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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-81-0246Honorable Members of the City Commission Robert F. Clerk Acting City Attorney 'larch 18, 1981 Ferre v. Klutznick (1980 Decennial Census Litigation On December 17, 1980, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 80-896 authorizinc; the City Attorney to engage the services of Delta Systems Consultants, Inc., to provide "technical assis- tance and statistical planning..." in connection with the above - captioned lawsuit. The statistical planning is now completed, and Delta is prepared to perform a special household sample survey, which will measure the number of residents per occupied housing units. Its proposal is attached to the proposed Resolution for your considera- tion. This survey should strengthen the City's challenge of the Census Bureau findings. Commission adoption of this Resolution is urgently recommended at this time. IRPC: RJC_:sec; cc: Richarc.3 Fosmoen, City Manager Ronald J. Cohen, Assistant City Attorney r_ A PROPOSAL TO THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR STATISTICAL AND CONSULTATION SERVICES Submitted By: Delta Systems Consultants, Inc. 264 Alhambra Circle Coral Gables, Florida 33134 (305) 446- 36 38 Employer Identification No. 52-1130400 Congressional District - 14th, Florida AUTHORIZATION Jos ph L. Willard, President Date r\ I. INTRODUCTION This proposal is being presented by Delta Systems Consultants, Inc., to the City of Miami for statistical and data processing services and consultation. Delta Systems has been working closely with the City Attorney's office since late December, 1980, as authorized by the City Commission on December 17, 1980, providing "counsel on all technical, methodological, administrative and other procedures and policies related to the taking of the 1980 Decennial Census of Population and Housing in the City of Miami, Florida". This same resolution also stipulated that Delta Systems will also provide for the planning and development of procedures for collecting reliable statistical data through means of a sample survey, or other professionally acceptable methods that would support the City of Miami in its challenge of the results of the 1980 Census. After reviewing the official preliminary estimates from the 1980 Census of Population, Delta Systems recommends that the City of Miami should pursue a course of action which will support the contention that population of the City of Miami was undercounted in the census and the average persons per housing unit figure calculated from the census results does not reflect the true situtation as it exists in Miami. II. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The major objective of this project will be to provide the City of Miami with timely and reliable statistical estimates which may be used by the City of Miami to support its contention that the 1980 Census of Population did in fact show an undercount in the City of Miami population. III. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY In order to provide both timely and statistically reliable estimates, a plan has been developed by Delta Systems. This plan is designed to produce sample estimates for a high level of precision of the average number of persons per housing unit for the City of Miami. Strict testing and quality control procedures will be developed for all stages of the project. A sample of approximately 1500 occupied housing r.: units in the City of Miami will be selected and enumerated by experienced data collection teams during the next 45 days. Based on data collected, reliable estimates of the average number of persons per housing unit will be produced. This figure can be compared with Bureau of the Census figures and any differences could be used as a measure of the census undercount. The same survey will enable Delta Systems to estimate the current population of the City of Miami. IV. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS Delta Systems is uniquely qualified to undertake the services offered in this proposal. A number of its employees and associates have been employees of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, in the headquarters in Suitland, Maryland as well as in field offices in Miami, Atlanta, Georgia, Jeffersonville, Indiana and Boston, Massachussetts. One staff member was responsible for overseeing the enumeration for Dade County in both the 1980 and 1970 Decennial Censuses. Other staff members have experienced virtually all phases of data col- lection work -- planning, sample design, quality control, field enumeration, and data processing. The combined census and survey experience of Delta Systems professionals with the U.S. Bureau of the Census exceeds 80 person years. V. ESTIMATE OF COST The following is a final estimate of costs by major activity. These costs are based on a sample size of 1500 housing units with a minimum number of questions asked of respondents. 