.
    For the 2026 Census Test, IFE will be collecting information to 
create cost and staffing estimates to inform 2030 Census IFE estimates 
by:
     Determining field staff productivity and workload metrics.
     Identifying estimated caseload and staffing needs.
     Estimating costs.
    The 2026 Census Test IFE will implement numerous enhancements to 
streamline data collection, reduce time in the field, and improve data 
accuracy. These improvements (on a mobile device) include functionality 
that provides field staff an address list with a map, allows users to 
add and delete addresses, view surrounding addresses, and link 
duplicate addresses. Improvements also include capabilities to make 
universe conversions. (e.g., move HU cases to the GQ or transitory 
locations [TLs] universe, if necessary)

Multi-Operation Enumerators

    The 2026 Census Test will train and deploy multi-operation field 
staff. In past censuses, field staff were hired and trained to work 
exclusively on specific operations. If a GQ facility or a TL was 
erroneously included in the housing-unit workload, they could not move 
these cases to the proper operation or conduct an interview. Cross-
training some field staff to enumerate HUs, GQs, and TLs will increase 
operational efficiency. The success of this solution relies on 
equipping field staff with an automated case list that facilitates the 
transfer of cases between operations.

Group Quarters Enumeration (GQE)

    For the 2026 Census Test, we will develop address and contact 
frames for GQs and TLs by using external data files from stakeholders, 
internal files (such as the Joint Justice Frame), and web scraping of 
the internet for select GQ and TL types. A GQ is a place that is 
designed to house a (usually large) group of people who typically are 
nonrelatives and have similar objectives, needs, or restrictions. These 
places provide care or services or the

[[Page 1954]]

occupants (such as supervision, health care, or other types of 
assistance) and/or have certain communal facilities that are shared by 
the occupants (such as communal bathrooms or kitchens). GQs include a 
range of unconventional household compositions or locations such as 
college/university student housing, residential treatment centers, 
nursing/skilled nursing facilities, group homes, correctional 
facilities, military barracks, and workers' dormitories. People living 
or staying in GQs on April 1, 2026 (Census Day) are counted during 
Group Quarters Enumeration (GQE).
    A TL is a place where people are unlikely to live year-round 
because of the transitory/temporary nature of the living quarters at 
the location. Generally, people living or staying at a transitory 
location either pay fees to stay there, or they work there temporarily. 
TLs include recreational vehicle (RV) parks and campgrounds, marinas, 
hotels, motels, hostels, racetracks, circuses, and carnivals/fairs/
rodeos. TL residents are counted by Enumeration at Transitory Locations 
(ETL). ETL is not in scope for the 2026 Census Test. However, office 
and field staff must be able to identify and move these cases from the 
HU or GQ universes or vice versa.
    Before GQE begins, the Census Bureau contacts GQ administrators to 
select a method to enumerate their residents. (For more information on 
GQ Advance Contact, see its Federal Register Notice https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-25592.) The GQ administrator is a vital 
link between the Census Bureau and the facility residents; we could not 
count the residents without their cooperation and assistance. Group 
Quarters Advance Contact (GQAC) not only updates/verifies GQ contact 
information but also collects information about each GQ they manage or 
are responsible for.
    The 2026 Census Test will evaluate numerous enhancements to the 
various GQE data collection strategies such as GQ Advance Contact, 
eResponse, automation of in-field data collection, and GQ ISR for 
residents of specific GQ types.

Quality Assurance (QA) Efforts

    We are focused on methods to improve data quality in all aspects of 
the 2030 Census. We are testing some of these methods in the 2026 
Census Test whereas others are out of scope as the Census Bureau 
further develops the systems, metrics, and operational procedures.
    For the 2026 Census Test, the public-facing aspects include:
     Census Data Quality Assurance (CDQA): Re-collects self-
response cases that trigger concern about either data quality, 
transmission errors, or fraudulent responses.
     Field data collection QA: Reinterviews households to 
detect and deter field staff falsification and correct deficient work.
     GQ data collection QA: For the 2026 Census Test, a sample 
of GQ field enumeration cases will be selected for quality control 
(QC), and Census Bureau staff will conduct telephone reinterviews for 
the sample set to confirm that the field staffer visited the site and 
that the total population count is correct. Other methods for ensuring 
high-quality data collection are integrated into staff management 
activities. This includes field reinterviews of selected cases whereby 
the original collected data are compared to the reinterview data.

