Under RCW 19.85.040, agencies must analyze the costs of compliance for businesses required to comply with the proposed rule adopted pursuant to RCW 34.05.320, including costs of equipment, supplies, labor, professional services, and increased administrative costs.
ORIA is tasked with providing access to available data for agencies to complete RFA cost calculations and to support SBEIS preparation.
The resources and guidance provided here are meant to help agencies meet the requirements of the RFA, but they do not represent the only methods that could be used to achieve compliance with the law.
North American Industry Classification System
Most cost calculations begin with identifying the industries affected by the proposed rulemaking. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau is the most commonly used method of classifying affected industries and querying basic economic data. The Bureau maintains up-to-date information on business firms that is searchable by NAICS code and location.
Data and Business Information Sources
ORIA has developed a Data and Business Information Sources (updated July 2021) tool available to support agencies in meeting the requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act during their rulemaking. The resource list is meant to supplement agency data collection. It may be useful as agencies perform cost calculations, cost mitigation, and help determine which businesses may be impacted by the current rulemaking.
The Input-Output Model
The Washington State Office of Financial Management's Input-Output Model (updated December 2022) is one tool agencies commonly use for economic impact analyses. The model was developed in collaboration with the University of Washington and legislative staff, and includes helpful impact worksheets for simple and complex analyses.