Project Cost and Data Collection Guide

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Overview

Instructions
A. Your Agency
B. Personnel & Fringe
C. Contractual
D. Equipment
E. Participant Payments
F. Travel, Supplies & Other
G. Indirect Costs
H. Donations and Volunteers

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Sheet 1: Instructions

SWTCIE Demonstration Project
Cost Data Collection Guide
Introduction and Instructions
Please scroll down to read all instructions.
The Disability Innovation Fund: Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Innovative Model Demonstration project cost study aims to determine the true economic cost of each project. The analysis seeks to include both the cost of purchased goods and services but also those that some projects may not pay for directly and so may not be reflected in budgets or expenditure records (such as the value of time agency staff spend on the project including providing services, volunteer time or donated office space). Thus, the measure of total cost may exceed the funding that each project receives as part of its involvement in the SWTCIE project. This measure will represent what it would cost society to implement a similar project.
What is this cost data collection guide?
The cost data collection guide is designed to gather information on the value of all resources used by the vocational rehabilitation agency to implement its SWTCIE project. These resources may include those that the project does not pay for directly and so may not be reflected in budgets or expenditure records (such as the value of volunteer time or donated office space).
How is the cost data collection guide organized?
The cost data collection guide is divided into eight sections, labeled A through H. Each section asks questions about a specific type of cost or resource and appears as a separate tab in this Excel workbook. You can access each section by clicking on the tabs at the bottom of this page. You should complete the questions in all sections. Please save this file after completing each section.
What time period does the cost data collection guide cover?
Please report costs for project year 4 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026).
What information or records will I need to complete the cost data collection guide?
You will need information about vocational rehabilitation agency expenditures and use of resources, such as facilities and equipment. Please use actual expenditure records rather than budgets when gathering information to answer questions. Information from budgets does not always represent actual expenditures or resource use. It may be helpful to review the entire cost data collection guide before starting it to identify the kinds of information that are required. (To print the entire guide, click Print and select the Entire workbook option under Print settings.)
Who should complete the cost data collection guide?
A person who is familiar with vocational rehabilitation agency expenditures and accounting records should have primary responsibility for completing the guide. This person may need to consult with other people in the agency to gather information required to address some questions.
How do I move through the cost data collection guide?
Each section of the cost data collection guide appears on a separate tab in this workbook. Click on the tabs below to view and complete each section of the guide. In each section, enter information or select answers in the appropriate fields. Some fields contain drop-down lists to select responses (indicated by the entry "Click here and select from list"). You can use the tab key or mouse button to move between answer fields. Please save your work frequently to ensure your answers are recorded.
What should I do when I have completed entering information into the cost data collection guide?
When you have completed entering information into the guide, please upload the workbook to the file transfer site
How will cost data be used?
The study team will use the cost data to generate aggregate estimates of the overall project cost, the costs of different project activities and components, and costs per project participant. The personally identifiable information (PII) requested on this form is collected as authorized by Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, P.L. 117-103 Rehabilitation Services, March 15, 2022. The researchers conducting this study follow the confidentiality and data protection requirements, as required by law. Your responses will be kept private and used only for research purposes. Your responses will be combined with the responses of other respondents and no individual names will be reported. While there are no direct benefits to participants and participation is voluntary, your participation will help us learn how states can help increase employment for people with disabilities. While your information will not be disclosed outside of the Department, there may be circumstances where information may be shared with a third party, such as a Freedom of Information Act request, court orders or subpoena, or if a breach or security incident would occur affecting the system, etc.
Thank you for your participation in this important activity. If you have questions about how to complete the cost data collection guide or the study methods, please contact the Mathematica staff member who sent you the guide.
This guide was prepared by Mathematica with support from the Rehabilitation Services Administration.
Public Burden Statement
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1820-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application, or survey, please contact Diandrea Bailey, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue Washington, DC 20202 directly.

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Sheet 2: A. Your Agency

SECTION A: YOUR AGENCY

This section requests basic information about your agency and the SWTCIE project for which you are reporting costs from October 2025 to September 2026. Please scroll down to answer all questions (A1-A4).

A1.

What is the official name of your agency? What state is your agency located in?

A2.

What is the name of the SWTCIE project for which you are reporting costs in this survey?

A3.

Please provide contact information for the person primarily responsible for completing this survey.

Name

Position/Title

Email

Telephone

Address

A4.

If any unusual circumstances affected project expenditures during the reporting period you indicated (for example, unusually high staff turnover or major changes in agency operations), please use the space below to describe them.

PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 3: B. Personnel & Fringe

SECTION B: PERSONNEL AND FRINGE
This section asks questions about personnel expenses and fringe benefits for staff members who spent time on activities related to the SWTCIE project during the reporting period. Please scroll down to answer all questions (B1-B5).
B1.	Using the tables below, please indicate either total personnel expenses OR expenditures for salaries for all staff positions of the SWTCIE project during the reporting period. Please select which option aligns with the cost data available, either total personnel costs or costs by staff position. If reporting by staff position, include positions for any staff who spent time on the project. This should include staff involved in project management and planning, delivery of direct services to clients, communication and outreach, professional development and training, fidelity monitoring, evaluation activities, and administrative functions (for example, accounting, grant management, and so on). For each position: - Enter the job title for each person or role. - Enter the number of staff for the role. - Enter the annual full-time salary paid to each staff member for the position during the reporting period. Please include both regular and overtime pay in this amount. - Enter the average number of hours worked per week. - Enter the number of weeks the person was employed and paid during the reporting period. - Enter the approximate percentage of time each staff member spends on project activities. If the staff member spends all their time on SWTCIE services, enter 100%. - Use the funding source column ONLY if your organization uses funding outside of SWTCIE for staff salaries (select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu).
	Total personnel expenses for the reporting period
	OR
	Staff Position/Job Title	Number of staff with this title and salary amount	Amount each staff member in this role is paid during reporting period	If reporting information for individual staff members:		Approximate percentage of time allocated to SWTCIE project activities	Funding source (select from list)
				Average number of hours worked per week	Number of weeks paid during the reporting period
	Example: Counselor	3	$55,000.00	40	52	100%	Only SWTCIE funding
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B2.	Please estimate the proportion of personnel costs that are paid for direct services. For example, 75%.
B3.	Please estimate the proportion of personnel costs that are paid for administration. For example, 25%.
B4.	Total fringe benefits for the reporting period
B5.	Please use the space below to enter any explanatory notes for the information provided in this section.
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PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 4: C. Contractual

SECTION C: CONTRACTUAL SERVICES
This section asks questions about contractual services purchased, consultants, and subawards to support implementation of the project from organizations or individuals who operate independently from your organization. These services may include implementation locations, training or technical assistance on project implementation, evaluation, and service delivery. Please scroll down to answer all questions (C1-C3).
C1.	Did your agency contract with a company, organization, individual consultant, or other professional to provide services for the program during the reporting period? Please use the drop-down box to select YES or NO.
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C2.	If you answered YES to question C1, please use the table below to enter information on the contracted services purchased and their cost during the reporting period. Please enter a separate line for each type or category of service, even if a contractor provided multiple types of services. If your records provide only a total value for contracted services, leave the table blank and enter the total amount in the appropriate space below.
	Name of contractor or service provider	Expenditure amount (Dollars)	Type of service purchased	Description or additional notes	Funding source (select from list)
	Example: Contractor XYZ	$20,000.00	Evaluator	Contractor XYZ performed the evaluation	Only SWTCIE funding
C3.	Please use the space below to provide information on calculations and data sources or other explanatory notes for this section.
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PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 5: D. Equipment

SECTION D: EQUIPMENT
This section asks questions about durable equipment and/or capital assets valued at $5,000 or more used to implement the project during the reporting period. Please scroll down to answer all questions (D1-D2).
D1.	Please use the table below to list any durable equipment valued at $5,000 or more used to implement the project during the reporting period. This may include equipment purchased, as well as equipment that is rented or leased. For the purposes of this guide, durable equipment includes items with an expected useful life of more than one year. Examples include computer systems, servers, assistive technology, tablets, and office furniture. Please indicate: - The type of equipment used (and the number of items) - The original purchase price, amount paid, or estimated value of equipment received at no cost (in dollars); for rented/leased equipment, this price is the value paid during reporting period. - The type of acquisition: whether the equipment was purchased, rented or leased, or received at no cost by donation to the program. For each item listed, please also select the appropriate funding source.
	Description of equipment or asset (including quantity)	Original purchase price per item (dollars), amount paid, or estimated value	Type of acquisition	Funding source (select from list)
	Example: Copier (1)	$6,000.00	Purchased	Only SWTCIE funding
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D2.	Please use the space below to provide information on calculations and data sources or other explanatory notes for this section.
PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 6: E. Participant Payments

