so which one is the answer? Indirect cost rates are related to support of specific operations and are expressed in terms such as dollars per hours or percentage of cost. Indirect cost rates are calculated for each accounting period as follows: 1. Indirect Cost Rate = Indirect Cost Pool / Indirect Cost Allocation Base. 2. Indirect Cost Rate = Indirect cost pool/ direct cost allocation base. 3. Indirect cost rate = Direct cost pool/ indirect cost allocation base. 4. Indirect Cost Rate = Direct Cost Pool / Direct Cost Allocation Base