9 CFR § 130.2 - Basis for fees and rates.
(a) Except as set forth in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section, for setting fee rates for each calendar year based upon the previous fiscal year, APHIS will calculate the rates for services as follows:
(1) APHIS will prorate the total Veterinary Services (VS) inspection, certification, or laboratory service program personnel direct pay (on board and in hiring process including benefits) for the previous fiscal year to each fee based upon the direct time factor percentage of employee's average time to perform and complete each fee code process and then multiply by the next year's percentage of cost of living increase.
(2) APHIS will prorate total direct operating costs for the previous fiscal year based upon the direct time factor percentage of employee's average time to perform and complete each fee code process to each fee and then multiply by the anticipated percentage of inflation for the next year.
(3) APHIS will add estimates for Program, Agency, and Department support costs, imputed costs, and reserves by applying a percentage based on information from Program, Agency, and Department officials and the Department of Treasury to the sum of the direct pay plus direct operating costs.
(4) The amounts derived via the process described in this paragraph (a) and paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section will be added and then APHIS will round up to the next $0.25 for all fees less than $10 or round up to the nearest dollar for all fees greater than $10 to develop the new rate for each code.
(b) If there is no identifiable volume in the previous year for the service provided by the fee, if the fee is rarely charged, or if APHIS cannot readily identify level of effort, APHIS will calculate the fee based on the last available historic data encompassing multiple instances of use and add any intervening inflation, overhead and support costs, imputed costs, and reserve.
(c) Fees for the exclusive use of space in animal import centers will be calculated using the following formula:
(1) APHIS will calculate fees by using direct employee average time (with benefits) and adding a prorated portion of currently identifiable expenses (facilities, rent, support cost, and admin support costs), program and support overhead expenses, imputed costs, and reserve.
(2) APHIS will combine the costs to determine the monthly cost of providing the service at a single location within the animal import center.
(3) APHIS will calculate the costs of the other locations within the animal import center based on the square footage of the location.
(d) Services listed in § 130.4 will be charged an hourly rate-based user fee in accordance with the provisions of that section.