The IG at the Commerce Department has issued the latest in a series of warnings that the costs of the 2020 census may be under-estimated.
The Census Bureau is counting on innovations to reduce the cost of the 2020 census by some $5 billion below what it would cost to use the same methods used in 2010.
The latest IG audit focused on costs for “nonresponse followup”–NRFU in the bureau’s lingo–which are based on an assumption that all housing units will be enumerated after a maximum of six visits.
“We found that this is not the case and if not corrected, NRFU costs will be underestimated. According to the Government Accountability Office, a credible cost estimate should include an independent review of the estimate and recognize and document excluded costs,” the auditors wrote.
They also found that the bureau is unable to “determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a higher enumerator-to-supervisor ratio because flaws to the design and methodology of the test hinder the Bureau’s ability to answer research questions, or to assess the operational control system’s capacity to effectively and efficiently manage NRFU operations.”
“Finally, we identified training limitations, which potentially impact the quality and protection of household data collected by enumerators. Also, we found that the 2016 census test study plan included inaccurate statements and assumptions about past research,” the report said.
