OMB Memo for 2020 Census Special Enumerations

Memorandum for: Office of Management and Budget
Department: Commerce
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau
Subject: 2020 Census - Special Enumerations
OMB Control Number: 0607-1006
Expiration Date: 11/30/2021
This memorandum has the objective of describing in full the details of collections for categories
of group quarters (GQs) and other special enumerations. Federal Register Notices (FRNs) published to
date have provided some background information but have not described fully the scope, flow of
activities, collection instruments, burden estimates, and recent program updates for the GQ data
collections and other special enumerations. For the sake of presenting a comprehensive picture, these
programs will be described in full in this memorandum. In addition, the subsequent planned revision to
the 2020 Census package will include these updates.
Group Quarters Operation
The 2020 Census Group Quarters operation will enumerate people living or staying in GQs and
will provide an opportunity for people experiencing homelessness and receiving service at a servicebased location, such as a soup kitchen, to be counted in the census.
The 2020 Census GQ operation consists of the following components:


GQ Frame Update.



GQ Advance Contact.



GQ Enumeration.



Service-Based Enumeration.

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

Military Enumeration.



Maritime/Military Vessel (Shipboard) Enumeration.

GQ Frame Update
The 2020 Census GQ Frame Update program supports the 2020 Census enumeration frame
development for the 2020 Census Group Quarters Enumeration. Building from the 2010 Census, the GQ
frame incorporates updates from the 2020 Census Local Update of Census Addresses, Address
Canvassing, and New Construction operations, as well as the Census Bureau’s American Community
Survey. Local Update of Census Addresses is described in Federal Register Notice “Local Update of
Census Addresses Operation,” November 7, 2016, (Vol. 81, No. 215, pp 78109-78110, FR Doc. 201626778), while New Construction is described in Federal Register Notice “2020 Census New Construction
Program,” October 5, 2018, (Vol. 83, No. 194, pp 50332-50334, FR Doc. 2018-21698). The Address
Canvassing operation is part of the 2020 Census package and has been described in Federal Register
Notice “2020 Census,” October 2, 2018, (Vol. 83 No. 181, pp 49535-49539, FR Doc. 21386).
The GQ Frame Update was not fully described in Federal Register Notices. The 30-day Federal
Register Notice contained a burden estimate for a GQ Update phase, for which only domestic violence
shelter address data collection was described. This phase contained an estimated 7,168 respondents,
with an average response burden of 10 minutes and a total burden of 1,195 hours. The current domestic
violence shelter estimated totals are shown in Table 1 below. The plans for domestic violence shelter
enumeration are described below.
GQ Advance Contact
The GQ Advance Contact has both in-office and in-field activities. The in-office GQ Advance
Contact is an area census office activity in which GQs identified in prior frame update phases are called
on the telephone. During the contact, preferred dates and times to visit the GQ are gathered, as well as
methods of enumeration, and expected population on Census Day are collected. Special instructions or
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concerns related to privacy, confidentiality, and security are also addressed. For cases that staff are
unable to contact or resolve during the in-office advance contact, field supervisors make an in-field visit
to the GQs to collect this data.
GQ Enumeration
As described in prior FRNs, the GQ Enumeration operation covers all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The GQ enumeration uses a variety of means to collect data in order to
maximize efficiency. In-field enumeration methods are In-Person Interview, Facility Self-Enumeration,
Drop Off/Pick Up of Questionnaires, and Paper Response Data collection. The first three in-field
methods of enumeration provide people residing in GQs with the Individual Census Questionnaire as the
paper data collection instrument. Paper Response Data collection refers to an administrator at the GQ
providing to the enumerator a spreadsheet or roster with enumeration data for all occupants. This
closely resembles the eResponse Data Transfer described below.
A follow-up to ensure quality of enumerations is conducted. This quality assurance step has not
been described in prior FRNs. It was included within the burden calculation and the operation schedule
for GQ Enumeration but not specifically mentioned.
For the GQ reinterview, area census office management staff assign cases selected for
reinterview to clerks. The clerks use a reinterview form for each case in their reinterview workload and
telephone each GQ to confirm that the enumerator visited the correct facility at the correct address. The
reinterview also determines if the enumerator obtained a population count within a pre-defined
acceptable range of the count provided by the GQ contact.
Reinterview responses are then compared to the initial responses. If a response is satisfactory,
no further work is required. If a response is unsatisfactory, management will conduct an investigation
into the cause. Some outcomes may result in additional data collection. If errors occurred or if

