BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING (BAH) DATA COLLECTION PROCESS

R 231710Z JAN 08
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
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UNCLAS //N07220//
ALCOAST 032/08
COMDTNOTE 7220
SUBJ: BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING (BAH) DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
1. HOUSING ALLOWANCES FOR THE UNIFORMED SERVICES ARE DETERMINED BY
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (SECDEF) USING AN OBJECTIVE, SCIENTIFIC
RENTAL MARKET SURVEY OF HOUSING DATA. RUNZHEIMER INTERNATIONAL
(RZI) OF ROCHESTER, WISCONSIN, UNDER CONTRACT TO SECDEF, ASSISTS IN
THE COLLECTION OF THE HOUSING MARKET DATA. UNDER SECDEF DIRECTION,
RZI WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL HOUSING OFFICES TO COLLECT RENTAL
MARKET HOUSING DATA FOR EACH MILITARY HOUSING AREA (MHA). COAST
GUARD PARTICIPATION IN THIS DATA COLLECTION IS REQUIRED.
2. NO LATER THAN 15 FEB 2008, RZI WILL E-MAIL ALL MILITARY HOUSING
OFFICES (MHOS) PASSWORDS TO RZIS WEB SITE (WWW.BAH.RUNZHEIMER.COM).
THIS PASSWORD WILL GIVE MHOS ACCESS TO RZIS BAH DATA COLLECTION
INSTRUCTION PACKAGE, WHICH CONTAINS GUIDANCE FROM THE SECDEF
DIRECTOR OF COMPENSATION AND COMDT (CG-12) DESCRIBING THE DATA
COLLECTION PROCESS USED TO DETERMINE THE 2009 BAH RATES.
3. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MHOS WILL ENTER DATA THROUGH MHO WEB.
PRIMARY MHOS WILL SCREEN ALL PROPERTIES AND APPROVE SUITABLE RENTAL
PROPERTIES. PRIMARY MHOS WILL THEN SUBMIT APPROVED PROPERTIES,
CENSUS TRACT REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDED REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS VIA
MHO WEB. THE FIRST DATA SUBMISSION DUE DATE IS 5 MAY 2008, SECOND
AND THIRD SUBMISSION DATES FOR NEW RENTAL DATA ONLY ARE 16 JUN 2008
AND 14 JUL 2008, RESPECTIVELY. WHEN POSSIBLE, DATA SHOULD BE
SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE DUE DATE TO PERMIT INTERNAL QUALITY
ASSURANCE SCREENING PRIOR TO FINAL SUBMISSION TO RZI.
4. THIS DATA COLLECTION PROCESS IS CRITICAL IN ESTABLISHING
APPROPRIATE BAH RATES FOR 2009. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DATA CANNOT
BE OVERSTATED. ANNUAL BAH RATES ARE LARGELY BASED ON THE DATA
SUBMITTED BY LOCAL MHOS. INCOMPLETE OR INACCURATE DATA WHICH CANNOT
BE VERIFIED BY RZI WILL NOT BE USED IN ESTABLISHING BAH RATES AND
MAY ADVERSELY INFLUENCE BAH RATES IN 2009. THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY
TO ENSURE BAH RATES ACCURATELY REPRESENT THE COST OF REASONABLE,
ADEQUATE, AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING FOR ALL UNIFORMED SERVICES.
5. QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS MAY BE SUBMITTED VIA E-MAIL TO
COMPENSATION (AT) COMDT.USCG.MIL.
6. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.
7. RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OR PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
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