II. Method of Collection

    The 2026 Census Test will take place in six sites within the 
continental United States: Western Texas (Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, 
and Presidio counties); Tribal Lands Within Arizona (Fort Apache 
Reservation, home to the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and San Carlos 
Reservation, home to the San Carlos Apache Tribe); Colorado Springs, CO 
(selected areas within the metro area); Western North Carolina, 
(Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, and Swain counties, and Qualla Boundary, 
home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians); Spartanburg, SC 
(selected areas within the metro area); and Huntsville, AL (selected 
areas within the metro area).
    These locations were chosen because they possess particular 
characteristics that support the Census Bureau's focus on six 
enhancement areas, including: making it easier for people to respond on 
their own online, by phone, or by mail; improving in-person household 
data collection; improving methods for counting people living in GQs; 
enhancing outreach efforts to create awareness and encourage responses; 
enhancing the infrastructure that supports census operations; and 
processing data concurrently with data collection.

Self-Response

    Self-Response makes it easy to respond to the 2026 Census Test by 
offering internet options in addition to paper questionnaires through 
the mail. The Census Bureau sends letters, postcards, and 
questionnaires to HUs encouraging them to self-respond. In addition, 
people calling the Census Bureau for help may self-respond by 
completing the questions over the phone. Self-response reduces costly 
in-person follow-up and reduces respondent burden.
    The national sample for the 2026 Census Test includes a control 
panel with mailings identical to those being sent for the site portion 
of the test. Additionally, three experimental panels will help refine 
the mailing strategies and materials used in the 2023 Census Test, the 
2024 Census Survey, and the 2024 National Census Survey. Selected sites 
of the 2026 Census Test will receive Every Door Direct Mail as part of 
the mailing strategy.

Internet Self-Response

    Internet Self-Response (ISR) allows the public to respond through 
an online questionnaire. Improvements for the 2026 Census Test are 
concentrated on creating an application that performs effectively 
across different devices, aiming to deliver a positive user experience 
and boost response rates. We are enhancing the online tool to improve 
data quality while minimizing respondent burden and the need for 
follow-up to ensure complete coverage.
    The 2026 Census Test will allow respondents to complete the online 
questionnaire with or without a census ID (Non-ID). Respondents who do 
not enter a census ID (Non-ID) and instead enter an address, the 
Centralized Decennial Address Control (CDAC) system will attempt to 
match the respondent's address to the Census Bureau's address list 
allowing Non-ID responses is key to facilitating quick, easy and 
accurate completion of the census questionnaire.

Paper Questionnaire Response

    Paper questionnaires (English only or bilingual English and 
Spanish) will be sent to select HUs in the first mailing as determined 
by the 2026 Census Test mail strategy. If no response is received after 
the third mailing, packages containing a questionnaire will be mailed 
to all non-responding HUs in the fourth mailing.

Census Questionnaire Assistance

    CQA is a telephone enumeration option for all HU and a subset of GQ 
respondents and functions as a census helpline.
    When people call, live customer service representatives offer to 
take their 2026 Census Test response over the telephone, using the CQA-
Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) instrument. This method 
of telephone enumeration was conducted in the 2020 Census and proved 
effective in improving response rates. In addition, CQA allows HU 
respondents to request

[[Page 1955]]

a paper questionnaire by mail, if they prefer that option.

Mobile Questionnaire Assistance

    Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA) events are collaborative 
events hosted by Census Bureau staff, community partners, and other 
stakeholders. At MQA events during the 2026 Census Test, the public can 
respond in the following ways:
     Census Bureau staff provide a mobile device with a 
questionnaire link or paper questionnaires for the public to complete 
on their own or with staff guidance.
     Census Bureau staff interview the public, directly 
capturing responses electronically on their Census Bureau-provided 
mobile device.
     The public completes the 2026 Census Test questionnaire 
electronically on their own personal device using a Census Bureau-
provided Quick Response (QR) code. MQA promotional materials contain 
the QR code and questionnaire link. People can respond at the event or 
complete the census questionnaire online later. This QR code can be 
shared with a friend, family member, etc.
    Census Bureau staff are also available at the event to answer 
questions and provide additional information and promotional materials.