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falsification by the enumerator occurred, the case may be sent out for rework. Also, if falsification
occurred, all cases worked by that enumerator will be reinterviewed.
GQ Enumeration— eResponse Data Transfer
The GQ eResponse leverages electronic data transfers from GQ administrators to the Census
Bureau. Client-level data from systems maintained by GQ administrators will be transferred to a
standardized Census Bureau secured system that will accept electronically submitted data in a
standardized template. These data will be accepted in lieu of the use of the Individual Census
Questionnaires if the data are deemed to be of sufficiently high quality and completeness.
Domestic Violence Shelters
Domestic violence shelters are facilities for those seeking safety from domestic violence.
Domestic violence shelters are enumerated using special procedures and specially trained personnel.
These special procedures include inviting members of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
state coalitions to participate in the 2020 Census Group Quarters Update Program to create a
comprehensive and current address listing for domestic violence shelters. Due to the sensitive nature of
these places, the Census Bureau has assured the service providers that we will not disclose name,
address, or any other type of information about the facility or the people staying there to anyone other
than on a “need to know” basis. In order to protect the integrity of these locations, it will be necessary
to have individuals designated to be the recipient of this information and to personally implement the
procedures. These special procedures are designed to protect the safety and security of respondents
being enumerated at these locations.
The procedures for enumerating at domestic violence shelters were described at a high level in
the presubmission FRN. The process for collecting the addresses was added to the 30-day FRN. It is the
only component of what was described as GQ Update in the 30-day FRN burden table and Supporting
Statement A schedule.
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Service-Based Enumeration
The Service-Based Enumeration (SBE) is specifically designed to approach people using service
facilities because they may be missed during the traditional enumeration at housing units and group
quarters. SBE was described in both the 60-day FRN and the 30-day FRN, and it was included in the
schedule in Supporting Statement A. It was inadvertently omitted from the burden table.
Military Enumeration
Military installations are fenced, secured areas used for military purposes that include living
quarters such as housing units and group quarters for military, civilian, and non-Department of Defenseaffiliated personnel. Residents living in housing units on military installations will have the opportunity
to respond to the census through the internet or by mail or telephone (just like residents who do not
live on installations). The enumeration methodology at all military GQs (barracks, military treatment
facilities with assigned patients, military disciplinary barracks and jails, and military vessels) will be
implemented under the GQ operation. Residents living in GQs will be enumerated during the GQ
enumeration, using the same set of enumeration options.
Maritime/Military Vessel Enumeration
A maritime vessel is defined as a United States-flagged vessel with people who live or stay
aboard for extended periods of time and sail from or to a United States port. A military vessel is defined
as a United States Navy or United States Coast Guard vessel assigned to a home port in the United
States. Maritime and Military Vessel Enumeration is a mailout-mailback operation to enumerate people
who live or stay aboard and will not have any other opportunity to respond in time to be included in the
2020 Census.
The response burden for military installations and maritime and military vessels is included in
the GQ enumeration count.

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Enumeration at Transitory Locations Operation
The goal of the 2020 Census Enumeration at Transitory Locations (ETL) operation is to
enumerate individuals in occupied units at transitory locations (TLs) who do not have a Usual Home
Elsewhere. A TL is composed of living quarters where people are unlikely to live year-round, due to the
transitory/temporary/impermanent nature of these living quarters. TLs include recreational vehicle
parks, campgrounds, racetracks, circuses, carnivals, marinas, hotels, and motels.
The 2020 Census ETL operation consists of the following components:


TL Frame Update.



TL Advance Contact.



Enumeration.
The description of the ETL operation Advance Contact and Enumeration phases was included in

the 60-day FRN but inadvertently omitted from the 30-day FRN. These phases were included in the
burden table and the schedule. The TL Frame update was not included in prior documents.
TL Frame Update
The 2020 Census TL Frame Update program supports the 2020 Census enumeration frame
development for the 2020 Census ETL operation. The 2020 Census TL Frame Update is being
implemented to ensure that the 2020 Census enumeration frame is complete and to provide an
opportunity for enumeration of people residing at TLs. Building from the 2010 Census, the TL frame
incorporates updates from the Local Update of Census Addresses, Address Canvassing, and New
Construction operations. The design of the program ensures that the 2020 Census enumeration frame is
updated by using specialized procedures to update the addresses for the following types of locations:


Carnival and circus locations.



Hotels and motels.

