5 CFR § 591.223 - When does OPM conduct COLA surveys?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s591.223"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "5 CFR § 591.223 - When does OPM conduct COLA surveys?"
title_number: 5
title_name: "Administrative Personnel"
section_number: "591.223"
section_name: "When does OPM conduct COLA surveys?"
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS"
part_number: "591"
part_name: "ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "591"
---


# 591.223 When does OPM conduct COLA surveys?

(a) OPM conducts a survey in each COLA area once every 3 years on a rotational basis and surveys the Washington, DC, area concurrently with each COLA area survey. The order of the COLA area surveys is as follows:

(1) *Year 1.* All COLA areas in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(2) *Year 2.* All COLA areas in the State of Alaska, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(3) *Year 3.* All COLA areas in the State of Hawaii and the Territory of Guam and CNMI.

(b) *Exceptions:*

(1) Nothing in this subpart precludes OPM from conducting interim surveys or implementing some other change in response to conditions caused by a natural disaster or similar emergency, provided OPM publishes a notice or rule in the *Federal Register* explaining the change and the reason(s) for it.

(2) As provided in § 591.215(c), OPM does not conduct surveys in the Rest of the State of Alaska COLA area unless COLA rate reductions appear warranted.