2007 Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Survey Report: Pacific and Washington, DC, Areas

AGENCY:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice publishes the “2007 Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Survey Report: Pacific and Washington, DC, Areas.” The Federal Government uses the results of surveys such as these to set cost-of-living allowance (COLA) rates for General Schedule, U.S. Postal Service, and certain other Federal employees in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This report contains the results of the COLA surveys conducted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Hawaii, Guam, and the Washington, DC, area during the spring and summer of 2007.

DATES:

Comments on this report must be received on or before February 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Send or deliver comments to Charles D. Grimes III, Deputy Associate Director for Performance and Pay Systems, Strategic Human Resources Policy Division, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 7300B, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200; fax: (202) 606-4264; or e-mail: COLA@opm.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

J. Stanley Austin, (202) 606-2838; fax: (202) 606-4264; or e-mail: COLA@opm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 591.229 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to publish nonforeign area cost-of-living allowance (COLA) survey summary reports in the Federal Register. We are publishing the complete “2007 Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Survey Report: Pacific and Washington, DC, Areas” with this notice. The report contains the results of the COLA surveys we conducted in Hawaii, Guam, and the Washington, DC, area during the spring and summer of 2007.

Survey Results

Using an index scale with Washington, DC, area living costs equal to 100, we computed index values of relative prices in the Honolulu County, Hawaii County, Kauai County, Maui County, and Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) COLA areas. Then we added an adjustment factor of 5.0 to the Honolulu County price index, 7.0 to the Hawaii County, Kauai County, and Maui County price indexes, and 9.0 to the Guam/CNMI price index and rounded the results to the nearest whole percentage point. The results indicate a reduction in the COLA rates for all Pacific areas.

2007 Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Survey Report: Pacific and Washington, DC, Areas

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

1.1 Report Objectives

2. Preparing for the Survey

2.1 COLA Advisory Committees

2.2 Pre-Survey Meetings

2.3 Survey Item Selection

2.3.1 Special Considerations

2.4 Outlet Selection

2.5 Geographic Coverage

3. Conducting the Survey

3.1 Pricing Period

3.2 Non-Housing Price Data Collection

3.2.1 Data Collection Teams

3.2.2 Data Collection Process

3.3 Housing (Rental) Price Data Collection

4. Analyzing the Results

4.1 Data Review

4.2 Special Price Computations

4.2.1 K-12 Private Education

4.2.2 Health Insurance

4.2.3 Water Utilities

4.2.4 Energy Utilities Model

4.2.5 Rental Data Hedonic Models

4.3 Averaging Prices by Item and Area

4.4 Computing Price Indexes

4.4.1 Geometric Means

4.4.2 Special Private Education Computations

4.5 Applying Consumer Expenditure Weights

5. Final Results

6. Post Survey Meetings

List of Appendices

Appendix 1: Prior Survey Results: 1990-2006

Appendix 2: Estimated DC Area Middle Income Annual Consumer Expenditures

Appendix 3: COLA Survey Items and Descriptions

Appendix 4: COLA Rental Survey Data Collection Elements

Appendix 5: Utility Usage and Calculations

Appendix 6: Hedonic Rental Data Equations and Results

Appendix 7: Final Living-Cost Results for COLA Areas

Executive Summary

The Government pays cost-of-living allowances (COLAs) to Federal employees in nonforeign areas in consideration of living costs significantly higher than those in the Washington, DC area. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducts living-cost surveys to set the COLA rates. The methodology for conducting these surveys is prescribed in regulation at subpart B of part 591 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

This report provides the results of the COLA surveys OPM conducted in the spring and summer of 2007 in Honolulu County, Hawaii County, Kauai County, Maui County, Guam, and the Washington, DC area. The report details our comparison of living costs in the Pacific areas with living costs in the Washington, DC area.

For the surveys, we contacted about 1,300 outlets and collected approximately 5,500 prices on more than 240 items representing typical consumer purchases. We also collected about 2,800 prices on rental housing. We then combined the data using consumer expenditure information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The final results are living-cost indexes, shown in Table 1. These indexes compare living costs in the Pacific COLA areas to those in the Washington, DC area. The index for the DC area (not shown) is 100.00 because it is, by law, the reference area. The living-cost indexes shown in Table 1 include the adjustment factor prescribed at 5 CFR 591.227.

1. Introduction

1.1 Report Objectives

This report provides the results of the 2007 Pacific nonforeign area cost-of-living allowance (COLA) survey conducted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in the spring and summer of 2007. In addition to providing these results, the report describes how we prepared for and conducted the survey, and how we analyzed the results. The results show comparative living-cost differences between the Pacific areas, i.e., Honolulu County, Hawaii County, Kauai County, Maui County, and Guam, and the Washington, DC area. By law, Washington, DC is the base or “reference” area for the COLA program.

2. Preparing for the Survey

2.1 COLA Advisory Committees

Before conducting the Pacific survey, OPM established COLA Advisory Committees (CACs) in Honolulu, the Hawaii County areas of Hilo and Kailua Kona, Kauai, Maui, and Guam. The settlement of Caraballo, et al. v. United States, No. 1997-0027 (D.V.I.), August 17, 2000, provides for employee involvement in the administration of the COLA program. As in previous surveys, we found it valuable to involve employee and agency representatives in planning and conducting the surveys and in reviewing the survey results.

Each CAC is composed of approximately 12 agency and employee representatives from the survey area and 2 OPM representatives. The functions of the CACs include the following:

—Advising and assisting OPM in planning COLA surveys;

—Providing or arranging for data collection observers during COLA surveys;

—Advising and assisting OPM in reviewing survey data;

—Advising OPM on its COLA program administration, including survey methodology;

—Assisting OPM in disseminating information to affected employees about the surveys and the COLA program; and

—Advising OPM on special situations or conditions, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, as they relate to OPM's authority to conduct interim surveys or implement some other change in response to conditions caused by a natural disaster or similar emergency.

2.2 Pre-Survey Meetings

To help OPM prepare for the COLA surveys, the CACs held 3-day meetings in Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua Kona, Kauai, Maui, and Guam. The CACs reviewed the preliminary outlet and item lists for the surveys. The committee members researched the outlets and availability and appropriateness of the items in each area and made recommendations concerning the survey. We incorporated these recommendations into the survey design.

We found the work of the CACs to be extremely helpful and informative. The CACs' knowledge of the local area, the popularity of items and outlets, and other information about the COLA area were invaluable in helping plan the survey.

2.3 Survey Item Selection

As described in Sections 2.1 and 2.2, we consulted with the CACs as we selected survey items. We identified items to reflect a wide array of items consumers typically purchase. To determine what consumers purchase, we used the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2002/2003 Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES). We aggregated CES expenditures into the following nine major expenditure groups (MEGs):

—Food,

—Shelter and Utilities,

—Household Furnishings and Supplies,

—Apparel,

—Transportation,

—Medical,

—Recreation,

—Education and Communication, and

—Miscellaneous.

We further subdivided each MEG into primary expenditure groups (PEGs). In all, there were 45 PEGs. For example, we subdivided Food into the following nine PEGs:

—Cereals and Bakery Products;

—Meats, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs;

—Dairy Products;

—Fresh Fruits and Vegetables;

—Processed Foods;

—Other Food at Home;

—Nonalcoholic Beverages;

—Food Away from Home; and

—Alcoholic Beverages.

To select survey items, we chose a sufficient number of items to represent each PEG and reduce overall price index variability. To do this, we applied the following guidelines:

Each survey item should be—

—Relatively important (i.e., represent a fairly large expenditure) within the PEG;

—Relatively easy to find in both COLA and DC areas;

—Relatively common, i.e., what people typically buy;

—Relatively stable over time, e.g., not a fad item; and

—Subject to similar supply and demand functions.

In all, we selected over 240 non-housing items to survey. Appendix 2 shows how we organized the CES data into MEGs and PEGs, identifies the Detailed Expenditure Categories (DECs) for which we chose survey items, and shows estimated DC area middle income annual consumer expenditures for each DEC and higher level of aggregations.

Appendix 3 lists the non-housing items we surveyed and their descriptions. Each of these items is specifically described with an exact brand, model, type, and size whenever practical. Thus, we priced exactly the same items or the same quality and quantity of items in both the COLA and DC areas. For example, OPM priced a 10.75-ounce can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup in both the COLA and DC areas because it is typical of canned soups, and consumers commonly purchase it.

2.3.1 Special Considerations

Health Insurance: It was not practical to compare the prices of exactly the same quality and quantity of health insurance between the COLA and Washington, DC, areas because the same array of plans is not offered in each area, and a significant proportion of Federal employees in both the COLA and DC areas subscribe to plans not available nationwide. To compare the employee health benefits premiums of these often highly different plans, OPM would have to adjust for differences in benefits and coverage. Research conducted by the parties prior to the Caraballo settlement indicated this would not be feasible.

Therefore, we use the non-Postal Service employee's share of the Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums by plan for each plan offered in each area. OPM maintains these data in the Central Personnel Data File (CPDF), including the number of white-collar Federal employees enrolled in each plan. As described in Section 4.2.3 below, we used these data to compute the average “price” of health insurance for Federal employees in the COLA and DC areas.

Housing: For housing items, we survey rental rates for specific kinds or classes of housing and collect detailed information about each housing unit. We survey the following classes of housing:

—Four bedroom, single family unit, not to exceed 3200 square feet;

—Three bedroom, single family unit, not to exceed 2600 square feet;

—Two bedroom, single family unit, not to exceed 2200 square feet;

—Three bedroom, single family unit, not to exceed 2,600 square feet;

—Two bedroom, single family unit, not to exceed 2,200 square feet;

—Three bedroom apartment unit, not to exceed 2,000 square feet;

—Two bedroom apartment unit, not to exceed 1,800 square feet; and

—One bedroom apartment unit, not to exceed 1,400 square feet.

For each housing unit we surveyed, we assessed approximately 80 characteristics about the unit. For example, we determined the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and whether there was a garage, air conditioning, security systems, and recreational facilities. Appendix 4 lists the types of detailed information we collected. We did not collect homeowner data, such as mortgage payments, maintenance expenses, or insurance. Under the Caraballo settlement, the parties agreed to adopt a rental equivalence approach similar to the one BLS uses for the Consumer Price Index. Rental equivalence compares the shelter value (rental value) of owned homes, rather than total owner costs, because the latter are influenced by the investment value of the home (i.e., influenced by what homeowners hope to realize as a profit when they sell their homes). As a rule, living-cost surveys do not compare how consumers invest their money.

We survey rents and use that as a surrogate for rental equivalence. In late 2004 and 2005, we conducted special research, the General Population Rental Equivalence Survey (GPRES), to obtain additional rent and rental equivalence information. The goal was to determine whether we should adjust the rent index before using it to estimate homeowner rental values. The analyses showed no adjustments should be made. Therefore, use of the rents to estimate rental equivalence is appropriate. We published the GPRES results in a Federal Register notice on July 31, 2006, at 71 FR 43228.

