How Do I get a Better Understanding of ISD Operations Charges for Services?

Annually, ISD establishes rates that are charged to customers through a review of previous costs, increases in County costs (e.g., health benefits and wages), and changes in service demands from customers. For the complete customer rate handbook of charges, please click here…

Why does it seem like ISD’s costs are so much higher?
Most departments are managed through a traditional budget that is established at the start of the year, and then spending is managed within that budget. ISD is not designed that way. ISD is designed like a business that must generate revenue from customers to pay for the costs to deliver services.

When departments ask “Why does ISD staff cost so much more than ours?”, they are making an apples to oranges comparison. A traditionally budgeted department tends to only look at the cost of staff. ISD also must include everything else it takes to run ISD. Therefore, the rate ISD charges include costs to do your work and costs to support it. For a sample of how customers are charged for direct and indirect costs, please click on this sample rate breakdown for Craft Services.