In 2016 the authors conducted a trial test to verify the validity of a methodological approach to determining the normative costs of R&D based on labor costs. The purpose of the test was to provide evidence that would support the proposed methodological guidelines for federal and regional executive bodies performing the functions and exercising the authorities of founding agencies with respect to the research institutions on forming state R&D assignments based on normative R&D costs. The paper describes the trial-tested methodological approaches to determining the labor costs (workload) of R&D works, approaches to grouping costs and determining group normative costs.