Although we surveyed rental rates for the same classes of housing in each area, the type, style, size, quality, and other characteristics of each unit varied within each area and between the COLA and DC areas. As described in Section 4.2.5, we used hedonic regression analyses to hold these characteristics constant between the COLA and Washington, DC, area to make rental price comparisons.

2.4 Outlet Selection

Just as it is important to select commonly-purchased items and survey the same items in both the DC area and COLA areas, it is important to select outlets frequented by consumers and find comparable outlets in both the COLA and DC areas. To identify comparable outlets, we categorize outlets by type (e.g., grocery store, convenience store, discount store, hardware store, auto dealer, and catalog outlet) and then survey only specific items at each outlet type. For example, we survey grocery items at supermarkets in all areas because most people purchase their groceries at such stores and because supermarkets exist in nearly all areas. Selecting comparable outlets is particularly important because significant price variations may occur between dissimilar outlets (e.g., comparing the price of milk at a supermarket with the price of milk at a convenience store).

We used the above classification criteria and existing data sources, including previous COLA surveys, phone books, and various business listings, to develop initial outlet lists for the survey. We provided these lists to the CACs and consulted with them on outlet selection. The committees helped us refine the outlet lists and identify other/additional outlets where local consumers generally purchase the survey items.

We also priced some items by catalog, and when we did, we priced the same items by catalog in the COLA areas and in the DC area. We priced 9 items by catalog in the Pacific areas. All catalog prices included any charges for shipping and handling and all applicable taxes, including excise taxes.

In all, we surveyed prices from approximately 1,300 outlets. In the COLA survey areas, we attempted to survey three popular outlets of each type, to the extent practical. For some outlet types, such as local phone service, there were not three outlets. In some areas, there was not a sufficient number of businesses to find three outlets of each particular type. In the Washington, DC, area, we surveyed up to nine popular outlets of each type, three in each of the DC survey areas described in Table 2.

2.5 Geographic Coverage

Table 2 shows the Pacific COLA and DC survey area boundaries. We collected non-housing prices in outlets throughout the Pacific areas described in Table 2. To collect rental housing data, we contracted with Delta-21 Resources, Incorporated, a research organization with expertise in housing and rental data collection. Delta-21 surveyed rental rates in locations within these areas.

In selecting the locations and sample sizes within each location, we used 2000 census data showing the relative number of Federal employees and housing units by zip code. We allocated the rental sample objectively, requiring Delta-21 to attempt to obtain more rental observations in locations with a relatively large number of Federal employees and housing units and fewer observations in locations with a relatively small number of Federal employees and housing units. Although the process provided a rational way to allocate the sample, Delta-21 was limited ultimately by how many units were available for rent within a location. Under the contract, Delta-21 surveyed only units available for rent. It did not survey all renter-occupied housing.

To collect non-housing data in the DC area, we divide the area into three survey areas, as shown in Table 2. We collect non-housing prices in outlets throughout these areas. We survey certain items, such as golf, in areas beyond the counties and cities specified in Table 2. We also survey the cost of air travel from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and survey the price of a 5-mile taxi ride originating at these airports. Both Dulles and BWI are outside the counties and cities shown in Table 2. Nevertheless, DC area residents commonly use both airports.

Delta-21 surveyed rental housing rates throughout the DC area. We do not divide the DC area into three separate survey areas for rental housing data collection but rather treat the area as a single survey area. As with the Pacific COLA areas, we used Census data to select specific locations and sample sizes within the DC area. Delta-21 collected data accordingly within these locations.

3. Conducting the Survey

3.1 Pricing Period

We collected data from early March through May 2007. We collected non-housing price data concurrently in the Pacific areas in March and collected the bulk of the DC area data in April and May. Delta-21 collected rental data sequentially in the DC area, Guam, Kauai, Kailua Kona/Waimea, Hilo, Maui, and Honolulu County from March through July 2007.

3.2 Non-Housing Price Data Collection

3.2.1 Data Collection Teams

In both the COLA and Washington, DC, areas, OPM central office staff collected non-housing price data. In the COLA areas, data collection observers designated by the local COLA Advisory Committees accompanied the OPM data collectors. The data collection observers advised and assisted the data collectors in contacting outlets, matching items, and selecting substitutes. The observers also advised OPM on other living-cost and compensation issues relating to their areas. We found the observers to be a valuable resource in conducting the local area surveys.

Because of logistical considerations, cost, and the fact OPM central office staff is very knowledgeable about the DC area, we did not use COLA Advisory Committee data collection observers in the Washington, DC, area. However, we made all of the DC area data available to the COLA Advisory Committees. This included both housing and non-housing data. The non-housing data showed the individual prices by item, store, and survey location as well as averages. The housing data included a photograph and a rough sketch of the layout of the rental unit. We also provided the COLA Advisory Committees with maps showing where each rental unit is located.

3.2.2 Data Collection Process

The data collector/observer teams obtained most of the data by visiting stores, auto dealers, and other outlets. The teams also priced some items, such as bank interest, piano lessons, and private education tuition, by telephone. As noted in Section 2.4, we surveyed some items via catalog, including all shipping costs and any applicable taxes in the price. We also collected other data, such as sales tax rates and airline fares, from Web sites on the Internet.

For all items subject to sales and/or excise taxes, we added the appropriate amount of tax to the price for computing COLA rates. We added 4.712 percent in Honolulu County and 4.166 percent in Hawaii County, Kauai County, and Maui County to account for the Hawaii general excise tax on businesses. In the DC area, sales tax rates varied by city, and some sales tax rates also varied by item, such as restaurant meals, within a location. Guam currently has no general sales or business tax that is passed on to the consumer separately at the time of sale.

The data collectors collected the price of the item at the time of the visit to the outlet. Therefore, with certain exceptions, the data collectors collected the sale price if the item was on sale, and we used that sale price in the COLA calculations. The exceptions include coupon prices, going-out-of-business prices, clearance prices, mail-in rebates, and area-wide distress sales, which we do not use. We also do not collect automobile “sale” or negotiated prices. Instead, we obtain the sticker (i.e., non-negotiated) price for the model and specified options. The prices are the manufacturer's suggested retail price (including options), destination charges, additional shipping charges, appropriate dealer-added items or options, dealer mark-up, and taxes, including sales tax and licensing and title fees.

3.3 Housing (Rental) Price Data Collection

As noted in Section 2.5, we contracted for the collection of rental housing data with Delta-21, which collected data in the Pacific areas and in the DC area. We arranged for COLA Advisory Committee observers to accompany Delta-21 rental data collectors for a limited period during the local rental surveys. The rental data collected included rental prices, comprehensive information about the size and type of dwelling, number and types of rooms, and other important amenities that might influence the rental price. Appendix 4 lists the data elements Delta-21 collected.

Delta-21 identified units for rent from various sources, including rental property managers, realtor brokers, listing services, newspaper ads, grocery store bulletin boards, and drive-by observation. Delta-21 then visited each rental unit, took a photograph of the unit, made a sketch of the floor plan based on exterior dimensions and shape, and noted the unit's longitude and latitude coordinates. We used longitude and latitude to (1) determine the distance of the rental unit from major commercial and Government centers, (2) to correlate census tract data (e.g., median income) for the tract in which the unit was located, and (3) to map each unit's location. As discussed in Section 4.2.5, we used certain census tract data elements along with the data Delta-21 collected to determine the relative price of rents. OPM made the rental data available to the COLA Advisory Committees, including the photographs, sketches, and maps.

4. Analyzing the Results

4.1 Data Review

During and after the data collection process, the data collectors reviewed the data for errors and omissions. This involved reviewing the data item-by-item and comparing prices across outlets within an area to spot data entry errors, mismatches, and other mistakes.

After all of the data had been collected in both the COLA areas and the Washington, DC, area, we again reviewed the data by item across all of the areas. One purpose was to spot errors not previously detected, but the principal reason was to look at substitute items.

A substitute is an item similar to but not exactly the same as the specified survey item. For example, we may specify a 32-ounce bottle of Heinz Ketchup as one of the items to survey. However, during the survey we may discover some allowance area stores do not carry this item, but all carry a 24-ounce bottle of Hunt's Ketchup. Therefore, we will price the 24-ounce Hunt's Ketchup in the allowance areas and in the DC area as a substitute. We will use the substitute price information in place of the price of the originally specified item.

4.2 Special Price Computations

After completing the data review, we made special price computations for five survey items: K-12 private education, Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums, water utilities, energy utility prices, and rental housing prices. For each of these, we used special processes to calculate appropriate values for each survey area.

4.2.1 K-12 Private Education

One of the items we surveyed is the average annual tuition for private education, grades K-12. As in previous surveys, we found tuition rates varied by grade level. Therefore, we computed an overall average tuition “price” for each school surveyed by averaging the tuition rates grade-by-grade. Section 4.4.2 below describes the additional special use factor we applied to the average tuition rates in the price comparison process.

4.2.2 Health Insurance

As noted in Section 2.3.1, we surveyed the non-Postal employees' premium for the various Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plans offered in each survey area. Using enrollment information from the CPDF, we computed two weighted average premium costs—one for self-only coverage and another for family coverage—for white-collar Federal employees in each of the COLA areas and in the Washington, DC, area. As shown in Table 3, we then computed an overall weighted average premium for each survey area by applying the number of white-collar Federal employees nationwide enrolled in self-only and family plans. We used the overall weighted average premiums as “prices” in the price averaging process described in Section 4.3.

4.2.3 Water Utilities

OPM surveyed water utility rates in each of the COLA and Washington, DC, survey areas. To compute the “price” of water utilities, OPM assumed the average monthly water consumption in each area was 7,600 gallons. This is consistent with the consumption amount OPM used in the previous COLA survey. OPM used this quantity along with the rates charged to compute the average monthly water utility cost by survey area. OPM used these average monthly costs as “prices” in the price averaging process described in Section 4.3 below.

4.2.4 Energy Utilities Model

For energy utilities (i.e., electricity, gas, and oil), OPM collected from local utility companies and suppliers in the COLA and DC survey areas the price of various energy utilities used for lighting, cooking, cooling, and other household needs over a 12-month period. OPM then used the results of a heating and cooling engineering model to determine how many kilowatt hours of electricity, cubic feet of gas, and/or gallons of fuel oil are needed in each area to maintain a specific model home at a constant ambient temperature of 69 degrees when heat is used or 72 degrees when cooling is used. The engineering model uses local home construction information and climatic data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and also includes the amount of electricity needed to run standard household appliances and lighting. For each survey area, OPM calculated the cost to heat and cool the model home using the different heating fuels and electricity for lighting and appliances. Although some homes use additional energy sources, such as wood, coal, kerosene, and solar energy, OPM did not price or include these in the calculations because, based on the results of the 2000 census, relatively few homes use these as primary energy sources.

