Notice2025-02857
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; 2026 Government Units Survey
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 20, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentCensus Bureau
Abstract
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 reinstatement, with change of the Government Units Survey, prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 33 (Thursday, February 20, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 33 (Thursday, February 20, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9961-9962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02857]
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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 Government Units Survey
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 reinstatement, with change of the Government Units Survey,
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 April 21, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6a29e999b9785d8bcd8a59b9f829eb6959398858385d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a1e2225272b396400641927233e220a292f24393f39642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference 2026 GUS in the
subject line of your comments. You may also submit comments, identified
by Docket Number USBC-2025-0001, to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. All comments received are part of the
public record. No comments will be posted to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>
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 Joy Pierson, PSFCB Branch Chief, at 301-763-7196 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d79db8aef987f987beb2a5a4b8b997b4b2b9a4a2a4f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c58faabceb95eb95aca0b7b6aaab85a6a0abb6b0b6eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a> and Mercera Silva, PSFCB Section Chief, at
301-763-8047 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6a270f18090f180b443903061c0b2a090f04191f19440d051c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="efa28a9d8c8a9d8ec1bc8683998eaf8c8a819c9a9cc1888099">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
Title 13, Section 161, of the United States Code requires the
Secretary of Commerce to conduct a Census of Governments (CoG) every
five years, in years ending in ``2'' and ``7''. Section 193 provides
for the collection of preliminary and supplementary statistics as
related to the main topics of the CoG. This information request covers
the Government Units Survey (GUS). The Census Bureau will use
information from the 2026 GUS for the Organizational component of the
CoG and to update its universe of public sector entities prior to
mailing the other CoG components. The 2026 GUS collection will be all
electronic and canvas townships and special district governments. The
estimated 30,000 local governments will each receive login information
to complete the questionnaire online. The collection instrument asks
respondents to verify or correct their organization's name and mailing
address as well as indicate the organization's primary function(s).
The scope for 2026 GUS collections is scaled back in comparison to
2021 GUS collection operations. For greater efficiency, the 2026 GUS
eliminates several questions asked for the 2021 GUS and continues only
canvasing government units for which it is difficult to obtain this
information via other methods, such as internet research. The Census
Bureau uses multiple options for verifying information about in-scope
units not mailed to in the 2026 GUS. One method is including these
units in annual survey collections for the public sector. A second
validation method is Census Bureau analysts request directory listings
from state contacts, such as the state auditor's office or other
relevant offices. State contacts send the Census Bureau current
directory listings based on filing requirements local
[[Page 9962]]
governments (units) must report to the state on a routine basis (e.g.,
quarterly, or annually). As a result, the Census Bureau has found
directory listings to be reliable sources for obtaining current
information for local governments in some states. A third validation
option is Census Bureau analysts reviewing state legislation annually
to identify new bills and repealed bills that provide up-to-date
legislative changes impacting local government units.
The majority of 2026 GUS questions ask for a yes/no response to
indicate whether a government unit is in operation and verify contact
information accuracy. Other questions collect information about the
government unit's function using drop-down menu selections.
II. Method of Collection
The 2026 GUS will use the Census Bureau's web instrument Centurion.
Multiple modes for data collection are available. The main collection
method is internet data collection with a mailed invitation, followed
by email, mail, and telephone follow-ups. Respondents who either do not
have internet access, or who encounter issues such as internet
firewalls that prevent access to the secure website portal, may contact
Census Bureau customer service operators to report via telephone as an
alternative. Customer service operators are trained to collect a
respondent's information via phone and key their responses directly
into the secure GUS web instrument.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0607-0930.
Form Number(s): GUS-1, GUS-2.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Townships and special district governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,000.
Estimated Time per Response: 7 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,500.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (This is not the cost of
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services
required specifically by the collection.)
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Sections 161 and 193.
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 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. 2025-02857 Filed 2-19-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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