48 CFR § 9904.403-20 - 9904.403-20 Purpose.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t48/s9904.403-20"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "48 CFR § 9904.403-20 - 9904.403-20   Purpose."
title_number: 48
title_name: "Federal Acquisition Regulations System"
section_number: "9904.403-20"
section_name: "9904.403-20   Purpose."
chapter_number: 99
chapter_name: "COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, OFFICE OF FEDERAL PROCUREMENT POLICY, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AND COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS"
part_number: "9904"
part_name: "COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Pub. L. 100-679, 102 Stat. 4056, 41 U.S.C. 422."
regulatory_source: "57 FR 14153, Apr. 17, 1992, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "9904"
---


# 9904.403-20 9904.403-20   Purpose.

(a) The purpose of this Cost Accounting Standard is to establish criteria for allocation of the expenses of a home office to the segments of the organization based on the beneficial or causal relationship between such expenses and the receiving segments. It provides for:

(1) Identification of expenses for direct allocation to segments to the maximum extent practical;

(2) Accumulation of significant nondirectly allocated expenses into logical and relatively homogeneous pools to be allocated on bases reflecting the relationship of the expenses to the segments concerned; and

(3) Allocation of any remaining or residual home office expenses to all segments.

Appropriate implementation of this Standard will limit the amount of home office expenses classified as residual to the expenses of managing the organization as a whole.

(b) This Standard does not cover the reallocation of a segment's share of home office expenses to contracts and other cost objectives.