30 Day Federal Register Notice for Qualitative Research To Improve 2030 Census Communications

AGENCY:

U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by email to [email protected]. Please reference "Qualitative Research to Improve 2030 Census Communications" in the subject line of your comments. You may also submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2026-0397, to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to http://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 Betsarí Otero Class, Survey Statistician, Center for Behavioral Science Methods, by phone at 301-763-2235 or by email to [email protected].

Title: Qualitative Research to Improve 2030 Census Communications.

OMB Control Number: 0607-0725.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Number of Respondents: 250 for screening, 50 for interviews.

Average Hours per Response: 10 minutes per response for screening (42 hours), 60 minutes for each interview (50 hours).

Burden Hours: 92 hours.

Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for 2030 Census small-scale testing and updates (OMB number 0607-0725). Staff from the Center for Behavioral Science Methods, in collaboration with decennial census content, language, and communications researchers, seek approval to conduct in-depth, qualitative interviews as part of 2030 Census research. The goal is to gain insights that will help us improve census communications and ultimately to improve the census count.

2030 Census communications research includes ongoing measurement of attitudes toward the Census Bureau and federal surveys by replicating and expanding on the successful Census Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Study (CBAMS) Survey conducted to inform the 2010 and 2020 Censuses. Tracking and monitoring attitudes toward the decennial census in the intercensal years helps establish a baseline understanding of public opinion as a starting point for messaging, and how public opinion may change as the 2030 Census gets closer. Monitoring opinions and sentiments throughout the decade will allow the Census Bureau to develop a communications campaign that responds to issues or events that might affect self-response rates in the 2030 Census. The Qualitative Research to Improve 2030 Census Communications project aims to address these issues regarding census communications and the census count.

Qualitative methods such as interviews and participant observation can give insight into issues of census enumeration and census communications. When these and other qualitative methods are used in combination, this type of immersive research approach is particularly useful to learn about populations with different viewpoints.

We will conduct the 50 interviews both virtually and in-person with participants who live across the U.S. and Puerto Rico (in-person interviews may be conducted with eligible participants living in the Washington, DC metro area and Puerto Rico). The interviews will be conducted by Census Bureau staff from the Center for Behavioral Science Methods (CBSM).

The purpose of this research is to complement quantitative research to improve census communications and ultimately the census count by learning more about (a) why some households do not complete the census, and (b) themes that can inform compelling census communications. We plan to conduct this research virtually across the U.S., and in person where possible in areas that were selected in part because they have populations or geographies that are particularly challenging to enumerate, as well as Puerto Rico. We will conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with participants and discuss their living situations, their awareness of and experiences participating in the census, and other census topics. Results of this research will be used to help design communications and advertising messages for the 2030 Census and will ultimately help to improve the 2030 Census count.

Affected Public: Individuals.

Frequency: Once.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 141, 182, 191.

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 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.