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Carnival and circus research is a telephone solicitation of carnival and circus operators.
Scheduled dates and corresponding addresses for shows that will occur during ETL enumeration are
collected. In addition, hotel and motel research is a telephone solicitation of hotels/motels to inquire if a
hotel or motel has any rooms occupied by people who live or stay there most of the time or if that
hotel/motel is used entirely to house people experiencing homelessness. The current carnival/circus,
and hotel/motel contact frame development estimated totals are shown in Table 1 below.
TL Advance Contact
The TL Advance Contact has both in-office and in-field activities. The in-office TL Advance
Contact is an area census office activity in which TLs identified in frame update steps are called on the
telephone. Address verification, TL type, number of spaces or units at the TL, and other advance
information to support the ETL operation in the field will be collected. For cases that staff are unable to
contact or resolve during the in-office advance contact, field supervisors make an in-field visit to the TLs
to collect this data.
TL Enumeration
The 2020 Census ETL operation covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Enumerators canvass a transitory location in one visit to enumerate at occupied transitory units.
Respondents at a TL who do not have a usual home elsewhere are counted where they are enumerated
in ETL.
Table 1 below shows the complete burden estimate for the Special Enumerations. The changes to
these estimates from what was published in the 30-day FRN are:


The expansion of the GQ and TL Update Programs into domestic violence shelter address
collection, carnivals/circuses address collection, and hotels/motels address collection.



The addition of the Service-Based Enumeration data collection.

Italicized entries indicate burden that was not fully described in previous FRNs.
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Table 1
2020 Census Operation or Category

Estimated Number
of Respondents

Estimated Time
per Response

Total Burden
Hours

Group Quarters and Transitory Locations
Frame Update Program – 30-day FRN included 7,168 respondents and 1,195 burden hours
Domestic Violence Shelter
57

20 minutes

19

450

10 minutes

75

55,000

10 minutes

9,167

297,000

10 minutes

49,500

14,300

20 minutes

4,767

8,000,000

5 minutes

666,667

800,000

5 minutes

66,667

0*

NA

8,500

5 minutes

708

50,000

10 minutes

8,333

600,000

10 minutes

100,000

Military Enumeration

0*

NA

Maritime and Military Vessel Enumeration

0*

NA

address collection
Carnivals/Circuses address collection
Hotels/Motels address collection
GQ Advance Contact (facility)
GQ Enumeration – eResponse (facility)
GQ Enumeration – person contact
Service-Based Enumeration
Domestic Violence Shelter Enumeration
Group Quarters QC/Reinterview
TL Advance Contact
Enumeration at Transitory Locations

Totals
Increase to Special Enumerations burden
Special Enumerations Subtotal

848,339

74,733

9,825,307

905,903

*Included in GQ enumeration – person contact
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary for domestic violence shelter address collection, carnival/circus
address collection, hotel/motel address collection; Mandatory for GQ Advance Contact, GQ
Enumeration, SBE Enumeration, Domestic Violence Shelter Enumeration, Group Quarters QC, TL

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Advance Contact, Enumeration at Transitory Locations, Military Enumeration, and Maritime and Military
Vessel Enumeration.
Table 2 summarizes how the various phases of these stages were discussed in prior OMB
materials.
Table 2
Topic

60-day FRN
description

30-day FRN
description

Burden table

Schedule in
Supporting
Statement A

Not included

Only DVS Frame
Included

30-day has 1,195
hours total

2/1/19 – 4/3/19

DVS Frame

Not included

Included as GQ
Update

Included as GQ
Update

Included as GQ
Update

Carnivals/circuses

Not included

Not included

Not included

Not included

Hotels/Motels

Not included

Not included

Not included

Not included

GQ Advance Contact

Included

Included

49,500

2/3/20 – 3/6/20

GQ QC/reinterview

Not included

Not included

708

Included (collapsed
with GQ
Enumeration)

Service-Based
Enumeration

Included

Included

Not Included

3/30/20 – 4/1/20

Military
Enumeration

Included

Included

Included in GQ
Enumeration

Included in GQ
Enumeration and
not described

Maritime/Military
Vessel Enumeration

Included

Included

Included in GQ
Enumeration

Included in GQ
Enumeration and
not described

Enumeration at
Transitory Locations

Included

Not included

100,000

2/24/20 – 5/4/20

TL Advance Contact

Included

Not included

8,333

Included (collapsed
with ETL)

GQ and TL Update

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