What GAO Found
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and an August decision to end data collection about 30 days earlier than planned, the Census Bureau (Bureau) has made late design changes to the 2020 Census. The Bureau also announced it would accelerate its response processing operations, which improve the completeness and accuracy of census results. According to the Bureau, late design changes introduce risk to census quality and costs.
The compressed time frames for field operations and data processing raise a number of issues that will require the Bureau’s attention. It will be important for the Bureau to
- hire and retain a sufficient workforce,
- manage operational changes to the Nonresponse Follow-up operation,
- ensure census coverage at the local level,
- evaluate risks in streamlining response processing, and
- ensure timely and quality processing of census responses.
As the 2020 Census continues, GAO will monitor the remainder of field operations and the Bureau’s response processing operations.
Why GAO Did This Study
Like the rest of the country, the Bureau has been required to respond to COVID-19. Resulting delays, compressed time frames, implementation of untested procedures, and continuing challenges could undermine the overall quality of the count and escalate census costs.
GAO was asked to testify on its ongoing work on implementation of the 2020 Census. This testimony examines the cost and progress of key 2020 Census operations critical to a cost-effective enumeration.
What GAO Recommends
Over the past decade, GAO has made 112 recommendations specific to the 2020 Census. To date, the Bureau has implemented 92. As of September 2020, 19 of the recommendations had not been fully implemented.
For more information, contact J. Christopher Mihm at (202)512-6806 or mihmj@gao.gov.