For the Pacific areas, OPM surveyed the price of electricity to compute home energy costs because the 2000 census indicated electricity is the primary energy source in more than 95 percent of the homes in Hawaii and Guam. In the DC area, OPM surveyed the costs of all three fuels (gas, oil, and electricity) and applied all taxes, fees, and fuel cost adjustments in effect for the 12-month period. OPM used percentages based on the usage of the different fuels in each survey area to compute a weighted average utility fuel cost for the area. Appendix 5 shows the energy requirements, relative usage percentages, and total costs by area. OPM used these total costs as the “price” of utilities in the COLA rate calculations.

4.2.5 Rental Data Hedonic Models

As discussed in Sections 2.5 and 3.3, OPM hired a contractor to collect rental data, including rents and the characteristics of each rental unit. As described in Section 3.3, we collated the rental data with census tract information published by the Bureau of the Census using the longitude and latitude of the rental properties. We used census tracts, which are relatively small geographically, as surrogates for neighborhoods. We believe the census tract characteristics, such as the percentage of school age children, reflect the character and quality of the neighborhoods in which the rental units are found.

OPM uses hedonic regression analysis, which is a type of multiple linear regression analysis, to compare rents in the COLA areas with rents in the DC area. Multiple linear regression is a type of statistical analysis used to determine how the dependent variable (in this case rent) is influenced by the independent variables (in this case the characteristics of the neighborhood and rental unit). In regression analyses, it is very important to choose the independent variables with great care, making certain only those meeting certain statistically significant thresholds are used in the analysis. To select the independent variables, OPM uses a special procedure developed jointly by OPM and the Technical Advisory Committee. (The Technical Advisory Committee was established under the Caraballo settlement and is composed of three economists with expertise in living-cost comparisons.) We call this procedure the Variable Selection Protocol (VSP).

VSP is a multi-step procedure that uses objective criteria to eliminate independent variables with little statistical significance in the regression. It also removes variables with inexplicable signs and variables that negatively affect the precision of the rent indexes. An example of an inexplicable sign is when the landlord provides an amenity (e.g., a microwave), and the variable has a negative sign. In essence, this is the same as saying on average when the landlord did not provide a microwave, the property rented for more than when the landlord did provide a microwave.

How VSP drops variables that negatively affect the precision of rent indexes is a bit more complicated to explain. The key variable in the regression is the survey area, i.e., Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui, Kauai, Guam, and the Washington, DC, area. As with all variables in the regression, these variables have parameter estimates; but the survey area parameter estimates are especially important because they become the rent indexes for each of the survey areas. Therefore, it is important that the survey area parameter estimates be as accurate as practicable. The accuracy is measured by the standard error of the survey area parameter estimate. In the last steps of VSP, the protocol tests each of the variables in the model and drops variables that if retained would raise the standard errors of the survey area parameter estimates.

Using VSP, we selected variables with the greatest statistical significance. The variables are listed below and are shown in the regression output in Appendix 6.

—Age of unit;

—Age of unit squared;

—Number of bathrooms;

—Number of bedrooms;

—Unit type (detached house, row/townhouse, high rise apartment, garden apartment, and other (in-home apartments, duplex/triplex/quadplex units and other));

—Number of square feet combined (i.e., “crossed”) with unit type;

—Square footage squared;

—Neighborhood condition (above average, average, or below average);

—Full kitchen (variable values range from 0-1 with three possible levels: 0, .5, or 1—variable receives .5 if unit has a refrigerator and .5 if it has a range or oven);

—Electricity (landlord provides electricity);

—Furniture (landlord provides furniture);

—Percent BA index (percentage of population in the census tract with a baccalaureate degree or higher level of education divided by the percentage of the population in the survey area with a baccalaureate degree or higher level of education);

—Percent school age index (percentage of population in the census tract of school age divided by the percentage of the population in the survey area of school age);

—Percent below the poverty level index (percentage of population in the census tract with income below the poverty level divided by the percentage of the population in the survey area with income below the poverty level);

—Survey year (2006 or 2007 DC area only); and

—Survey area (Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui, Kauai, Guam, or the DC area).

We included the survey year variable in the regression calculations because, based on the recommendation of the Technical Advisory Committee, we use two years of DC area rental data. We find adding data from the previous year significantly reduces the standard error of the survey area parameter estimate.

As is common in this type of analysis and as was done in the research leading to the Caraballo settlement, OPM uses semi-logarithmic regressions. As noted previously in this section, the regression produces parameter estimates for each independent variable, including survey area. When the regression uses the Washington, DC, area as the base, the regression produces parameter estimates for each of the COLA survey areas: Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui, Kauai, Guam. The exponent of the survey area parameter estimate (i.e., after the estimate is converted from natural logarithms) multiplied by 100 (following the convention used to express indexes) is the survey area's rent index. This index reflects the difference in rents in each of the COLA survey areas relative to the Washington, DC, area, while holding constant important neighborhood and rental unit characteristics captured in the survey and census data.

OPM makes a technical adjustment in the above calculations to correct for a slight bias caused by the use of logarithms because the exponent of the average of the logarithms of a series of numbers is always less than the average of the numbers. Therefore, we added one-half of the standard deviation of the survey area parameter estimate before converting from natural logarithms. (See Arthur Goldberger, “Best Linear Unbiased Prediction in the Generalized Linear Regression Model,” Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1962.) Table 4 shows the resulting rent indexes. We used these indexes as “prices” in the price averaging process described in Section 4.3.

Appendix 6 shows the regression equation in SAS code and the regression results. (SAS is a proprietary statistical analysis computer software package.)

4.3 Averaging Prices by Item and Area

After OPM collected, reviewed, and made special adjustments in the data (as required), OPM averaged the prices for each item by COLA survey area. For example, OPM priced a bag of sugar at three different grocery stores in Honolulu County and averaged these prices to compute a single average price for sugar in Honolulu. If OPM collected more than one price for a particular matched item within the same outlet (e.g., priced equivalent brands), OPM used the lowest price by item and outlet to compute the average. (The concept is that, if the item and brands are equivalent, consumers will choose the one with the lowest price.) OPM repeated this item-by-item averaging process for each area.

For Washington, DC, area prices, we first averaged prices within each of the three DC survey areas described in Section 2.5. Then we computed a weighted average of the three DC survey areas using census data on where Federal employees live as the weights.

4.4 Computing Price Indexes

Next, OPM computed a price index for each of the items found in both the COLA survey area and in the Washington, DC, area. To do this, OPM divided the COLA survey area average price by the DC area average price and, following the convention used to express indexes, multiplied this by 100. For the vast majority of survey items, OPM next applied consumer expenditure weights. For a few items, however, OPM first applied special processes as described in Sections 4.4.1 and 4.4.2 below.

4.4.1 Geometric Means

As described in Section 2.3, OPM selected survey items to represent selected detailed expenditure categories (DECs). Generally, OPM surveyed only one item per DEC, but in a few cases, OPM surveyed multiple items at a single DEC. In these cases, OPM computed the geometric mean of the price indexes to derive a single price index for the DEC. (A geometric mean is the n th root of the product of n different numbers and is often used in price index computations.) For example, OPM surveyed two prescription drugs—Methylphenidate and Nexium. These two different prescription drugs represent a single DEC called “prescription drugs.” To derive a single price index for the DEC, OPM computed the geometric mean of the price index for Methylphenidate and the price index for Nexium.

4.4.2 Special Private Education Computations

As noted in Section 4.2.1, OPM surveyed K-12 private education in the COLA and DC areas and computed an average tuition “price” that reflected all grade levels. Because not everyone sends children to private school, OPM made an additional special adjustment for K-12 education by applying “use factors.” These use factors reflect the relative extent to which Federal employees make use of private education in the COLA and DC areas. For example, Table 5 shows a use factor of 2.0302 for Honolulu County. OPM computed this by dividing 26.86 percent (the percentage of Federal employees in Honolulu County with at least 1 child in a private school) by 13.23 percent (the percentage of DC area Federal employees with at least 1 child in a private school). OPM obtained the percentages from the results of the 1992/93 Federal Employee Housing and Living Patterns Survey, which is the most current comprehensive data available. Table 5 shows the use factors and the adjusted price indexes for each COLA survey area.

4.5 Applying Consumer Expenditure Weights

Next, OPM applied consumer expenditure weights to aggregate price indexes by expenditure group. As noted in Section 2.3, OPM used the results of the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey to estimate the amounts middle income level consumers in the DC area spend on various items. Using expenditure weights, OPM combined the price indexes according to their relative importance. For example, shelter is the most important expenditure in terms of the COLA survey and represents about 30 percent of total consumer expenditures. On the other hand, the purchase of newspapers at newsstands represents less than 1/10th of 1 percent of total expenditures.

Beginning at the lowest level of expenditure aggregation (e.g., sub-PEG), OPM computed the relative importance of each survey item within the level of aggregation, multiplied the price index times its expenditure percentage, and summed the cross products for all of the items within the level of aggregation to compute a weighted price index for that level. OPM repeated this process at each higher level of aggregation (e.g., PEG and MEG). Appendix 7 shows these calculations for each COLA survey area at the PEG and MEG level.

The above process resulted in an overall price index for each of the Pacific COLA areas (shown in Appendix 7), but not for Hawaii County, which has two separate COLA survey areas. To compute an overall price index for Hawaii County, OPM computed weights based on the number of General Schedule (GS) and equivalent Federal employees stationed on the Hilo side of the island compared with the number stationed on the Kailua Kona/Waimea side of the island. OPM then multiplied each of the MEG indexes for Hilo and Kailua Kona by their respective GS employment weights and summed the cross products to produce an overall price index for Hawaii County. (See Appendix 7.) Table 6 shows the weights OPM used.

5. Final Results

To compute the overall living-cost index, OPM added to the price index a non-price adjustment factor. The parties in Caraballo negotiated these factors to reflect differences in living costs that might not be captured by the surveys, and OPM adopted these factors in regulation as part of the new methodology. The factor for Honolulu County is five index points. The factor for all other COLA areas in Hawaii is seven index points. The factor for Guam/CNMI is nine index points. The resulting living-cost indexes are shown in Table 7.

6. Post Survey Review

In December 2007, OPM held teleconferences with the COLA Advisory Committees in Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua Kona, Kauai, Maui, and Guam to review the survey results. We provided the committee members with various reports showing the data we collected, examples of how we reviewed these data, the data we used in our analyses, and the results at the PEG and MEG level, as shown in Appendix 7. We explained how we analyzed the rental data and used expenditure weights to combine price indexes to reflect overall living costs.

