Questionnaire Assistance Centers in Focus
We’ve received our fair share of tips about the effectiveness of operations at Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs), so we’re hoping that readers can comment on these centers and experiences you have had with them. Locales ranging from churches to senior centers to 7-11s are doubling as QACs. Unfortunately, we’ve been told that the “Take 10 Map” (that is annoyingly slow on all three computers I work with) doesn’t have every QAC listed. I noticed that Torrington, Connecticut (ZIP Code 06790), where I spent summers during my youth, only has one QAC. On the other hand, the South Shore of Nassau County (Zip Code 11570) in New York, where I grew up, has many QACs. Why the disparity?
One tipster told us, “Some organizations who originally agreed to this commitment backed out because the last paragraph of the attached agreement. My interpretation is that the government still wants to retain their right to sue if someone screws Uncle Sam.”
The paragraph in question from the Space Donation Agreement reads as follows:
Because the Federal Government is self-insured, it is the U.S. Census Bureau’s policy not to purchase or pay for commercial liability insurance. In addition, the Anti-Deficiency Act, Title 31 U.S.C. §1341,prohibits any Federal agency from undertaking contingent and undetermined liability without funds being appropriated by Congress for such purpose. For this reason, the Government cannot agree to a “hold-harmless” clause nor can it waive the right to sue.
*MyTwoCensus.com calls upon our readers to visit QACs in your area to test the knowledge of those who work there and to make sure that the QACs actually exist.
Tags: QAC, QACs, Questionnaire Assistance Center, Questionnaire Assistance Centers
April 1st, 2010 at 6:02 am
[...] yesterday, I worried that Connecticut didn’t have enough resources for its Questionnaire Assistance Centers. Today, my fears were confirmed when the Census Bureau called out Connecticut on its low response [...]
April 1st, 2010 at 11:31 am
You really can’t blame the Census for space donors not reading the 3/4 page of large print text on the form they’re signing. It’s not like that clause written in confusing language or is buried in fine print.
Ultimately, when you’re not willing to pay for space, people will be less willing to accommodate and commit to you. However would you rather have the Census Bureau use government money to pay for thousands upon thousands of training and QAC locations?
April 12th, 2010 at 2:47 am
[...] have had their identities verified by MyTwoCensus.com) shared the following report with us about Questionnaire Assistance Centers and Be Counted [...]