INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
AD HOC GROUP ON COST RECOVERY
FOR SATELLITE NETWORK FILINGS
Document 3-E
4 December 2002
English only
GENEVA, 20 – 21 JANUARY 2003
Radiocommunication Bureau
TIME SURVEY FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF OVERALL COST OF PROCESSING
SATELLITE NOTICES IN THE BUREAU
The Report of the Ad-hoc Group on cost recovery for satellite network filings, which met on 23-25 July 2002,
recommended that the 2001 time survey be used as the basis for setting the Decision 482 (modified) charging
schedule. It was separately noted in the Report that a new time survey was urgently required that was based
on a daily, or at most weekly, recording of time, and that the results of the time survey should be made freely
available to members, including identification of survey participants.
It is necessary to firstly define clearly the objectives of such a survey. Essentially, the Bureau carries out a
time survey in order to derive an overall cost of processing satellite notices over a period of three years
preceding the Council meeting at which fee revisions are to be considered. This objective is established in
annex B, to Decision 482 (modified C2002). In addition to the method for establishing the overall costs, the
methodology also defines (in paragraph 3) those costs to be covered by the cost recovery charges. The types
of activities for which costs are to be recovered are subject to further consideration by the ad hoc group (as
noted in its term of reference). The costs so determined should be recovered by the cost recovery fees. It
should be noted that the charges for individual cost recovery categories are not derived directly from the
results of the time survey. The fees for individual categories are derived by apportioning the overall costs
derived from the time survey with the number of publications done over the period concerned and the relative
weighting factors between the categories. The fees for individual notices are calculated based on the number
of units for the satellite network covered by that notice.
As noted above, the time survey is carried out solely for the purpose for establishing an overall cost figure
over a period of time. However, the Bureau is concerned about the extent of the time and effort required for
the time survey relative to the accuracy and application of the results to establish the costs over a 3 year
period as required.
The following factors are relevant to the consideration of a methodology and frequency for a time survey for
the purposes required.
1. The time survey conducted annually on previous occasions has been part of the overall ITU time
survey to establish parameters for the ITU budget presented to annual council meetings.
2. The past surveys have established only a differentiation of tasks between those that are subject to cost
recovery and those that are not subject to cost recovery (rather than a list of particular types of
activity) as defined in Decision 482.
3. For staff within the Space Services Department (SSD), it is easy to establish their responsibilities and
whether these activities are (or are not) subject to cost recovery. In most cases a staff member is
either totally involved in cost recovery activities, or is not. If the Ad Hoc Group agrees to propose
widening the list of activities to be included, the identification of staff roles will be even more readily
apparent.
4. There are relatively few staff in SSD that are involved in a mixture of cost recoverable/non cost
recoverable activities.
.
In the above circumstances, a time survey could be conducted as follows:
A. Annually for identifying those staff that are involved in cost recoverable activities.
a) In SSD either totally or not at all.
b) In Departments of the General Secretariat, to identify the percentage of those involved in cost
recoverable activities (re-allocated costs).
c) In other BR Departments, to identify the extent of involvement in cost recoverable activities e.g. in
IAP for development of software relevant to processing of space notices and activities for the
production of such space notices.
B. Weekly for staff in SSD that are involved in a mixture of cost recoverable/non cost recoverable activities.
The results of the weekly survey could be relatively easily automated to enable an annual total to be
determined for types of activities surveyed.
The results of the above surveys will be consolidated within the BR and by the Finance Department in order
to enable them to be presented to Council in accordance with the requirements of Decision 482(modified).
The individual surveys and the subsequent consolidation will be subject to review by the external auditor prior
to finalization.