Department of Commerce: 2026 Census Operational Test Public Comment

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The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite 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 30 days of public comment on the proposed request to OMB to update the
ACS Methods Panel prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.

DATES:

To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed information collection must be received on or before March 5, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by email to addc.2030.census.paperwork@census.gov. Please reference “2026 Operational Test in Support of the 2030 Census” in the subject line of your comments. You may also
submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2026-0034, 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 Christopher
Denno, Program Manager,

     Decennial Census Management Division, by phone at 301.763.4092 or by email to *addc.2030.census.paperwork@census.gov.*

Title: 2026 Operational Test in Support of the 2030 Census.

OMB Control Number: 0607-0936.

Form Number(s): Electronic Instruments (Draft Content Specifications for them): Internet Self-Response Instrument—D6-QE-ISR, In-Field Enumeration
Instrument—D6-QE-IFE.

Type of Request: Regular submission, Request for Comment.

Number of Respondents: 154,600 for all operations.

Average Hours per Response: 25 minutes.

Total Burden Hours: 64,417.

| Operation or category | Estimated
number ofrespondents | Estimated time
per response(minutes) | Total burden hours |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Self-Response | 77,300 | 40 | 51,533 |
| In-Field Enumeration | 77,300 | 10 | 12,883 |
| Totals | 154,600 | | 64,417 |
Needs and Uses: The 2026 Operational Test in Support of the 2030 Census (hereafter, “Test”) is an American Community Survey (ACS) test using
the ACS Methods Panel that is planned to help the Census Bureau prepare for the 2030 Census. The Test is not an end-to-end
test of all operational work. Instead, it is a scaled-down version with appropriate adjustments of the selected aspects of
the census. The Test will be conducted in two test sites—Spartanburg, SC and Huntsville, AL—which allows for testing in real
world situations and on a larger scale than research simulations allow. The Test will test the viability of new and revamped
systems and methods researched and developed for the census; to identify, document, and address potential challenges. Additionally,
the Test will evaluate and assess the use of United States Postal Service (USPS) staff to increase efficiency in various capacities
typically performed by temporary Census Bureau field workers. Some decisions, including names of operations and workload estimates
for those operations, have yet to be made; however, at this time, the Census Bureau can present aspects of the test that affect
the public.

Administrative Enhancements

The Test will focus on evaluating how well improved processes and solutions work for Recruit Applications and Selecting and
Hiring Applicants. Specifically, the test will evaluate the effectiveness of a new online job application and onboarding solution
for recruiting, a virtual hiring process and revised supervisory assessment for selecting and hiring applicants.

The Test will also test new Office Management, Payroll, and HR Administration procedures which involves running the offices
and providing the following support functions:

• Personnel and payroll administration
• Administration of claims related to occupational health, employee assistance, safety, worker's compensation, and personal property
• Staffing
• Management and supervision • Offboarding temporary staff when their employment period ends (i.e., separate from federal service)

Self-Response

Self-Response collects respondent information via the internet. A housing unit (HU) is a private residence for a person or
small group of people (such as a family or group of roommates). Each HU 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 quarter (LQ) 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 LQ, even if it is not intended for residential use.

Internet Self-Response

Internet Self-Response (ISR) allows the public to respond online. ISR was available in a decennial census for HUs for the
first time in the 2020 Census. For the Test, ISR will be available in English.

In-Field Enumeration

In-Field Enumeration (IFE) is a field activity that collects responses in person. IFE captures the status of HUs and enumerates
HUs through in-person interviews. IFE also includes follow-up with nonmailable addresses. For the Test, IFE will be collecting
information to create cost and staffing estimates to help inform 2030 Census IFE estimates. For the Test, USPS staff will
support the IFE operation. The purpose of the USPS Pilot is to study the feasibility of using Postal Participants in the capacity
of Census Bureau enumerators during the Test. USPS staff will contact households and conduct interviews in the same manner
as Census Bureau enumerators. Additionally, the Test IFE will implement numerous enhancements to streamline data collection,
reduce time in the field, and improve data accuracy. These capabilities (on a mobile device) include functionality that provide
field staff an address list with a map, allows users to add and delete addresses, view surrounding addresses, and flag addresses
as duplicates.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Frequency: One-time.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority: Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections 23(c), 141, 193, 221, and 223.

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.

Sheleen Dumas, Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Commerce Department. [FR Doc. 2026-02206 Filed 2-2-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-07-P

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