The ratemaking procedures contained within this section apply only to Airlift Service contracts awarded based on CRAF commitment. Competitively awarded contracts may be used by the Department of Defense when it considers such contracts to be in the best interest of the government. See §§243.5(b) and 243.6 for exclusions to ratemaking.

(a) Rates of payment for airlift services. USTRANSCOM may utilize the principles contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as supplemented, in establishing fair and reasonable rate of payments for airlift service contracts in support of CRAF. Specific exceptions to FAR are noted in §243.8 of this rule. To facilitate uniformity within the ratemaking process, USTRANSCOM will execute a MOU with air carriers to institute the basis for methods upon which the rates will be established. An updated MOU will be executed as warranted and published for public comment on FedBizOps. Under the MOU, air carriers agree to furnish historical cost and operational data, as well as their projected rates for the ensuing fiscal year. USTRANSCOM will conduct a review of air carriers' historical and projected costs and negotiate with the carriers to establish rates using ratemaking methodologies contained in the attachment to the MOU.

(b) Obtaining data from participating carriers. USTRANSCOM will annually notify those participating carriers to provide data using the USTRANSCOM cost package and related instructions. The data provided includes pricing data, cost data, and judgmental information necessary for the USTRANSCOM contracting officer to determine a fair and reasonable price or to determine cost realism. Carriers will be provided 60 calendar days to act upon the request.

(c) Analysis.

(1) USTRANSCOM will consider carrier reported DOT Form 41 costs as well as other applicable costs directly assigned to performance in USTRANSCOM service. These costs will be reviewed and analyzed by USTRANSCOM for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness. Costs may also be audited by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), as necessary, in accordance with the DCAA Contract Audit Manual 7640.01.

(2) To determine allocation of these costs to USTRANSCOM service, USTRANSCOM considers carrier reported DOT Form 41 operational data, as well as USTRANSCOM S-1, S-2 mileage reports, fuel reports, and other relevant information requested by the contracting officer.

(d) Rates. Rates will be determined by aircraft class (e.g., large passenger, medium passenger, large cargo, etc.) based on the average efficiency of all participating carriers within the specified class. Application of these rates, under varying conditions (e.g., ferry, one-way, etc), are addressed in the Final Rates published in accordance with §243.4(h).

(e) Components of the rate—(1) Return on Investment (ROI). ROI for USTRANSCOM service is intended to adequately compensate carriers for cost of capital. USTRANSCOM will apply a minimum return applied to the carrier's total operating costs. If a full return on investment applied to a carrier's capital investment base is provided in the MOU, the carrier will receive whichever is greater.

(i) Full ROI. The full ROI will be computed using an optimal capital structure of 45 percent debt and 55 percent equity. The cost-of-debt and cost-of-equity are calculated from revenues of major carriers as reported to the Department of Transportation.

(A) Cost-of-Debt (COD). COD will be calculated considering the Risk Free Rate (RFR) plus the weighted debt spread, with the formula as agreed upon in the MOU.

(B) Cost-of-Equity (COE). COE will be determined by a formula agreed upon in the MOU, which considers RFR, weighted betas, annualized equity risk premium and a future expected return premium.

(C) Owned/Capital/Long-Term Leased Aircraft. New airframes and related support parts will receive full ROI on the net book value of equipment at mid-point of forecast year. USTRANSCOM will apply the economic service life standards to aircraft as indicated in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(D) Short-term leased aircraft. As a return on annual lease payments, short-term leased equipment will receive the Full ROI less the cost of money rate per the Secretary of the Treasury under Public Law 92-41 (85 Stat. 97), as provided by the Office of Management and Budget, in accordance with the MOU.

(E) Working capital. Working capital will be provided in the investment base at an established number of days provided in the MOU. The investment base will be computed on total operating cash less non cash expenses (depreciation) as calculated by USTRANSCOM.

(ii) Minimum Return. USTRANSCOM will determine minimum return utilizing the Weighted Guidelines methodology as set forth in DFARS Subpart 215.4, Contract Pricing, or successor and as provided in the MOU.

(2) Depreciation. USTRANSCOM will apply economic life standards for new aircraft at 14 years, 2 percent residual (narrowbody) and 16 years and 10 percent residual (widebody) aircraft. USTRANSCOM will apply economic life standards for used aircraft as indicated in the MOU.

(3) Utilization. Utilization considers the number of airborne hours flown per aircraft per day. USTRANSCOM will calculate aircraft utilization in accordance with the DOT Form 41 reporting and the MOU.

(4) Cost escalation. Escalation is the percentage increase or decrease applied to the historical base year costs to reliably estimate the cost of performance in the contract period. Yearly cost escalation will be calculated in accordance with the MOU.

(5) Weighting of rate. Rates will be weighted based upon the direct relationship between contract performance and cost incurred in execution of the contract. The specific weighting will be as defined in the MOU.

(6) Obtaining data from participating carriers. Carriers participating in USTRANSCOM acquisitions subject to ratemaking shall provide, other than certified cost and pricing data for USTRANSCOM, rate reviews as required in the MOU.

(f) Contingency rate. Authority is reserved to the Commander, USTRANSCOM, at his discretion, during conditions such as outbreak of war, armed conflict, insurrection, civil or military strife, emergency, or similar conditions, to use a temporary contingency rate in order to ensure mission accomplishment. Any such temporary rate would terminate at the Commander's discretion upon his determination that such rate is no longer needed.

(g) Proposed rate. Once the data is analyzed and audit findings considered, USTRANSCOM will prepare a package setting forth proposed airlift rates and supporting data. The proposed rates will be approved by the USTRANSCOM contracting officer and posted publicly on FedBizOps for comment. The comment period will be as specified in the proposed rate package.

(h) Final rate. Upon closing of the comment period, comments and supporting rationale will be addressed and individual negotiations conducted between USTRANSCOM and the air carriers. After negotiations have concluded, USTRANSCOM will prepare a rate package setting forth final airlift rates for each aircraft class, along with supporting data consisting of individual carrier cost elements. Comments and disposition of those comments will be included in the final rate package. The final rates will be approved by the USTRANSCOM contracting officer and publicly posted on FedBizOps for use in the ensuing contract.