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February 13, 2004

M-04-06

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

FROM: Joshua B. Bolten
Director
SUBJECT: 2004 Discount Rates for OMB Circular No. A-94

On October 29, 1992, OMB issued a revision to OMB Circular No. A-94, "Guidelines and Discount Rates for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs." The revision established new discount rate guidelines for use in benefit-cost and other types of economic analysis.

The revised Circular specifies certain discount rates that will be updated annually when the interest rate and inflation assumptions in the budget are changed. These discount rates are found in Appendix C of the revised Circular. The attachment to this memorandum is an update of Appendix C. It provides discount rates that will be in effect for the period February 2004 through the end of January 2005.

The rates presented in Appendix C do not apply to regulatory analysis or benefit-cost analysis of public investment. They are to be used for lease-purchase and cost-effectiveness analysis, as specified in the Circular.

Attachment