Appendix 1—Prior Survey Results: 1990-2006

Appendix 2—Estimated DC Area Middle Income Annual Consumer Expenditures

Appendix 3—COLA Survey Items and Descriptions

Adhesive Bandages. One box of 30 adhesive bandages. Assorted sizes. Clear or flexible okay to use. (Note: in Virginia, add tax to this item.) Use: Band Aid.

Airfare Los Angeles. Lowest cost round trip ticket to Los Angeles, CA, 3-week advance reservation, departing and returning midweek and including Saturday night stay. Price non-refundable ticket. Disregard restrictions, super-saver fares, and special promotions. In reference area, price flights from Baltimore Washington International for Maryland, Reagan National for the District of Columbia, and Dulles for Virginia. Price all flights via Internet on same day during the DC area survey. Use: Major carrier.

Airfare Miami. Lowest cost round trip ticket to Miami, FL, 3-week advance reservation, departing and returning midweek and including Saturday night stay. Price non-refundable ticket. Disregard restrictions, super-saver fares, and special promotions. In reference area, price flights from Baltimore Washington International for Maryland, Reagan National for the District of Columbia, and Dulles for Virginia. Price all flights via Internet on same day during the DC area survey. Use: Major carrier.

Airfare Seattle. Lowest cost round trip ticket to Seattle, WA, 3-week advance reservation, departing and returning midweek and including Saturday night stay. Price non-refundable ticket. Disregard restrictions, super-saver fares, and special promotions. In reference area, price flights from Baltimore Washington International for Maryland, Reagan National for the District of Columbia, and Dulles for Virginia. Price all flights via Internet on same day during the DC area survey. Use: Major carrier.

Airfare St. Louis. Lowest cost round trip ticket to St. Louis, MO, 3-week advance reservation, departing and returning midweek and including Saturday night stay. Price non-refundable ticket. Disregard restrictions, super-saver fares, and special promotions. In reference area, price flights from Baltimore Washington International for Maryland, Reagan National for the District of Columbia, and Dulles for Virginia. Price all flights via Internet on same day during the DC area survey. Use: Major carrier.

Alternator (Ford). Price of a remanufactured 95 Amp alternator for a 1998 Ford Explorer 4.0L fuel injected V6 with A/C and automatic transmission to the consumer at a dealership. Report price net of core charge (i.e., price after core is returned). Report core charge in comments. If only new alternator available, report new price as match. If price varies whether dealer installs, assume dealer installs but do not price labor. Use: Dealer recommended brand.

Alternator (Toyota). Price of a remanufactured alternator for a 1998 Toyota Corolla LE sedan, 4 door, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder, 16 valve, automatic transmission, to the consumer at a dealership. Report price net of core charge (i.e., price after core is returned). Report core charge in comments. If only new alternator available, report new price as match. If price varies whether dealer installs, assume dealer installs but do not price labor. Use: Dealer recommended brand.

Antacid. Ninety-six count size of extra strength tablets. Use: Tums EX 96 tablets.

Antibacterial Ointment. One ounce and 1/2 ounce tubes of antibacterial ointment. Use: Neosporin Original.

Apples. Price per pound, loose (not bagged) apples. If only bagged apples available, report bag weight. Use: Red Delicious.

Area Rug. Approximately 8 foot by 11 foot oval braided rug, flat woven, 3-ply yarn, wool/nylon/rayon blend, with multi-colored accents. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: American Traditions. JC Penney catalog number: A751-0449.

Artificial Sweetener. Fifty-count package of artificial sweetener. Use: Equal.

Aspirin. Fifty tablets of regular strength aspirin. Use: Bayer, Regular Strength.

ATV, Honda. All terrain sports vehicle with 250-300cc engine. Electric start. Use: Honda 2007 Sportrax 300EX.

ATV, Yamaha. All terrain sports vehicle with 350cc engine. Electric start. Use: Yamaha Warrior.

Auto Finance Rate. Interest rate for a 4-year loan on a new car with a down payment of 20 percent. Assume the loan applicant is a current bank customer who will make payments by cash/check and not by automatic deduction from the account. Enter 7.65 percent as $7.650. If bank needs to know type of car, use specified Ford. Obtain interest rate and verify phone number. Use: Interest percentage rate.

Baby Food. Four ounce jar strained vegetables or fruit. Use: Gerber 2nd.

Babysitter. Minimum hourly wage appropriate to area. Use: Government wage data.

Baking Dish 8 x 8. Glass baking dish, 8 inch square glass, clear or tinted. Exclude baking dish with cover or lid. Use: Martha Stewart (K-Mart) and Anchor Hocking (Wal-Mart).

Baking Dish 9 x 13. Glass baking dish, 9 inch by 13 inch glass, clear or tinted. Exclude baking dish with cover or lid. Use: Pyrex.

Bananas. Price per pound of bananas. If sold by bunch, report price and weight of average sized bunch. Use: Available brand.

Bath Towel. Approximately 56 inch x 30 inch wide, 100 percent cotton, medium weight. Side hem is woven selvage. Bottom hem may be folded. Use: Springmaid (Wal-Mart) and Martha Stewart 3 Star (K-Mart).

Beer at Home (Cans). Six-pack of 12 ounce cans. Do not price refrigerated beer unless that is the only type available. Use: Budweiser.

Beer Away. All restaurant types. One glass of beer, draft if available. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Budweiser.

Board Game. Price standard edition, not deluxe. Use: Sorry.

Book, Paperback. Store price (not publisher's list price unless that is the store price) for top selling fiction, paperback book. Also price via Amazon.com during the DC area survey. Use: Chesapeake Blue, by Nora Roberts and The King of Torts, by John Grisham.

Bowling. One game of open (or non-league) 10-pin bowling on a weekday (Monday-Friday) between the hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Exclude shoe rental. If priced by the hour, report hourly rate divided by 5 (i.e., estimated number of games per hour) and note hourly rate in comments. Do not price duck-pin bowling. Use: Bowling.

Boy's Jeans. Relaxed fit, size range 9 to 14, pre-washed jeans, not bleached, stone-washed or designer jeans. Use: Levis 550 Relaxed Fit.

Boy's Polo Shirt. Knit polo-type short sleeve shirt with collar, solid color, cotton/polyester, size range 8 to 14. Use: Ralph Lauren (Macys) and Lands End (Sears).

Boy's T-Shirt. Screen-printed t-shirt for boys ages 8 thru 10 (sizes 7 to 14). Pullover with crew neck, short sleeves and polyester/cotton blend. Do not price team logo shirts. Use: Green Dog Blues (Macys) and Canyon River Blues (Sears).

Bread, Wheat. Loaf of sliced wheat bread, 16 ounces. Do not price store brand. Use: Roman Meal 16 oz.

Bread, Wheat, Butter Top. Loaf of sliced wheat bread, 20-24 ounces. Do not price store brand. Use: Home Pride. Love's Home Pride is an equivalent brand.

Bread, White. Loaf of sliced white bread, 22-24 ounces. Do not price store brand. Use: Wonder giant loaf. Love's is an equivalent brand.

Breakfast Full Service. Approximately two strips of bacon or two sausages, two eggs, toast, hash browns, coffee, and juice. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Bacon and eggs breakfast.

Cable TV, Analog Service. One month of cable service. Include converter and universal remote fees. Do not price value packages or premium channels; i.e., Showtime, HBO, Cinemax. Do not report hook-up charges. Itemize taxes and fees as percent rates or amounts and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Local provider.

Camera Film. Four-pack, 35 millimeter, 24 exposure, 400 ASA (speed). Use: Kodak Max 400.

Candy Bar. One regular size candy bar-weight approximately 1.55 to 2.13 ounces. Do not price king-size or multi-pack. Use: Snickers.

Canned Chopped Ham. Twelve ounce can of processed luncheon meat. Do not price turkey, light, or smoked varieties. Use: SPAM.

Canned Green Beans. Fourteen to 15 ounce can of plain-cut green beans. Use: Del Monte.

Canned Peaches. Fifteen to 16 ounce can of peaches. Use: Del Monte.

Canned Soup. Regular size (approx. 10.7 ounce) can of condensed soup. Not hearty, reduced fat, or salt free varieties. Use: Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup.

Canned Tuna. Chunk light tuna, packed in spring water (6.0 to 6.13 ounces). Do not price fancy style or albacore. Use: Star Kist.

Cellular Phone 500 Minute Plan. Cellular phone service with 500 anytime minutes per month. Price via internet, all areas at the same time during the DC area survey. Call for fee information. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Major provider.

Cellular Phone 600 Minute Plan. Cellular phone service with 600 anytime minutes per month. Price via internet, all areas at the same time during the DC area survey. Call for fee information. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Major provider.

Cellular Phone 800 Minute Plan. Cellular phone service with 800 anytime minutes per month. Price via internet, all areas at the same time during the DC area survey. Call for fee information. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Major provider.

Cereal. Raisin bran cereal, approximately 20 ounce box. Use: Post Raisin Bran.

Charcoal Grill. Charcoal grill, heavy gauge, porcelain-enameled, steel lid, approximately 22.5 inches diameter, model 741001. Use: Weber 1 Touch Silver 221/2″.

Charcoal Grill. Charcoal grill, heavy gauge, porcelain-enameled, steel lid, approximately 18.5 inches diameter, model 441001. Use: Weber 1 Touch Silver 18.5″.

Cheese. Twelve ounce package cheese, 16 slices. Okay to price two percent milk-reduced fat singles, but do not price fat free variety. Use: Kraft Singles, American.

Chicken Breast, Skinless, Boneless. Price per pound of USDA grade boneless, skinless, fresh chicken breasts. Price store brand if available, otherwise record brand. Note: Most “fresh” (i.e., not frozen) chicken is “chilled” to almost freezing. Use: Store brand.

Chicken, Whole Fryer, Fresh. Price per pound of USDA graded, whole fryer, fresh chicken. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. If frozen chicken available, price as substitute. Note: Most “fresh” (i.e., not frozen) chicken is “chilled” to almost freezing. Use: Available brand.

Chrysler. Purchase price of a 2007 Chrysler Sebring sedan, 4 door, 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder, 16 valve, four-speed automatic transmission. Please note the price of any special option packages. Use: Chrysler Sebring sedan.

Chrysler License, Registration, Taxes, & Inspection. License, registration, periodic taxes (e.g., road or personal property tax, but NOT one-time taxes such as sales tax), and inspection (e.g., safety and emissions) on the Chrysler specified for survey. Use: Specified Chrysler.

Chuck Roast, Boneless. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) boneless beef chuck pot roast. Price USDA Select or un-graded if available. If not available, note USDA grade in comments. Use average size package; i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available (e.g., Angus), match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Cigarettes. One pack filter kings. Include State and/or Federal tobacco tax in price if normally part of the price. Report sales tax in the same manner as any other taxable item. Use: Marlboro.

