 Cost as an Independent Variable (CAIV)
This one (1) day course will provide trainees with an understanding of the principals and application of CAIV, as applied to the reduction of Total Ownership Costs (TOC) on weapon system acquisition. The training material is based on real applications of CAIV within government and industry. Discussions include: the concept of reducing TOC, planning for an effective CAIV program, implementing CAIV principles, and subcontract management. To provide further insight, a real life example will be provided, which the trainees can work in class. Finally, the course will provide valuable lessons learned in the planning and implementation of CAIV principles, both for government program offices and for defense contractors.
Cost Estimating Relationships (CER) Development and Application
This one (1) day course discusses statistical figures of merit and other controversial issues associated with development of “good” cost estimating relationships (CERs). Topics covered include normalization of cost data for learning effects, “optimal” methods of modeling error of estimating in the cost analysis context, and appropriate figures of merit for measuring CER quality.
Cost Risk Analysis
This one (1) day course emphasizes the necessity to perform cost risk analysis on any independently generated estimate. It provides risk and risk analysis definitions, the risk management process, origins of DoD risk analysis, and today’s attitudes surrounding it. It discusses quantitative risk analysis, stages, data collection, and the actual development of a risk model.
Data Collection and Analysis and Cost Improvement Curves
This one (1) day session will take place in two parts. The first part of this course will assist trainees in recognizing how to identify the data needed to complete the tasking. It will provide them with an understanding of the elements of a good data collection plan. Trainees will learn how to find and gain access to quality data, become familiar with various normalization techniques and ascertain the appropriate uses of data. The second part of this course focuses on the unit and cumulative average learning curve theories. The learning curve (cost improvement curve or experience curve) continues to be a standard in both the commercial and defense industries. Following a concept of cost improvement introduction the participants are guided through a series of exercises in which unit costs and lot costs are calculated using the equations associated with the two theories.
Economic Analysis (EA) for Decision Making
This one (1) day session will provide students with an overview of the process and steps taken to identify, estimate, and evaluate the costs and benefits of proposed programs. Trainees will learn how to develop and present a concrete economic analysis.
Fundamentals of Cost Estimating
This two (2) day comprehensive Cost Estimating course discusses the requirements and need for preparing cost estimates, introduces fundamentals of estimating best practices, and demonstrates the steps taken to build an estimate. Trainees will learn not only how to build an estimate but also the pitfalls estimators fall into while developing them and where cost can go bad without proper analysis. Lessons learned will be provided for each of the major steps of the estimating process, which includes: identifying purpose, scope, ground rules and assumptions; selecting methodologies; identifying risk; and documenting the estimate.
Software Cost Estimating
This one (1) day course discusses the issues of software as it relates to the overall estimating process and the development of risk parameters for each estimate. Trainees will learn varying software estimating techniques and will gain understanding into nuances of the multiple commercial software estimating models available for use.
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