Response Methods

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Response Methods

If after reviewing your government’s boundary you determine that you do have changes to submit through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), there are four methods available for preparing your BAS submission. Expand the sections below to learn more about each method.

For detailed step-by-step instructions on preparing your BAS submission using each method, please see the How-to Guides webpage.

If you have any questions regarding any of these methods, please Contact Us.

The BAS Partnership Toolbox was created to ease the burden of creating change files on BAS participants. The BAS Partnership Toolbox allows partners to create their submission in ArcGIS Pro. The toolbox automates data download, boundary change creation, and exports standardized files for submission to the Census Bureau.

For instructions, and to download the BAS Partnership Toolbox, see the BAS Partnership Toolbox webpage.

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Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) is a customized stand-alone and installable GIS developed in QGIS. GUPS allows partners to manually create boundary changes and export standardized files for submission to the Census Bureau.

To download GUPS and for instructions, see the GUPS Download and Installation Instructions webpage.

For further information on the QGIS open-source platform, please visit their website at www.qgis.org/en/site/.

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GUPS Web is a customized web-based GIS application. GUPS Web allows partners to import local government boundary data, automate boundary change creation, create changes manually and export standardized files for submission to the Census Bureau. For the 2025 BAS, the create manual change method will be available to counties (or equivalent), minor civil divisions, and incorporated places.

If you would like to use GUPS Web for the 2025 BAS, please complete the Annual Response Form. For questions about GUPS Web, check out the GUPS Web Help Guide within the application or email us at geo.bas@census.gov.

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Paper BAS is designed for participants who prefer to update their boundary on paper maps. Participants annotate their boundary, feature, and attribute changes on Census Bureau-provided paper maps using the instructions found in the Paper BAS How-to Guide.

To reduce the cost, the Census Bureau requests that participants view their boundaries online prior to requesting paper maps needed to complete survey.

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