Hello,
No, you are not missing anything. Your description of the sales tax calculation is correct.
The default value of the sales tax basis is different for the different performance models. For the CSP models in SAM 2015.1.30, it is 80%, and is a rough estimate of the portion of the direct cost assumed to be materials. For more about the default costs, see the documents on the
System Costs page
of this website.
As with all of the inputs in SAM, the default values are rough estimates to help you get started using the software. You should review all of the values to ensure that they are appropriate for your analysis.
Best regards,
Paul.