Coffee, Ground. Thirteen ounce can. Do not price decaffeinated or special roasts. Use: Folger's.

Compact Disc. Current best-selling CD. Do not price double CD's. Use: Norah Jones, Feels Like Home or Beyonce, Dangerously In Love.

Contact Lenses. One box of disposable contact lenses, three pairs in the box. A pair lasts 2 weeks. Use: Bausch & Lomb or Acuvue.

Cookies. Approximately sixteen ounce package of chocolate chip cookies. Use: Nabisco Chips Ahoy.

Cooking Oil. Forty-eight fluid ounce plastic bottle of vegetable oil. Use: Crisco.

Cordless Phone 2.4 GHz. Cordless phone, 2.4 GHz with Caller ID and Digital Answering Machine. Color: Black. Use: GE 2.4 GHz (27998GE6).

Cordless Phone 900 MHz. Cordless phone, 900MHz with Caller ID and Digital Answering Machine. Use: GE (26992GE1).

Credit Card Interest & Annual Fees. Obtain credit card interest rate of gold and platinum cards and apply it to the national average balance ($8,562) plus any annual fees charged by the bank. Obtain interest rate and charges and verify phone number. Use: Gold and platinum VISA/Master Card.

Cremation. Direct cremation. Includes removal of remains, local transportation to crematory, necessary body care and minimal services of the staff. Include crematory fee. Do not include price of urn. Ask if crematory fee, Medical Examiner fee, and minimum basic container is included. Ask if anything other than basic service, such as a funeral service, is included. Use: Cremation.

Cured Ham, Boneless. Price per pound of a boneless cured ham. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Hormel, Cure 81.

Day Care. One month of day care for a 3-year old child, 5 days a week, about 10 hours per day. If monthly rate is not available, (1) obtain weekly rate, (2) record rate in the comments section, and (3) multiply weekly rate by 4.33 to obtain monthly rate. Use: Day care.

Dental Clean and Check-Up. Current adult patient charge for routine exam, including two bite-wing x-rays and cleaning of teeth with light scaling and polishing. No special treatment of gums or teeth. Do not price an initial visit or specialist or oral surgeon. (Dental codes: 0120, 0272, 1110.) Use: Dentist.

Dental Crown. Cost of a full crown on a lower molar, porcelain fused to a high noble metal. Include price of preparation or restoration of tooth to accept crown. Price for an adult. (Dental code: 2750.) Use: Dentist.

Dental Filling. Lower molar, two surfaces resin-based composite filling. Price for an adult. (Dental code: 2392.) Use: Dentist.

Dining Table Set. Solid hardwood butcher-block top dining table with 6 coordinating slat-back chairs (2 bonus side chairs for a penny). Table measures 42 x 60″, expands to a 60″ square with butterfly leaf, 291/2″ high. Chairs have an 18″ seat height. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: 5-piece casual dining set from JC Penney catalog number: A796-1323.

Dinner Full Service—Filet Mignon. Extra fine dining, fine dining, and Outback-type restaurants. Filet mignon (6 to 10 ounce) with 1 or 2 small side dishes (e.g., rice or potato), salad and coffee. Do not include tip. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Filet mignon.

Dinner Full Service—Steak, Large. Extra fine dining, fine dining, and Outback-type restaurants. Steak (10 to 16 ounce) with 1 or 2 small side dishes (e.g., rice or potato), salad and coffee. Do not include tip. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Steak dinner, large.

Dinner Full Service—Steak, Medium. Casual and pancake house restaurants. Approximately 8 to 12 ounce steak, with 1 or 2 small side dishes (e.g., rice or potato), side salad or salad bar, and coffee. Meal should not include dessert. If 8-12 ounce unavailable, price closest size and note in comments. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Steak dinner, medium.

Dish Set. Patterned tableware, 20-piece set. Includes: 4 dinner plates, 4 luncheon plates, 4 bowls, 4 cups, and 4 saucers. Use: Corelle, Chutney.

Disposable Diapers. Grocery and discount stores. Pampers: Forty-eight count package, Stage 2 (child 12-18 lbs), Jumbo disposable diapers with koala fit grips. If Stage 2 is not available price a different stage Pampers Jumbo diaper, report as match, and note stage in comments. Huggies: Forty-eight count package, Step 2 (child 12-18 lbs), Jumbo, Ultratrim disposable diapers with stretch waist. If Step 2 is not available price a different step Huggies Jumbo diaper, report as match, and note step in comments. Use: Pampers, Baby Dry, Jumbo, Stage 2; Huggies, Ultratrim, Jumbo, Step 2.

Doctor Office Visit. Typical fee for office visit for an adult when medical advice or simple treatment is needed. Do not price initial visit. Exclude regular physical examination, injections, medications, or lab tests. Use general practitioner not pediatrician or other specialist. Medical Code: 99213. Use: Doctor.

Drill, Cord. Variable speed, 3/8 inch, reversible electric drill, approximately 5 amp. Use: Black & Decker DR200, Craftsman Model 10104 (Sears).

Drill, Cord (Extra Features). Variable speed, 3/8 inch, reversible electric drill, approximately 5 amp, keyless chuck, double gear reduction, built-in level. Use: Black & Decker DR201K.

Drill, Cordless. Variable speed, reversible, 3/8 inch keyless ratcheting chuck, 14.4 volt, electric drill with fast recharge, with battery charger. Use: DeWalt DW928K-2 (Sears item number 00926842000).

Dry Clean Man's Suit. Dry cleaning of a two-piece man's suit of typical fabric. Do not price for silk, suede or other unusual materials. Use: Dry cleaning.

DVD Movie. Current best-selling DVD movie. Do not price double DVDs. Use: Bruce Almighty or Seabiscuit.

DVD Player. Progressive scan 1-disc MP3/CD/DVD player. Use: Sony DVPNS425P and Sony DVP-NS725P; RCA DRC230N (K-Mart); RCA DRC212N (Wal-Mart).

Education, Private 6-12. Cost of tuition. Note if books and uniforms are included. If price varies by grade, record in comments price for each grade. Note any annual, recurring fees; i.e., registration, computer, activity, etc. If pricing at church-affiliated schools, note any rate differences for church members versus others. Use: Private school 6-12, private school K-12, private school K-8.

Eggs (White, Large). One dozen large white Grade A eggs. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Electric Bill. Total utility rates for electricity from utility function model, including all taxes and surcharges, etc. Use utility worksheets to collect data. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Local provider.

Electric Broom. Electric broom style vacuum cleaner with 2 amp motor. Use: K-Mart: Eureka The Boss Bagless 164; Wal-Mart: Eureka The Boss Bagless 169.

Eye Round Roast, Boneless. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) boneless eye round roast. Price USDA Select or un-graded if available. If not available, note USDA grade in comments. Use average size package, i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available (e.g. Angus), match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Fast Food Breakfast. Egg McMuffin value meal, includes hash browns and coffee. Price medium size. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Egg McMuffin Value Meal (Med.).

Fast Food Dinner Burger. Big Mac value meal, includes fries and soda. Price medium size. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Big Mac Value Meal (Med.).

Fast Food Dinner Pizza. Medium cheese pizza (without extra cheese) with salad and small soft drink. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Medium Cheese Pizza.

Fast Food Lunch Burger. Big Mac value meal, includes fries and soda. Price medium size. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Big Mac Value Meal (Med.).

Fast Food Lunch Pizza. Personal size cheese pizza (without extra cheese) or one slice of cheese pizza. Include price of a small soft drink. Do not include price of salad or other side dishes. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Cheese Pizza.

FEGLI (Life Insurance). Federal life insurance. This item is not surveyed locally because it is constant across all areas. Use: Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance.

FEHB Insurance. Self only and family. This item is not surveyed locally. OPM provides premiums and enrollment data from Central Personnel Data File. Use: Federal Employees Health Benefits Insurance.

FERS/CSRS Contributions. Federal retirement contributions. This item is not surveyed locally because it is constant across all areas. Use: Federal Employees' Retirement System and Civil Service Retirement System.

Filing Cabinet. Metal, two-drawer, vertical file cabinet, approximately 24 x 14 x 18 inches. File drawer accommodates hanging files. Use: K-Mart: ISD Classic File 150; Wal-Mart: Space Solutions Ready File 10002.

Film Processing 1 Hour. One-hour color film processing for 24 exposure, 35 mm, with either 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 inch single prints. Use: In-store processing.

Ford Explorer 4WD. Purchase price of a 2007 Ford Explorer XLT, 4x4, 4 door, 4.0 liter, 6 cylinder, 5-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Please note the price of any special option packages. Use: Ford Explorer XLT.

Ford License, Registration, Taxes, and Inspection. License, registration, periodic taxes (e.g., road or personal property tax, but NOT one-time taxes such as sales tax), and inspection (e.g., safety and emissions) on the Ford specified for survey. Use: Specified Ford.

Fresh Mahi-Mahi. Price per pound of fresh Mahi-Mahi fillet. Do not price previously frozen (PF) or specially prepared varieties. Do not price family-pack, value-pack, super-save pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Fresh Tuna Steak, Yellowfin (Ahi). Price one pound of tuna steak, yellowfin (Ahi), fresh. Do not price previously frozen (PF) or specially prepared varieties. Do not price family-pack, value-pack, super-save pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Frozen Fish Fillet. Price of one box (10 count) of frozen ocean whitefish breaded fillets. Use: Gorton's Lemon Herb flavor, approximately 18 ounce (if unavailable, price traditional crunchy as a substitute); Van de Kamp 10 count, approximately 21 to 25 ounce.

Frozen Orange Juice. Twelve fluid ounce can of orange juice concentrate (makes 48 fl ounces). Do not price calcium fortified, pulp free, country style, etc. Use: Minute Maid.

Frozen Peas. Sixteen ounce package of frozen petite or baby peas, no sauce or onions. Use: C&W Petite peas.

Frozen TV Dinner. One 11.75 ounce (approximate size) frozen dinner with vegetable and/or other condiment. Do not price Hungry Man or equivalent extra-portion sizes. Use: Swanson Roasted Carved Turkey Breast, Swanson Angus Beef Salisbury Steak.

Frozen Waffles. Ten count box of frozen waffles per package. Do not price fat-free or whole wheat varieties. Use: Eggo (10 ct).

Fruit Drink. Ten pack of fruit drink, not juice, any flavor. Use: Hi C fruit punch drink 10 pack.

Fruit Juice. Forty-eight ounce glass or plastic bottle of cranberry juice. Use: Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice.

Gas. Price per gallon for self-service unleaded regular gasoline. Use: Major brand.

Gelatin. Three ounce box gelatin dessert. Use: JELL-O.

General Admission Evening Film. Adult price for evening showing, current-release (currently advertised on television). Report weekend evening price if different from weekday. Use: Movie.

