Changes in Hourly Fee Rates for Science and Technology Laboratory Services-Fiscal Years 2010-2012

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is changing the annual standard, appeal, overtime, and holiday hourly fee rates for fiscal years 2010-2012 for Science and Technology (S&T) Laboratory Services in order to recover anticipated laboratory program costs. The Agency is raising these rates to reflect, among other factors, national and locality pay increases for Federal employees and inflation, operating costs, instrumentation and training, equipment maintenance costs, and program and agency administrative overhead costs. The regulations are updated to identify existing S&T facility addresses. This action also includes changes to provide greater clarity of reported test analyses and laboratory determinations.