B -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI): TARGETED REPLACEMENT MAILING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE 2010 DECENNIAL CENSUS

POC: Ann Gwynn Wittenauer, Decennial Systems and Contracts Management Office, +1 (555) 000-0000 or contact@example.gov DESCRIPTION: This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). Background: The United States Census Bureau is planning for the next Decennial Census in 2010. In order to improve the response rate for questionnaires returned by mail, obtain better data and cut costs, the Census Bureau is considering a - Targeted Replacement Mailing (TRM). Ideally, the TRM would consist of sending another Census questionnaire to those households that did not return the first mail-out/mail-back (MO/MB) questionnaire in a timely fashion. The Census Bureau is interested in obtaining information from those vendors that possess printing-related technology that might be used to accomplish this task. The Census Bureau would also like to determine how quickly the TRM could be accomplished. OVERALL CENSUS SCENARIO: Based on historical data from the 1990 and 2000 Census, we estimate that approximately 42 million households will not return the first MO/MB Census questionnaire. The 2010 Census TRM task could assume a workload of about 42 million Census questionnaires. These could be either one-sheet forms or booklet forms. (In Census 2000, most forms were single sheets, 11 x 25.5, printed on both sides. Booklet forms could be eight 8.5 x 11 pages.) When the MO/MB forms are returned to the Census Processing Centers, a check-in process using Census ID numbers determines those households that responded to the first mailing. A second form would then be prepared and sent to the 42 million non-responding households. Then there would be some number of replacement forms returned, about 10 million, which would result in a 24% reduction in any additional follow-up work. The Census Bureau would do a standard Non-Response Follow-Up (NRFU) by having Census Enumerators visit all 32 million households that did not respond to either mailing. The cost savings by having 10 million or 24% less households to visit by the Enumerators would be substantial. There are several possible approaches for creating the TRM forms that are being considered, two of which are described below: - Pre-Printing Approach: Print an additional 30 million short forms (plus as much as 50% extra for contingency) during the regular printing cycle prior to the Census, and place them in envelopes for storage. After the check-in cutoff date, print the address of each household, which did not return a MO/MB questionnaire, on each TRM form through an open window on the envelope. - On-Demand Approach: Print on-demand only the needed short forms with variable non-respondent address data using digital printing technology. Consider customizing the forms to improve response rate. For example, the forms going to New York State might have a message indicating the value of a complete Census to New York Residents. This is only an RFI at this time; however, it is the Census Bureau's intention to perform a TRM Pilot Study in FY 2005, followed by a realistic operational test as part of the Census Test in 2006. A description of technological capability and experience specifically relevant to a Targeted Replacement Mailing should be submitted in response to this request for information no later than August 1, 2003. Send to: K. Bradley Paxton, RIT High Technology Incubator Bldg., 125 Tech Park Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-2435