Girl's Dress. Girls print dress, softly colored floral-print blue chiffon dress. Scoop neck, split sleeves. Polyester chiffon; lining is polyester, washable. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Hype print dress, JC Penney catalog number: A380-9973.

Girl's Jeans. Slim fit in the seat and thighs with flared legs and traditional 5-pocket styling, for girls ages 8 to 10 (size 7 to 14). Use: Ralph Lauren (Macys), Levis 517 (Sears).

Girl's Polo Type Top. Girl's polo cotton blend, striped or solid pattern. Price sizes 7 to 14 or S, M, and L in girls sizes. Use: Ralph Lauren (Macys), Lands End (Sears).

Girl's Polo Type Top (Catalog). Girl's polo cotton/polyester blend, striped or solid pattern, straight bottom hem, 2-button front placket, with ribbed collar and cuffs; washable. Price sizes 7 to 14 or S, M, and L in girls sizes. JC Penney catalog number: A373-0302. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Ruling Class.

Golf, Non Resort. Eighteen holes of golf on weekend with cart, tee-time approximately 2 p.m. Do not price par 3 courses. If only nine holes available, double price. If only daily rate available (unlimited number of holes), report the Saturday or Sunday rate. Price local resident fee. Use: Golf, non-resort.

Golf, Resort. Eighteen holes of golf on weekend with cart, tee-time approximately 2 p.m. Do not price par 3 courses. If only nine holes available, double price. If only daily rate available (unlimited number of holes), report the Saturday or Sunday rate. Price local resident fee (not hotel guest fee). Price outside of local jurisdiction if necessary. Use: Golf, resort.

Ground Beef. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) ground beef or ground chuck. Price USDA Select or un-graded if available. If not available, note USDA grade in comments. Use average size package, i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available (e.g. Angus), match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand, 7% fat and 20% fat.

Hamburger Buns. Eight-count package of sliced enriched white hamburger buns. Do not price store brand. Use: Wonder. Love's is an equivalent brand.

Hand-Held Vacuum. Cordless, hand-held, vacuum with upholstery brush and crevice tool. Use: Black & Decker DustBuster 7.2 volt V7210 (K-Mart and Wal-Mart); 9.6 volt V9610 (Wal-Mart).

Health Club Membership. One-year regular, individual membership for existing member. Do not price special offers. If no yearly rate, price month and prorate. Service must include free weights, cardiovascular equipment, and aerobic classes. Note if pool, tennis, racquet ball, or other service included. Use: Gold's Gym type.

Hospital Room. Daily charge for a private and semi-private room. Include food and routine care. Exclude cost of operating room, surgery, medicine, lab fees, etc. Do not price specialty rooms; e.g., those in cardiac care units. Use: Private room and semi-private room.

Hot Dogs, Beef Franks. Sixteen ounce package, 10 count, USDA graded, all beef franks. Do not price chicken, turkey, extra lean, or fat free frankfurters. Use: Oscar Mayer Beef Franks.

Hot Dogs, Wieners. Sixteen ounce package, 10 count, USDA graded, meat (e.g., turkey and pork) wieners. Do not price extra lean or fat free varieties. Use: Oscar Mayer Wieners.

Housekeeping (Hourly Wage). Local hourly wage for a housekeeper or janitor. BLS code 37-2012. Use: Government wage data.

Ice Cream. One-half gallon vanilla flavored ice cream. Do not price ice milk, fat free, sugar free, or frozen yogurt. Use: Breyers.

Ice Cream Cup. One scoop, vanilla ice cream in a cup. Do not price frozen yogurt or soft-serve ice cream. Use: Baskin Robbins type.

Ice Cream Cup (Gourmet). One scoop, vanilla ice cream in a cup. Do not price frozen yogurt or soft-serve ice cream. Use: Ben & Jerry's type.

Infant's Sleeper. One-piece sleeping garment with legs, covering the body including the feet. Stretch cotton/polyester terry. Washable. Can be packaged or hanging. Size: Newborn. Use: Carters Starters.

Insurance, Auto. Annual premium for Chrysler, Ford, and Toyota surveyed; 35-year old married male, currently insured, no accidents/violations. Commuting 15 miles one-way/day, annual 15,000 miles. Bodily injury 100/300; property damage 25; medical 15 or personal injury protection 50; uninsured motorist 100/300; comprehensive deductible 100; and collision deductible 250. If this level of coverage is not available, price the policy with the closest coverage. In Guam, price optional typhoon coverage. Car values: Chrysler-$19,560; Ford-$32,045; Toyota-$16,095. Use: National company if available.

Internet Service Cable. Monthly charge for unlimited cable Internet access. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Local cable provider.

Internet Service DSL. Monthly charge for unlimited DSL Internet access. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Local DSL provider.

Jelly. Eighteen ounce jar of grape jelly or jam. Use: Welch's.

Jewelry Earring Set. A box set of fake diamond earrings and necklace. Use: Store brand.

Ketchup. Twenty-four ounce plastic squeeze bottle. Use: Heinz.

Kitchen Range (Electric coil). Thirty inch free standing, self-cleaning, electric range with coil burners and standard size (small) glass window on oven door. Model numbers may vary slightly by dealer. Use: General Electric JBP24BBWH or CT, Kenmore model 22-92812, and Frigidaire FEF352AW.

Laptop Computer. Laptop with Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor, 2.6 GHz, 512 MB, 40GB Hard Drive, 24x/10x/24x CDRW and 8x DVD combo, 15-inch monitor. Include tax and shipping and handling. Use: Gateway M350S.

Laundry Soap. Eighty fluid ounce of liquid household laundry detergent. Use: Cheer with Colorguard.

Lawn Care (Hourly Wage). Local wage for gardener/grounds keeper. BLS code 37-3011. Use: Government wage data.

Lawn Mower, Self Propelled. Twenty-one to 22 inch, self-propelled 6.5-6.75 HP gas lawn mower. Use: Craftsman 37849, Toro 20017, and Troy-Bilt 200 (12A566N063).

Lawn Trimmer, Gas. Gas powered 25cc 2-cycle engine, 17-18 inch wide cut. Straight or curved shaft okay. Bump or automatic line feed. Note: Model numbers may vary slightly by dealer. Use: Craftsman 79554, Homelite UT20778, and Troy-Bilt TB15CS (31cc).

LD Call Chicago. Cost of a 10-minute call using regional carrier, received on a weekday in Chicago at 8 p.m. (Chicago time); direct dial. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Use: AT&T.

LD Call Los Angeles. Cost of a 10-minute call using regional carrier, received on a weekday in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. (LA time); direct dial. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Use: AT&T.

LD Call New York. Cost of a 10-minute call using regional carrier, received on a weekday in New York at 8 p.m. (NY time); direct dial. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Use: AT&T.

Lettuce, Leaf, Red or Green. One each of red or green leaf lettuce. Note average weight in comments. Use: Available brand.

Lettuce, Romaine. Price one pound of romaine lettuce. If only sold by each, note an average weight in comments. Use: Available brand.

Lipstick. One tube, any color. Use: Revlon Super Lustrous and Maybelline.

Living Room Chair. Padded microsuede rocker/recliner. Polyester fabric. 361/2 x 321/2 x 411/2″. 20″ seat height. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Microsuede Rocker/Recliner, JC Penney catalog number A792-1069.

Lunch Full Service. Pancake house and casual restaurants. Cheeseburger platter with fries and small soft drink. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: Cheeseburger platter.

Lunch Meat, All Beef. Eight-ounce package, all-beef variety, sliced bologna. Use: Oscar Mayer Beef Bologna.

Lunch Meat, Regular. Eight-ounce package, meat (i.e., chicken and pork) sliced bologna. Use: Oscar Mayer Meat Bologna.

Magazine. Store price (not publisher's list price unless that is the store price) for a single copy. Use: People.

Magazine Subscription. One-year home delivery price of a magazine. This is priced during the DC area survey via the Internet. Use: Time.com.

Man's Athletic Shoe (Shoe Store). Man's walking shoe, soft leather upper. Full-length Phylon midsole with low-pressure Air-Sole units in heel and forefoot. Composition rubber outsole. Use: Reebok Classic.

Man's Dress Shirt. White or solid color long sleeve button cuff plain collar dress shirt, 100 percent cotton. Use: Ralph Lauren (Macys) and Lands End (Sears).

Man's Dress Shoe Leather Sole. Full leather lining, oak tanned/buffed leather outsoles, polished leather uppers, steel shank. Use: Bostonian Akron (Macys).

Man's Dress Shoe Rubber Sole. Leather oxford with cushioned insole and heel pad. Shoe has combination leather and rubber sole. Use: Rockport (Macys).

Man's Dress Shoe, Catalog. Full-grain leather captoe oxford, leather upper, leather outsole, with leather lining and a comfort heel cup. Slip-resistant sole. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Florsheim Lexington Captoe, JC Penney catalog number A014-9043.

Man's Jacket. Man's lightweight nylon jacket with drawstring hood and zip front, two front pockets with self-adhesive closure, elastic cuffs, drawcord bottom with polyester mesh lining; washable. Price regular size. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Woodlake Nylon Jacket, JC Penney catalog number A518-5055.

Man's Jeans. Relaxed-fit jeans. Use: Levis Red Tab 550.

Man's Khaki Pants. Man's casual khakis, any color, relaxed-fit or classic fit, no wrinkle, flat-front or pleated, cotton twill. Do not price expandable waistband. Use: Dockers.

Man's Khakis Stain Defender. Man's khaki with stain-repellant fabric, no wrinkles and permanent creases, cuffed hems, cotton/micro polyester fabric, washable, regular size. Use: Dockers Go Khaki Stain Defender.

Man's Regular Haircut. Regular haircut for short to medium length hair. Use: Unisex hair salon.

Man's Sport Watch. Digital compass, 100-hour chronograph, INDIGLO night-light, water-resistant up to 100 meters, digital display, alarm, countdown timer. Strap/watch colors may vary. Different models represent different color of face or strap. Use: K-Mart: Timex Expedition (47512). If available, price same watch without digital compass as a substitute. Wal-Mart: Timex Expedition (77862).

Man's Suit. Six-button, double-breasted worsted wool suit coat, flap pockets, chest pocket, dry clean only. Regular size with full acetate lining. Price coat as a separate, not combo with trousers. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Stafford Suit Coat, JC Penney catalog number A957-0249.

Man's Undershirt. One package of three men's v-neck T-shirts, White, 100 percent cotton undershirts with short sleeves, regular size. Use: Jockey (Macys) and Hanes (Sears).

Margarine. One pound (4 sticks) regular margarine. If stick not available, price tub as a match. Do not price reduced fat variety. Use: Parkay and Fleischmann's.

