The Cote d'Ivoire Living Standards Surveys (CILSS) is the first survey to field test the methodology and questionnaires developed by the Living Standards Measurement Study. The primary objectives of the survey are: (a) to provide timely cross-sectional and panel data on a permanent basis on living conditions of African households; (b) to study the interrelationships between different components of living standards within the same households; and (c) to develop and test methodologies for measuring living standards in developing countries. The survey is being undertaken by the Cote d'Ivoire Department of Statistics in 1600 African households per year throughout the country in communities randomly selected to be nationally representative. Every year half of the sample is replaced, thereby yielding two observations one year apart for half of the previous year's households. Data on community characteristics, including local prices, are collected on separate village and price questionnaires. This paper documents the development of the Cote d'Ivoire Living Standards Survey up to December 1985. The chapters that follow describe: sample design, survey instruments, organization of the survey, data management, and the first ten months of field operations.