Table 1 Description of cost categories, estimation method, and estimated resource usage (in 2016 USD and person-hours) for each of the post-epidemic Ebola clusters
Cost category | Description | Estimation method | Sierra Leone, Tonkolili (January, 2016) (2 cases; 5 affected regions)a USD (person-hours) | Guinea, Nzérékoré (March 17–May 31, 2016) (10 cases; 2 affected regions)a USD (person-hours) | Liberia, Somali Drive (March, 2016) (3 cases; 1 affected region)a USD (person-hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Travel costs for Atlanta personnel | Round-trip travel costs to the West African countries, and per diem (international) | Travel costs were valued at USD 6967 for roundtrip flight, and a per diem of USD 360 that includes lodging and food costs that was multiplied by the duration (in days) of the deployment. | 348 181 | 544 550 | 18 469 |
Deployed personnel costs | Opportunity costs of the Atlanta personnel that needs to deployed to West Africa (average hourly personnel salary level GS 13, step 5 assumed)b | Team members were asked to estimate personnel hours to assist in the response. Personnel hours were valued at GS13, step 5. Embassy head tax was added for Guinea. | 278 110 (5 800h) | 392 910 (7 800h) | 11 988 (250 h) |
Interagency collaboration personnel costs | Opportunity costs of personnel reimbursed by CDC and deployed from other agencies to support the response | Cost was extracted from interagency regulations. | – | 459 000 (19 people) | – |
Procurement | Cost of rapid diagnostic tests, if deployed | Costs were submitted by team members involved in the response. | – | 275 000c | 29 700d |
In-country personnel costs | Costs of personnel from West Africa hired for the response (locally employed staff and others) | Team members were asked to estimate local personnel hours. Personnel hours were valued at local contracted rates. | 8 611 (1 989 h) | 18 026 (5 213 h) | 20 345(2 040 h) |
Preparation for deployment cost | Costs of vaccination and the medication bag assigned to personnel deployed, medical clearance costs | Cost was extracted from existing agency regulations, and includes Ebola Deployment Medical Clearance and Travel kit. | 27 683 | 35 988 | 1384 |
Logistical costs | Costs of fuel and security, if needed | Costs were submitted by team members involved in the response. | 23 754 | 12 500 | 23 750 |
Communication costs | Costs of equipment (including laptop, smart phone, GPS device etc.) needed by deployed personnel to communicate from West Africa | Team operatives were asked to provide information on communication materials used; such costs were estimated by subject matter experts. | 7500 | 13 500 | 7500 |
Backstage costs | Costs of scheduling and administering travel. Assumed to be 3 h per deployed CDC person | The estimated time to schedule travel was 1 h. The time was multiplied by the number of deployed personnel, and valued at the hourly compensation of backstage personnel (GS10, S5) b. | 612 | 796 | 31 |
Partner costs | Resources necessary for CDC partners | Costs required by CDC partners, beyond what was contemplated in the original interagency agreement. | – | 12 000 | – |
Total costse | 694 452 | 1 764 271 | 113 166 |