Mattress and Foundation. Full-size mattress and foundation. Plush Sealy fiber quilted on top of a thick layer of Sealy foam and convoluted foam. Mattress thickness: 12″. Foundations consist of “Shock Abzzorber” wood slats over steel center rails. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Sealy Posturepedic Plush, JC Penney catalog numbers A799-5702 and A799-5703.

Mayonnaise. Thirty-two ounce jar of mayonnaise. Do not price light or fat free. Use: Kraft.

Measuring Tape. Twenty-five foot tape measure with powerlock. Use: Stanley (33-425).

Milk, Two Percent. One gallon, two percent milk. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Motor Scooter, Honda. Motor scooter, moped-legal, 49cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine. Use: Honda 2007 CHF50P Metropolitan II.

Motor Scooter, Yamaha. Motor scooter, moped-legal, 49cc fan-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine. Use: Yamaha 2007 Vino.

Mover Driver (Hourly Wage). Local government hourly rate for truck driver light. BLS code 53-3033. Use: Government wage data.

Moving (Hourly Wage). Local hourly wage for a mover/material handler. BLS code 53-7062. Use: Government wage data.

Newspaper Subscription, Local. One-year of home delivery of the largest selling daily local paper (including Sunday edition) distributed in the area. Do not include tip. Use: Major local newspaper.

Newspaper, Newsstand, Local. Price of a local newspaper at a newsstand (in box), weekday issue. If a newsstand box is not available, price at a newsstand and indicate whether price includes tax. Use: Newspaper, newsstand, local.

Newspaper, Newsstand, National. Price of a New York Times newspaper, weekday issue, at a newsstand. Use: NY Times (newsstand).

Non-Aspirin Pain Reliever. Acetaminophen 500 mg. Use: Tylenol Extra Strength Geltabs 50-count and 100-count.

Oranges. Price per pound of loose, large, navel oranges. If only bagged oranges are available, also report the weight of the bag. Use: Available brand.

Parcel Post. Cost to mail a 5 pound package to Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York using regular mail delivery service. Use: United States Postal Service.

Pen. Ten-pack round stick medium point pen. Do not price crystal or clear type pens. Use: BIC (K-Mart) and Paper Mate (Wal-Mart).

Pet Food. Adult dry dog food. Use: Iams Chunks 8 lb. and 20 lb., and Purina O.N.E., 20 lb.

Piano Lessons. Monthly fee for half hour beginner private piano lessons for an adult, one lesson per week. Price through a music studio if possible. If only per lesson price is available, prorate using 1/2 hour lesson × 52 / 12. If only 1 hour lesson is available prorate accordingly. Use: Piano lessons.

Plant Food. Twenty-four ounce container of granulated all purpose plant food. Use: Miracle-Gro.

Pork Chops Center Cut, Boneless. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) pork chops, center cut, boneless, loin chops. Use average size package, i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available, match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Portable CD Player. Portable CD player, AM/FM-TV, weather bands, electronic skip protection, CD-R/RW compatible, with headphones. Use: Sony Walkman (D-FJ-210).

Potato Chips. One 5.2 to 6 ounce container of regular potato chips. Do not price fat free. Use: Pringles.

Potatoes. Price per pound of loose potatoes. If only bag potatoes available, report smallest size bag as substitute and note weight. Use: Russet or Idaho baking.

Prescription Drug 1. Nexium, 30 capsules 20 mg. Do not price generic. Use: Nexium.

Prescription Drug 2. Generic Amoxicil (i.e., Amoxicillin), 30 capsules, 250 mg. Use: Amoxicillin.

Printer, Color, Photo. Color inkjet printer, 5760 x 720 optimized dpi, 8 color ppm, USB connection. USB cable is not included. Include tax and shipping and handling. Use: Gateway, Epson Stylus Photo 825.

Red Roses. One dozen long stemmed, fresh cut red roses wrapped in floral paper, purchased in store—not delivered. Do not price boxed or roses arranged in vase. Use: Dozen red roses.

Refrigerator (Side-by-Side). Side-by-side refrigerator, approximately 25 to 26 cubic feet, with ice and water dispenser, and up-front temperature controls. Use: GE GSS25JFPWW, Frigidaire FRS26HF6BW, Frigidaire FRS26R2AW, and GE GSL25JFP.

Rental Data. Rental index from hedonic regressions. Use: Rental data.

Renter Insurance. One year of renters insurance (HO-4) coverage for $25,000 (low), $30,000 (middle), and $35,000 (upper) of contents. Policy must cover hurricane, earthquake, and other catastrophic damage. Note amount of liability coverage in comments; price minimum liability coverage if it varies. In Guam, assume concrete structure. Use: Major carrier.

Rice. Enriched white rice. Use: Mahatma 5-lb bag, extra long grain; Uncle Ben's Original 1-lb and 2-lb boxes, parboiled converted long grain.

Rip Claw Hammer. Twenty ounce, rip claw hammer with jacketed graphite handle and nylon vinyl grip. Use: Estwing E3-20S and Stanley 51-508.

Salt. Twenty-six ounce box of iodized salt. Use: Morton.

Shampoo. Fifteen ounce bottle for normal hair. Use: VO5.

Sheets. Sheets, 250 and 300 thread count cotton or cotton polyester blend. Queen size fitted or flat sheet, not a set. Use: Martha Stewart Everyday 4 Star, 250 thread count (K-Mart) and Springmaid, 300 thread count (Wal-Mart).

Shop Rate. Hourly shop rate for a mechanic at Chrysler, Ford, and Toyota dealerships. (Use auto dealer worksheet.) Use: Dealer shop rate.

Sirloin Steak, Boneless. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) boneless beef top sirloin steak. Price USDA Select or un-graded if available. If not available, note USDA grade in comments. Use average size package; i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available (e.g., Angus), match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Sliced Bacon. Sixteen ounce package USDA grade, regular slice. Do not price Canadian bacon, extra thick sliced, or extra lean bacon. Use: Oscar Mayer.

Snack Cake. One box (10 to a box) cream-filled type cake deserts. Not fresh baked desserts, individual servings, or larger family-style containers. Use: Hostess Twinkies.

Soft Drink. Twelve-pack of soft drink in 12 ounce cans. Use: Coca-Cola 12-pack (cans).

Spaghetti, Dry (National Brand). Sixteen ounce box or bag of pasta spaghetti. Use: Barilla.

Stamp. Cost of mailing a one ounce letter first class. Use: United States Postal Service.

Stand Mixer. Stand mixer with tilt-up head, 10-speeds, and 41/2 quart stainless steel bowl. Includes flat beater, dough hook, wire whip, and power hub for additional attachments. Last two characters of model number denote color. Use: KitchenAid Ultra Power Series 300 watt KSM90WH (Macys and Sears) and KitchenAid Classic Series 250 watt K45SSWH (Wal-Mart).

Sugar. Five pound bag of granulated cane or beet name brand sugar. Do not price superfine, store brand, or generic. Use: National brand. C&H brand is an equivalent.

Tax Preparation. Flat rate for preparing individual tax Federal 1040 (long form), Schedule A, plus State or local equivalents. (Note: Some areas only have local income taxes.) Note number of forms in comments. Assume typical itemized deductions. If only hourly rate available, obtain estimate of the time necessary to prepare forms, prorate, and report as a substitute. Use: H&R Block type.

Taxi Fare. Cab fare, one way, from major airport to destination 5 miles away. Price fare for one passenger with two suitcases. In reference area, price rides from Baltimore Washington International for Maryland, Reagan National for the District of Columbia, and Dulles for Virginia. Use: Taxi fare.

Telephone Service. Monthly cost for unmeasured touchtone service. Exclude options such as call waiting, call forwarding or fees for equipment rental. Itemize taxes and fees and add to price. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Local provider.

Television 27” flat-screen. Flat-screen, 27 inch, stereo, color, with remote. Note: Model numbers may vary slightly by dealer. Use: Sony Trinitron WEGA (KV-27FS100) and RCA 27F530T and Sanyo DS-27930 (Wal-Mart).

Tennis Balls. One can, 3 pressurized tennis balls designed for recreational play. Do not price premium type balls. Use: Wilson Championship.

Tire Regular (Chrysler). One tire, size P205/65R15 service description 92T, “original equipment” quality, black sidewall for the 2001 Chrysler Sebring sedan. Do not include mounting, balancing, or road hazard warranty. Use: Goodyear Regatta, Goodyear Eagle LS, Goodyear Integrity, Goodyear WeatherHandler LS (Sears), Michelin Symmetry, and Michelin WeatherWise (Sears).

Tire Regular (Ford). One tire, size P235/75 R15 service description 105S load rating SL, “original equipment” quality, black sidewall for the 2001 Ford Explorer XLT. Do not include mounting, balancing, or road hazard warranty. Use: Goodyear Wrangler RT/S and Michelin XCX-APT.

Tire Regular (Toyota). One tire, size P185/65R14 service description 85S, “original equipment” quality, black sidewall for a 2001 Toyota Corolla LE sedan. Do not include mounting, balancing, or road hazard warranty. Use: Goodyear Regatta, Goodyear Integrity, Goodyear WeatherHandler LS (Sears), Michelin Symmetry, and Michelin WeatherWise (Sears).

Toilet Tissue. Twelve-count single-roll type. Use: Angel Soft.

Tomatoes. Price per pound of medium-size tomatoes. If only available in cellophane pack, note price and weight of average size package. Do not price organic, `hydro', plum, or extra fancy tomatoes. Use: Available brand.

Top Round Steak, Boneless. Price per pound, fresh (not frozen or previously frozen) boneless beef top round steak. Price USDA Select or un-graded if available. If not available, note USDA grade in comments. Use average size package; i.e., not family-pack, value-pack, super-saver pack, or equivalent. If multiple brands available (e.g., Angus), match the lowest priced item and note in comments. Use: Available brand.

Toyota. Purchase price of a 2007 Toyota Corolla LE sedan, 4 door, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder, 16 valve, automatic transmission. Please note the price of any special option packages. Use: Toyota Corolla LE sedan.

Toyota License, Registration, Taxes, & Inspection. License, registration, periodic taxes (e.g., road or personal property tax, but NOT one-time taxes such as sales tax), and inspection (e.g., safety and emissions) on the Toyota specified for survey. Use: Specified Toyota.

Veterinary Services. Routine annual exam for a small dog (approximately 25 to 30 pounds). Do not price booster shots, medication, or other extras such as nail clipping, ear cleaning, etc. Use: Veterinary services.

Video Rental. Minimum rental rate for VHS movie, rented on a Saturday night. Use: Spider-Man VHS.

Wash, Single Load. One load, regular size wash using a front loading washing machine. Approximate capacity: 2.8 cubic foot or 18 pounds. Exclude cost of drying. Use: Coin laundry.

Washing Machine, Front Load. White 3.34 cubic feet, 27 inch, front load washer with LED touchpad controls. Use: Maytag Neptune (MAH5500B).

