Federal Bca

Community

jgsystemsconsulting

federal-bca

Knowledge base from OMB Circular A-94 (revised 2023-11-09) on guidelines and discount rates for benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analysis of federal programs. Use for BCA principles, benefit/cost measurement, discount-rate policy, uncertainty/sensitivity, distributional incidence, and decision reporting. Rescoped at build to A-94 only (Army CBA Guide unreachable). Does not replace A-11 budget preparation detail, agency-specific statutory BCA rules, or Army CEAC process templates.

Overview

Publisher	jgsystemsconsulting
Repository	`jgs-se-knowledge-packs`
Skill name	`federal-bca`
Stars	121
Forks	1
Bundled files	10
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
10 bundled files
Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.
Open source
Published by jgsystemsconsulting on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Federal Bca AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/jgsystemsconsulting/jgs-se-knowledge-packs/tree/main/packs/federal-bca
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/jgsystemsconsulting/jgs-se-knowledge-packs/tree/main/packs/federal-bca

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jgsystemsconsulting/jgs-se-knowledge-packs.git /tmp/jgs-se-knowledge-packs
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/jgs-se-knowledge-packs/packs/federal-bca .claude/skills/federal-bca

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Federal Bca in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Federal Bca on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Federal Bca is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

OMB Circular A-94 — Federal Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidelines

Source: OMB Circular A-94, revised Nov. 9, 2023 (US Government work, public domain) | Chapters: 6

When to use

Reach for this pack when designing or reviewing federal benefit-cost or cost-effectiveness analyses—especially discount-rate selection, baseline and opportunity-cost measurement, uncertainty/sensitivity, distributional incidence, and OMB-facing documentation quality for program or legislative decisions.

Prerequisites: none — plain Markdown; no MCP server, API key, or licence tier needed at runtime.

How to Use This Skill

Without arguments — load the core frameworks below.
With a topic — ask about NPV, real vs nominal rates, opportunity cost, sensitivity, incidence, or CEA vs BCA.
With a chapter — ask for ch01 through ch06.

Supporting files: glossary.md, patterns.md, cheatsheet.md.

Core Frameworks & Mental Models

Why A-94 exists

Promote social welfare via well-informed federal decisions. Provides general BCA/CEA guidance and specific discount-rate policy for time-distributed benefits and costs. Revised 2023; rescinds 1992 A-94.

Mandatory vs suggested

Context	Force
Analyses to OMB under A-11 / A-19 / 1992 Presidential Memo estimates	Must follow
Internal Executive Branch planning	Suggested
Law / EO / other circulars prescribe methods	Those control

Analysis spine

Decision question + alternatives + baseline
Identify/measure social benefits and costs (opportunity cost; transfers separated)
Align inflation basis
Discount with A-94 class-appropriate real/nominal rates
Characterize uncertainty + sensitivity
Report distributional incidence
Document transparently for decision makers/OMB

BCA vs CEA

BCA: Monetize benefits and costs → discounted net benefits / NPV
CEA: When benefits fixed or not monetized → compare costs for effect (still discount correctly)

Pack scope note

Built as A-94 only after P7-PRE-2 dual-document gate: Army Cost Benefit Analysis Guide could not be retrieved (ASAFM host 403 from this environment). Do not expect Army CEAC step templates here.

Chapter Index

#	Section	Key content
ch01	Purpose, Scope, Principles	Goal, authority, mandatory use, BCA/CEA elements
ch02	Benefits and Costs	Baseline, opportunity cost, inflation consistency
ch03	Discount Rate Policy	Real/nominal rates, analysis classes, NPV
ch04	Uncertainty	Expected values, sensitivity, explicit risk adjustments
ch05	Distributional Effects	Groups, weights, economic incidence
ch06	Reporting and Decision Use	OMB-grade documentation, limitations

Topic Index

Baseline / with-without → ch02
BCA vs CEA → ch01, ch02
Decision Analysis → ch04, ch06
Discount rates (real/nominal) → ch03
Distributional weights → ch05
Economic incidence → ch05
Expected value → ch04
Inflation treatment → ch02, ch03
Lease-purchase / asset sales rates → ch03
Net present value (NPV) → ch03, ch06
OMB A-11 / A-19 submissions → ch01, ch06
Opportunity cost → ch02
Opportunity cost / benefit identification → ch01, ch02, ch06
Sensitivity analysis → ch04
Social vs budget cost → ch02
Transfers → ch02, ch05
Uncertainty adjustments → ch04

Supporting Files

glossary.md — BCA/discounting terms
patterns.md — implementation patterns with When/How/Trade-offs
cheatsheet.md — decision rules, maps, tells & smells

Scope & Limits

This pack covers OMB Circular A-94, revised November 9, 2023 (28 pages per extraction metadata) as synthesized reference notes on federal BCA/CEA guidelines and discount-rate policy.

Rescope (P7-PRE-2): Planned dual source was A-94 + US Army Cost Benefit Analysis Guide. The Army PDF was not retrievable (ASAFM 403 / Wayback 503 from the build environment). Per hard gate rules, the pack was rescoped to the surviving in-source-clean document (A-94) rather than generating Army content without evidence. Re-expand if the Army guide becomes fetchable.

It does not cover: full OMB Circular A-11 budget formulation; agency-specific statutory BCA regimes; private-sector CFA/WACC practice as a substitute for A-94; or Army CEAC process templates. US Government public domain work. No source-material download link is published.

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Federal Bca AI skill do?

Why use Federal Bca on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Federal Bca is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Federal Bca in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/jgsystemsconsulting/jgs-se-knowledge-packs/tree/main/packs/federal-bca. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Federal Bca?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Federal Bca?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Federal Bca with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Federal Bca AI skill free?

It is published on GitHub by jgsystemsconsulting. Check the repository for licensing terms. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

OMB Circular A-94 — Federal Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidelines

When to use

How to Use This Skill

Core Frameworks & Mental Models

Why A-94 exists

Mandatory vs suggested

Analysis spine

BCA vs CEA

Pack scope note

Chapter Index

Topic Index

Supporting Files

Scope & Limits

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

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