(a) For the classification of any cotton or samples, the person requesting the services shall pay a fee, based on the description that follows, subject to the additional fee provided by paragraph (c) of this section.

(1) For each calendar year, AMS will calculate the rate for services per hour per program employee using the following formulas:

(i) Regular rate. The total AMS grading or classification program personnel direct pay divided by direct hours, which is then multiplied by the next year's percentage of cost of living increase, plus the benefits rate, plus the operating rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate. If applicable, travel expenses may also be added to the cost of providing the service.

(ii) Overtime rate. The total AMS grading or classification program personnel direct pay divided by direct hours, which is then multiplied by the next year's percentage of cost of living increase and then multiplied by 1.5 plus the benefits rate, plus the operating rate, plus an allowance for bad debt. If applicable, travel expenses may also be added to the cost of providing the service.

(iii) Holiday rate. The total AMS grading or classification program personnel direct pay divided by direct hours which is then multiplied by the next year's percentage of cost of living increase and then multiplied by 2, plus benefits rate, plus the operating rate, plus an allowance for bad debt. If applicable, travel expenses may also be added to the cost of providing the service.

(2) For each calendar year, based on historical costs, AMS will calculate the benefits, operating, and allowance for bad debt components of the regular, overtime and holiday rates as follows:

(i) Benefits rate. The total AMS grading or classification program direct benefits costs divided by the total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday) worked, which is then multiplied by the next calendar year's percentage cost of living increase. Some examples of direct benefits are health insurance, retirement, life insurance, and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) retirement basic and matching contributions.

(ii) Operating rate. The total AMS grading or classification program operating costs divided by total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday) worked, which is then multiplied by the percentage of inflation.

(iii) Allowance for bad debt rate. Total AMS grading or classification program allowance for bad debt divided by total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday) worked.

(3) The calendar year cost of living expenses and percentage of inflation factors used in the formulas in this section are based on the most current Office of Management and Budget's Presidential Economic Assumptions.

(b) When a comparison is requested of any samples with a type or with other samples, the fees prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section shall apply to every sample involved, including each of the samples of which the type is composed.

(c) An additional fee based on current shipping rates shall be assessed for returning samples unless the request for service is so worded that the samples become government property immediately after classification.

(d) For any review of classification or comparison of any cotton, the fees prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section shall apply. The additional fee prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section is not applicable to review of classification if made on the same sample as the original class or comparison.

[79 FR 67318, Nov. 13, 2014]