Washing Machine, Top Load. Top loader, 5 water levels, 7 temperature settings, 4 rinse options. Use: Kenmore 24-9523.

Water Bill. Average monthly consumption in gallons and dollars (e.g. cost for first __ gallons; cost for over __ gallons), sewage and related charges, and customer service charge. Also try to obtain a bill from a local resident for comparison purposes. Use: Water bill.

Will Preparation. Hourly rate for a lawyer (not a paralegal) to prepare a simple will. If only flat rate available, record flat rate amount and divide by average amount of hours it would take to prepare will and note in comments. Use: Legal service.

Wine at Home. Chardonnay wine, 750 ml. any vintage. Use: Turning Leaf.

Wine Away. Casual, fine dining, extra fine dining, and Outback type restaurants. One glass of house white wine. Check sales tax and include in price. Use: House wine.

Woman's Athletic Shoe (Shoe store). Woman's walking shoe, soft leather upper. Full-length Phylon midsole with low-pressure Air-Sole units in heel and forefoot. Composition rubber outsole. Use: Reebok Classic.

Woman's Blouse. Long sleeve, button front blouse with minimum or no trim. Washable. May or may not have shoulder pads. Price regular size. Do not price in Woman's or Plus size. Note brand in comments. Use: Charter Club long sleeve, 100 percent cotton (Macys) and Laura Scott short sleeve, 100 percent polyester (Sears).

Woman's Blue Jeans. Blue jeans. Machine washable, five pocket with zipper fly, loose fit, straight leg or tapered. Price regular size. Do not price in Woman's or Plus size sections. Do not price elastic waist. Use: Calvin Klein (Macys) and Lee original relaxed fit (Sears).

Woman's Casual Khakis. Woman's casual khakis, any color, flat-front or pleated pants, machine washable, all cotton. Price regular size. Do not price in Woman's or Plus size sections. Use: Style & Company (Macys) and Lands End (Sears).

Woman's Cut and Style. Wash, cut, and styled blow dry for medium length hair. Exclude curling iron if extra. Price hair salons in major department stores and malls. Use: Medium length hair.

Woman's Dress (Cold Water Creek). Silk georgette layered over polyester georgette; two-piece look with elasticized waist. Dry clean. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Tropical Print Dress. Cold Water Creek catalog number R29827.

Woman's Dress (Spiegel). Pink and rose-colored flower patterned, rayon, dry clean only, misses floral print dress. Misses: 4-16. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Misses Floral Print Dress. Spiegel catalog number A90 628 8417.

Woman's Jacket. Woman's denim jacket with classic styling, slim-fit and adjustable side tabs, chest pockets, 100 percent cotton or cotton/Lycra spandex; washable. Price regular size. Include sales tax and shipping and handling. Use: Levi's Weekend Denim Jacket. JC Penney catalog number A844-8105.

Woman's Pump Shoes. Plain pump (not open toed or open back style) with tapered approximately 1.5-2 inch heel. Heel color matches shoe color (e.g., not stacked/wooden type). Shoe has leather uppers. Rest is man-made materials. No extra ornamentation or extra thick heels. Do not price leather sole shoe. Use: Naturalizer, Easy Spirit (Macys) and Laura Scott (Sears).

Woman's Sweater. Short sleeve sweater, no buttons or collar, 100 percent cotton or cotton blend. Price regular size. Do not price in Woman's or Plus size. Use: Style & Company (Macys) and Sag Harbor (Sears).

Woman's Wallet. Clutch/checkbook style wallet, split-grain cowhide leather. Do not price eel skin, snake skin or other varieties. Use: Kenneth Cole Reaction (Macys) and Buxton (Sears).

Appendix 4—COLA Rental Survey Data Collection Elements

Appendix 5—Utility Usage And Calculations: Energy Requirements And Prices

Appendix 6—Hedonic Rental Data Equations and Results

libname colarent

‘P:/SWSD/COLA/Survey2007/Rental Data/SAS Files and Programs/FinalSASRentalData’;

proc format;

value $unittype

‘A’=‘SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED’

‘B’,‘C’,‘E’,‘H’=‘PLEXED UNITS AND IN HOME APTS AND OTHER APTS’

‘D’=‘ROWHOUSE OR TOWNHOUSE’

‘F’=‘APARTMENT—GARDEN/WALKUP’

‘G’=‘APARTMENT—HIGH RISE’;

value $survey_area

‘A’=‘GUAM’ ‘B’=‘KAUAI’

‘C’=‘KONA’ ‘D’=‘HILO’

‘E’=‘MAUI’ ‘F’=‘HONOLULU’

‘G’=‘WASHINGTON DC’;

value $basefmt

‘A’-‘C’=‘Y’

‘D’=‘N’;

value $class

‘A’=‘4 bedroom single family’

‘B’=‘3 bedroom single family’

‘C’=‘2 bedroom single family’

‘D’=‘3 bedroom apartment’

‘E’=‘2 bedroom apartment’

‘F’=‘1 bedroom apartment’;

value $balcon

‘A’-‘B’=‘Y’

‘C’=‘N’;

value $deck

‘A’-‘B’=‘Y’

‘C’=‘N’;

value $extrcond

‘B’-‘C’=‘AVERAGE OR BELOW’

‘A’=‘ABOVE AVERAGE’;

value $garage

‘A’-‘C’=‘Y’

‘D’=‘N’;

value $neighcond

‘B’-‘C’=‘AVERAGE OR BELOW’

‘A’=‘ABOVE AVERAGE’;

value $patio

‘A’-‘B’=‘Y’

‘C’=‘N’;

value $listsource

‘A—2007’=‘Owner Publication (2007)’

‘B—2007’=‘Owner Drive-By (2007)’

‘C—2007’=‘Owner Internet (2007)’

‘D—2007’=‘Agent Publication (2007)’

‘E—2007’=‘Agent Drive-By (2007)’

‘F—2007’=‘Agent Internet (2007)’

‘G—2007’=‘Other (2007)’

‘A—2006’=‘Local Newspaper/Publication (2006)’

‘B—2006’=‘Internet (2006)’

‘C—2006’=‘Agent/Broker (2006)’

‘D—2006’=‘Drive-By/Sign Posted (2006)’

‘E—2006’=‘Other (2006)’;

run;

*** the following prevents a possible error from using a prior temp file in proc glm;

data temp;

a=1;

run;

data temp;

set colarent.opmsvyfactors;

if use=‘Yes’ and size=‘Yes’ and unittype ne ‘I’;

weight=1;

if substr(compnumber,1,1)=‘G’ then weight=.5;

location=substr(compnumber,1,1);

survey_year=0;

if surveyyr=2006 then survey_year=1;

survey_area=‘XX’;

if location=‘A’ then survey_area=‘GU’;

if location=‘B’ then survey_area=‘KA’;

if location=‘C’ then survey_area=‘KO’;

if location=‘D’ then survey_area=‘HI’;

if location=‘E’ then survey_area=‘MA’;

if location=‘F’ then survey_area=‘HO’;

if location=‘G’ then survey_area=‘WA’;

*Deal with Missing Values in Guam;

if medianincome=. then medianincomendx=.;

if pctallba=. then pctbandx=.;

if pctrenteroccupied=. then pctrenterindex=.;

if pctschoolage=. then pctschoolagendx=.;

if pctpoverty=. then pctpovertyndx=.;

if pctage65=. then pctage65ndx=.;

age=2007-yrbuilt;

agesq=age*age;

sqfootagesq=sqfootage*sqfootage;

baths=fullbaths+halfbaths*.5;

hasbalcony=0;

if balcony in (‘A’,‘B’) then hasbalcony=1;

cooling=0;

if (centrlcool=‘Y’ or multicool=‘Y’ or (windowunits > bedrooms))

then cooling=1;

hasdeck=0;

if deck in (‘A’,‘B’) then

hasdeck=1;

haselec=0;

if elec=‘Y’ then haselec=1;

hasfurniture=0;

if furniture=‘Y’ then hasfurniture=1;

Neighbor_Cond=0;

if neighcond=‘A’ then Neighbor_Cond=1;

if pets eq ‘Y’ and petfees le 0 then petsOK=1;

PlexInHomeOther=0;

if unittype in (‘B’,‘C’,‘E’,‘H’) then

PlexInHomeOther=1;

Walkup=0;

if unittype eq ‘F’ then Walkup= 1;

Townrow=0;

if unittype eq ‘D’ then Townrow= 1;

HiRise=0;

if unittype eq ‘G’ then HiRise= 1;

hasfullkitchen=0;

if refrig=‘Y’ then hasfullkitchen=hasfullkitchen+.5;

if (range=‘Y’ or oven=‘Y’) then hasfullkitchen=hasfullkitchen+.5;

*Detached=0;

*if unittype=‘A’ then Detached=1;

*omitting the above makes it the base condition;

SqftXPlexInHomeOther=0;

if unittype in (‘B’, ‘C’, ‘E’,‘H’) then

SqftXPlexInHomeOther=sqfootage; SqftXWalkup= 0;

if unittype eq ‘F’ then SqftXWalkup= sqfootage;

SqftXHiRise= 0;

if unittype eq ‘G’ then SqftXHiRise= sqfootage;

SqftXTownRow=0;

if unittype=‘D’ then SqftXTownRow= sqfootage;

SqftXDetached=0;

if unittype =‘A’ then SqftXDetached= sqfootage;

watersewer=0;

if water eq ‘Y’ or sewer eq ‘Y’ then watersewer=1;

Honolulu=0;

if survey_area=‘HO’ then Honolulu=1;

Hilo=0;

if survey_area=‘HI’ then Hilo=1;

Kona=0;

if survey_area=‘KO’ then Kona=1;

Kauai=0;

if survey_area=‘KA’ then Kauai=1;

Maui=0;

if survey_area=‘MA’ then Maui=1;

Guam=0;

if survey_area=‘GU’ then Guam=1;

Wash_DC=0;

lrent=log(rent+hoafees);

run;

title1 ‘2007 Pacific COLA Area Rental Data’;

title2 ‘2007 Final Model’;

PROC REG DATA=temp;weight weight;

MODEL lrent=age

agesq baths bedrooms hasfullkitchen

haselec hasfurniture pctbandx pctschoolagendx pctpovertyndx

sqfootagesq HiRise townrow Walkup PlexInHomeOther Neighbor_Cond

SqftXHiRise SqftXPlexInHomeOther SqftXWalkup SqftXTownRow SqftXDetached survey_year

Honolulu Hilo Kona Kauai Maui Guam;

TITLE1 ‘2007 PACIFIC RENTAL DATA’;

Title2 ‘RENTAL ANALYSIS Federal Register MODEL’;

Footnote ‘’;

Appendix 7-Final Living-Cost Results for the Pacific COLA Areas