1. Survey Preparation 9,700. 1.1 Define survey objectives 500. 1.2 Design and select sample 4,100. 1.3 Develop processing plans 2,500. 1.4 Design and print questionnaire 1,400. 1.5 Prepare maps 1,200. 2. Interviewing 15,400. 2.1 Conduct pretest of forms and procedures 11000. 2.2 Recruit, hire and train interviewing staff 1,000. 2.3 Conduct interviews 11,500. 2.4 Conduct sample reinterviews 900. 2.5 Review completed questionnaires and follow up where necessary 1,000. 3. Data Processing 4,500. 3.1 Perform prepunch edit review 1,500. 3.2 Key enter questionnaires 11500. 3.3 Run and review preliminary tabulations 1,000. 3.4 Run final tabulations and perform proposed calculations 500. 4. Prepare Final Reports 5,000. 4.1 Prepare draft 1,000. 4.2 Prepare and transmit final report 1,000. 4.3 Analyze survey results 3,000. TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,600. FACILITIES AND LOCATION Delta Systems Consultants, Inc., maintains its corporate headquarters in a modern two-story office building in the heart of n Coral Gables. Florida. Meeting rooms. Ztraining rooms and computer terminal cc �y J M facilities are available 24 hours a day The Q - E Cn office is within 15 minutes of Miami ua �LL International Airport and less than 10 } f s Z -ccminutes from the main campus of the m J University of Miami. Q .aE Q LL! _s _ Because of the proximity to Latin America. a4 Delta staff members are within easy reach "o of virtually every country in the Caribbean (n x �= "' `D and Central and South America. Several C - staff members posess native Spanish W language fluency and almost all have the z ability to communicate in Spanish. French or Portuguese. E*j ORGANIZATION AND BACKGROUND Delta Systems Consultants. Inc, has assembled a highly qualified staff of computer specialists. survey and census researchers. and sampling statisticians who can be responsive to commercial clients and applications as well as to governmental institutions. The key employees and stockholders of the company have attained international reputations as innovators of widely used techniques and methodologies Major computer software packages such as CENTS. COCENTS and CONCOR were developed and supported by computer units that were headed by the officers of the company. Other major computer software such as SPSS. SAS. BMDP. TPL and TOTAL have been implemented and supported by Delta employees Staff members have undertaken numerous assignments in all parts of the world, with recent and successful experience in East and West Africa. in more than 12 countries in Asia and some limited experience in the Middle East. In all. Delta Systems employees have provided technical services or assistance on more than 100 projects around the world. SERVICES OFFERED The principal objective of Delta Systems is to provide and maintain the highest quality data processing and statistical services available. The employees of Delta Systems have provided consultation and programming services in over 40 countries on five continents and to various agencies of the U.S Government Services available include • Systems Analysis • Software Design • Software Conversion • Application Programming • Research and Development • Training Programs • Statistical Analysis • Survey Design and Processing • Data Base Design A number of proprietary statistical software packages are also available from Delta Systems Many of these have been converted to a wide range of computer systems and can be installed immediately The major packages are. • DeltaTab • FASTAT • DeltaSort • SuperCONCOR Information about these and other computer software packages and about other services can be obtained by telephone or mail Please use the attached mgtnry card or call Delta Systems at (305) 446-3638 FOR MORE INFORMATION YE5 sans to nnoo: ❑ Dt"'J,it El a1�9 r'c . ., ie Aorjwss City State zq, Phone Number RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ENGAGE THE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES OF DELTA SYSTEMS CONSULTANTS, ANC. TO PERFORM A SPECIAL HOUSEHOLD SAMPLE SU1 Y FOP. USE IN CONNECTION (WITH THE CITY' S LITIGATION CHALLENG- ING THE CURRENT FEDERAL DECVNNIAL CENSUS AND AUTHORIZING AN EXPENDITURE OF UP TO $35,000 TO\COVER THE COST OF SAID SERVICES. r BE IT RESOLVED 3Y THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The City Attorney is hereby authorized to engage the professional consultant services of Delta Systems Consultants, Inc., 264 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, Florida 33134, to perform a special household sample survey for use in connection with the City's litigation challenging the current Federal Decennial Census and authorizing an expenditure of up to $35,000 to cover the cost of said services in accordance with the attached proposal. PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of 1981. M A Y 0 R ATTEST: RALPH G. OII(;IL CITY CLERK APPROVED AS TO FOR.N AND CORRECTNESS: ROBERT F. CLARK ACTING CITY ATTORNEY