Published industry standard construction cost-estimating resources include Xactimate, RSMeans, BNi Cost Books, Marshall & Swift, and Sweet's Unit Cost Guide. Unit cost data or estimating software used by the insurance industry is not approved for use in the Public Assistance program.

Unit cost data from published national construction cost databases must meet the same criteria as other unit cost sources. They must also:

• Be specifically designed for the construction industry and recognized as credible
• Provide documentation of the elements included in the unit costs (i.e., labor, material, equipment, overhead, and profit)
• Document the assumptions included in the unit costs, e.g., union vs. non-union, labor, productivity
• Be adaptable to project localities