In-Field Enumeration

    For the 2026 Census Test, a consolidated HU IFE data collection 
will be conducted that combines nonmailable cases, nonresponse follow-
up cases, and other field interview cases. The goals of field data 
collection include:
     Conduct streamlined in-field data collection.
    [cir] Provide fully automated data collection for all HU types.
    [cir] Begin field enumeration closer to the start of self-response 
for selected cases as part of the Early In-Field Enumeration Phase of 
the operation.
    [cir] Include workloads for nonmailable HUs, cases in college 
areas, cases in areas with many seasonal vacancies, and nonresponse 
follow-up cases.
    [cir] Implement a case assignment methodology that varies by case 
type and geography.
    [cir] Implement a three-phased approach to in-field data 
collection--Enumeration phase, nonresponse follow-up phase, and 
closeout phase.
     Complete cases with the same or better data quality than 
traditional field interviews using in-field self-response enumeration 
methods. These methods aim to:
    [cir] Increase the case completion rate for IFE by using an in-
field self-response option.
    [cir] Reduce interview breakoffs.
    [cir] Reduce language barriers.
    [cir] Reduce refusals.
    [cir] Reduce the item nonresponse rate for all housing and 
demographic items.
    [cir] Reduce contact attempts.
    [cir] Increase Protected Identification Key (PIK) rates, which are 
the percentage of records to which the Census Bureau can assign a 
unique identifier.
     Provide a QR code that allows respondents to answer the 
census on their own devices.
    [cir] Increase the number of cases that self-respond after an in-
field contact attempt.
    [cir] Reduce respondent burden.

Group Quarters Enumeration

    The GQ enumeration cycle begins by contacting the GQ administrator 
before the enumeration period. This advance contact allows the Census 
Bureau to collect information about the GQ (e.g., the expected Census 
Day population, the preferred enumeration method, and the date 
scheduled to conduct the enumeration) to prepare for the GQE. During 
the 2020 Census, GQAC was conducted by telephone (in-office interview) 
or a personal visit (in-field interview) with the GQ administrator. For 
the 2026 Census Test, advance contact information will also be 
collected by phone or by in-person visit. The GQAC will produce the 
workload for GQE.
    For the 2026 Census Test, the information collection methods for 
GQE are:
     In-Person Interview: Field staff interview residents 
individually, using a mobile device.
     Drop Off/Pick Up of Questionnaires: Field staff drop off 
questionnaires for each resident to complete and collect them on an 
agreed-upon date. The residents will be provided information to respond 
online if they choose.
     Facility Self-Enumeration: The GQ administrator is sworn 
in, distributes questionnaires to residents, and collects completed 
documents for pick-up by field staff. This method is limited to 
correctional facilities, healthcare facilities, and military quarters.
     Paper Response Data Collection (PRDC or ``paper 
listings''): The GQ administrator provides a paper listing containing 
resident data.
     Group Quarters Electronic Data Transfer (eResponse): 
eResponse was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020 
Census as an alternative to paper data collection. This tool has been 
enhanced for the 2026 Census Test. GQ administrators will be provided 
(via email) a user ID and link to the eResponse questionnaire to input 
client-level data (a choice of multiple formats) for each GQ they are 
responsible for or manage, and they can submit it via a secure portal.
     Group Quarters Internet Self-Response (GQ ISR): GQ ISR is 
a new data collection method for the 2026 Census Test to encourage 
online response. There are two components to GQ ISR:
    [cir] The Census Bureau Emails Residents the Questionnaire Link: 
The GQ administrator will receive a link to a secure online system and 
will be asked to enter or upload a list of the names and email 
addresses of all the people who were staying at the group quarters on 
April 1, 2026. The Census Bureau will email each person a link to the 
Census ID to respond online.
    [cir] The Census Bureau Provides an Invitation Letter to Residents: 
If the GQ Administrator wants residents to respond online but prefers 
not to provide the residents' email addresses to the Census Bureau, 
field staff will go to the GQ at the agreed upon date and time to drop 
off invitation letters for the GQ administrator to distribute to the 
residents. Each letter contains a link to the census questionnaire, a 
QR code, and a Census ID that must be entered when responding online. 
The GQ administrator will distribute the letter to each person staying 
at the GQ on April 1, 2026.

Quality Assurance Efforts

    The 2026 Census Test will incorporate QA processes in all aspects 
of its data collection such as activities that track collected response 
data and examine them for anomalies relating to the data collection 
process, potential data falsification, and completeness of responses. 
For both re-collect cases (HU self-responses requiring an in-field 
follow-up interview) and reinterview cases (HUs selected for 
reinterview as part of the QA process), field staff reinterview these 
HUs using the automated instrument on their mobile device.
    In-Field QA also involves selecting a sample (one of the first 
three eligible cases) of a field staffer's cases for reinterview. 
Thereafter, every nth case completed will be selected for reinterview, 
while other cases are designated for reinterview using analytic 
sampling. Cases that display anomalies in the response data, paradata, 
or Global Positioning System (GPS) data are flagged for reinterview.

