(a) Before SLS is provided to a consumer, the projected annual cost of the consumer's SLA, as determined through the consumer's IPP process, shall not exceed the total annual cost of regional center funded services and supports that would be provided if the consumer were served in an appropriate licensed residential facility, as identified through the IPP process, provided:

(b) Notwithstanding (a), when the consumer does not reside in a licensed facility the projected annual cost of a consumer's SLA shall be deemed to have met the requirements of (a) when the cost is within the range of annual costs of SLAs for other consumers with comparable needs for regional center services and supports, who are currently receiving SLS from the regional center.

(c) Notwithstanding (a), the projected annual cost of a consumer's SLA shall be deemed to have met the requirements of (a) when the consumer is one of a group of consumers receiving, or projected to receive, SLS services from the same vendor, provided the aggregate cost to the regional center of the SLAs of the grouped consumers does not exceed the total cost to the regional center that would have resulted had the costs for services and supports for each of the grouped consumers been determined individually in accordance with (a).