SECTION E: PARTICIPANT PAYMENTS AND INCENTIVES
This section asks questions about the cost of participant payments and incentives during the reporting period. Please make sure these costs are not duplicated elsewhere in the guide (i.e., F. Other Costs). Please scroll down to answer all questions (E1-E2).
E1.	Using the table below, please indicate the cost of all participant payments and incentives distributed during the reporting period. Examples of participant payments include gift cards, transportation vouchers or passes, paid work experiences, enrollment incentives, survey incentives, and focus group incentives. Please enter the total cost for the item(s) listed. For example, if you purchased 100 gift cards to use as enrollment incentives, worth $50 each, then enter $5,000 (the cost for all 100 gift cards). For each item listed, please select the appropriate funding source.
	Item	Expenditure amount (Dollars)	Description	Quantity	Funding source (select from list)
	Example: Gift cards	$5,000.00	Enrollment incentives for participants	100	Only SWTCIE funding
E2.	Please use the space below for any explanatory notes on the information provided in this section.
PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 7: F. Travel, Supplies & Other

SECTION F: OTHER COSTS (STAFF TRAVEL, OFFICE SUPPLIES, CURRICULUMS, TA MATERIALS, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UTILITIES, AND OTHER COSTS)
This section asks questions about the cost or value of other supports used to implement the project during the reporting period. These costs align with those reported under travel, supplies, and other cost categories in the ED federal reporting structure, except for those costs explicitly reported elsewhere in this guide (e.g., participant payments/incentives and equipment). Please scroll down to answer all questions (F1-F2).
F1.	Using the table below, please indicate all other (direct) costs of supports purchased to operate the program during the reporting period. Examples of other costs include staff travel, office supplies, mailings, Wi-Fi/internet service, certification and training fees, wraparound services, project materials, rent and utility costs (e.g., gas, electric, and water), and other supplies valued at less than $5,000. Please enter the total cost for the item(s) listed and a brief description. For each item listed, please select the appropriate funding source.
	Item	Expenditure amount (dollars)	Description	Funding source (select from list)
	Example: Dissemination materials	$7,000.00	Flyers and website maintenance	Only SWTCIE funding
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F2.	Please use the space below for any explanatory notes on the information provided in this section.
PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 8: G. Indirect Costs

SECTION G: INDIRECT COSTS
This section asks questions about indirect costs during the reporting period. Indirect costs (sometimes called "overhead") are costs for shared agency functions, such as accounting, human resources, and marketing. These functions may benefit multiple programs or departments. Costs for these shared functions are often allocated through an indirect cost rate or a total charge for indirect expenses. Vocational rehabilitation agencies differ in the way that they calculate and allocate indirect costs. Please scroll down to answer all questions (G1-G5).
G1.	Does your vocational rehabilitation agency calculate indirect costs using an established indirect cost rate (for example, a federally negotiated indirect cost rate)? Please select YES or NO from the drop-down list.
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G2a.	If you answered YES to question G1, please enter the established indirect cost rate your agency used during the reporting period.
	Agency indirect cost rate (percentage):
G2b.	To what expenses is the established indirect cost rate applied? Please use the drop-down list to select an answer (SALARIES ONLY, SALARIES AND FRINGE BENEFITS, or SALARIES AND FRINGE BENEFITS AND OTHER DIRECT COSTS).
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G3.	If your agency calculates indirect costs for the program but does not use an established indirect cost rate, please describe the method your agency uses below.
	Method for calculating indirect costs:
G4.	Enter the total indirect costs amount for the reporting period below.
	Total indirect costs for the reporting period (dollars):
G5.	Please use the space below to enter any explanatory notes on the information provided in this section. Please note whether any of the costs listed here are reported elsewhere in the workbook.
	PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.

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Sheet 9: H. Donations and Volunteers

SECTION H: DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS
This section asks if the project received donated goods or facilities NOT reported elsewhere. This section also asks if volunteer labor was used to implement the program (by volunteers or staff from other agencies) during the reporting period. Please scroll down to answer all questions (H1-H5).
H1.	Did the program use any donated goods or facilities (such as office space) to implement the program during the reporting period? Please use the drop-down list to select YES or NO.
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H2.	If you answered YES to question H1, please list the estimated value of the donated goods and/or facilities.
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H3.	Did any volunteers help your agency provide services during the reporting period? Please select YES or NO from the drop-down list.
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H4.	If you answered YES to question H3, please list the estimated value of volunteer labor.
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H5.	Please use the space below to enter any explanatory notes on the information provided in this section.
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PLEASE SAVE AND CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SECTION.