RESULTS WERE DERIVED FROM A SERIES OF TASKS, WHICH RANGED FROM IDENTIFICATION OF COST STANDARDS, DETERMINATION OF RESOURCES REQUIRED, AND EXAMINATION OF THE BASIS FOR CALCULATION TO ESTIMATING SPECIFIC RESOURCE UNITS, TYPES, AND ATTENDANT COSTS. A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS INVOLVING THE STANDARDS MANAGEMENT TEAM, DEPARTMENT-WIDE PERSONNEL, AND AUTHOR-GATHERED INFORMATION, CHECKED AND RECHECKED COMPLIANCE NEEDS AND PRODUCED THE COST ESTIMATE. THE COSTS OF IMPROVEMENT, WHILE SUBSTANTIAL, SHOULD BE VIEWED AS ADVISORY. FIRST, THEY REPRESENT THE INCREMENTAL COST OF ATTAINING STANDARDS COMPLIANCE. SECOND, THEY ARE BASED ON SPECIFIC SETS OF RESOURCES DEVOTED TO ALLEVIATING PARTICULAR STANDARDS' DEFICIENCIES. THIRD, THEY ARE ESTIMATES (ALBEIT CAREFULLY DERIVED) AND HAVE BEEN ROUNDED TO THOUSANDS. TOTAL STANDARDS COMPLIANCE COSTS FOR COLORADO RANGE BETWEEN $14.5 AND $17.8 MILLION. THESE ARE ESTIMATED FIRST YEAR COSTS, EXCEPT FOR CAPITAL CHARGES; ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES WILL BE REQUIRED ANNUALLY FOR NEW PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT AND PHYSICAL PLANT MAINTENANCE, SUPPLIES' REPLACEMENT, AND CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FINANCING. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL WILL CONSTITUTE ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF NEW COSTS, WHILE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION WILL BE NEARLY ONE-HALF. THE COST INFORMATION IS PRESENTED BY ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT, RESOURCE CATEGORY, PROGRAM, STANDARD, AND STANDARDS' CATEGORY. EXTENSION TABULAR DATA IS SUPPLIED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)