[[Page 1956]]

Additionally, some cases may be selected to assess the work of field 
staff suspected of not conducting interviews properly. During 
reinterview, a member of the field staff other than the one who 
conducted the initial interview returns to the selected address. The 
reinterview data are compared to the original (production) interview 
data through computer matching. Data that do not meet the specified 
matching criteria undergo a clerical review and are assigned a final 
outcome. Field staff who falsify responses or consistently produce poor 
quality work (coverage and completeness errors) undergo on-the-job 
training or are released from employment.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-XXXX.
    Form Number(s):

 Self -Response Mailings: D6-LF1(E/S), D6-FL1(E/S), D6-L, D6-
EO-F1(E/S), D6-LC1(E/S), D6-Q1(E/S), D6-Q1(E), D6-FA4(E/S), D6-LI, D6-
EO-C1(E/S), D6-ER4(E/S), D6-L2(E/S), D6-EO2(E/S), D6-EO2T(E/S), D6-
P3(E/S), D6-P3e, D6-L4(E/S), D6-Q1(E), D6-EO4(E/S), D6-P5(E/S)
 In-Field Enumeration: D6-IS1-IFE(E/S), D6-NV2(E/S), D6-IS2(E/
S), D6-ID, D6-ER4(E/S), D6-LI-IFE, D6-P-IFE(E/S), D6-P3e-IFE
 Group Quarters: D6-Q-GE, D6-Q-GE(S), D6-E-GE(E/S), D6-ER-GE(E/
S), D6-LFM-GE(E/S), D6-LC1-GE(E/S), D6-CN-GE(E/S), D6-B-GE, D6-B-GE(S), 
D6-T-GE, D6-ID
 Mobile Questionnaire Assistance (MQA): D6-FY-MQA, D6-ID
 Experimental Mailings: D6-LF1-XA(E/S), D6-FL1-X(E/S), D6-LI, 
D6-EO-F1(E/S), D6-L2-XA(E/S), D6-EO2(E/S), D6-P3-XA(E/S), D6-L4-XA(E/
S), D6-EO2(E/S), D6-P5-XA(E/S), D6-L4(E/S), D6-Q1(E/S), D6-FA4(E/S), 
D6-EO4(E/S), D6-ER4(E/S), D6-P5-XA(E/S), D6-LF1-XC(E/S), D6-FL1-X(E/S), 
D6-L2-XC(E/S), D6-EO2(E/S), D6-ER4(E/S), D6-P5 (E/S), D6-LC1(E/S), D6-
Q1(E/S), D6-FA4(E/S), D6-EO-C1(E/S), D6-L2-XC(E/S), D6-P3-XC(E/S), D6-
L4(E/S)
 Draft Content Specifications for Electronic Instruments: D6-
QE-ISR, D6-QE-CQA, D6-QE-IFE, D6-QE-GA, D6-QFE-GA, D6-QME-GQ, D6-QE-GE, 
D6-T-GR, D6-QFE-GE
 Draft Content Specifications for Emails: D6-EM-GA, D6-EM-GE, 
D6-EM-GR

    Type of Review: New Information Collection Request.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents:

Self-Response--370,000
In-Field Enumeration--223,000
Group Quarters--22,500
Quality Efforts--15,900
The total estimated number of respondents is 631,850.

    Estimated Time Per Response:

Self-Response--10 minutes
In-Field Enumeration--10 minutes
Group Quarters
    Self-Response methods (resident level)--5 minutes
    eResponse/internet Self Response (administrator level)--20 minutes
Quality Efforts--10 minutes
    CDQA, IFE Reinterview--10 minutes
    Group Quarters Quality Control--5 minutes
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 103,502

                                                2026 Census Test
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Estimated    Estimated time
                      Operation or category                          number of     per response    Total burden
                                                                    respondents      (minutes)         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Self-Response...................................................         370,000              10          61,667
In-Field Enumeration............................................         223,000              10          37,167
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Group Quarters
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GQ Enumeration--Self-Response Methods (resident level)..........          22,500               5           1,875
GQ Enumeration--eResponse/Internet Self Response (administrator              450              20             150
 level).........................................................
Group Quarters Subtotal.........................................          22,950  ..............           2,025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Quality Efforts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQA............................................................           2,300              10             384
IFE Reinterview.................................................          13,500              10           2,250
Group Quarters QC...............................................             100               5               9
Quality Efforts Subtotal........................................          15,900  ..............           2,643
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................................         631,850  ..............         103,502
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product to ensure 
appropriate access, use, and disclosure avoidance protection of the 
confidential source data (Project No. P-7528546, P-7532093, P-7532126, 
P-7529919, Disclosure Review Board (DRB) approval number: CBDRB-FY25-
DSSD007-0001 and CBDRB-FY19-539).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: There are no costs to 
respondents other than their time to participate in this data 
collection.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections 141, 193 and 221.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your

[[Page 1957]]

comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025-00270 Filed 1-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P