Cost Analyst/Estimator, Senior

Diaconia LLC•Bath Township, OH

About The Position

This role involves preparing and adhering to estimating schedules in coordination with the Government PM to meet acquisition timeline requirements. The Senior Cost Analyst/Estimator will develop Program Office Estimates (POEs) based on established procedures, assessing and estimating costs for current and future program efforts. This includes continuously adjusting POEs for program changes and producing objective, realistic life cycle cost estimates. The position requires documenting, briefing, and reconciling estimate results, covering development, procurement, sustainment/operations, support, and disposal costs, aligning with program requirements descriptions (CARD) for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs)/Major Automated Information System (MAIS) programs or technical baselines for other Acquisition Category (ACAT) programs. A key responsibility is developing and maintaining a directorate cost data repository, and managing all cost reports, data, and completed estimates. The role also involves performing excursions on existing program cost estimates, analyzing weapon system contractor proposals, and assisting in the development of Program Objective Memorandum (POM) inputs and other financial documents. Additionally, the Senior Cost Analyst/Estimator will support the development and updates of the program's initial CARD, utilize government-provided software like WInsight for progress measurement and contractor performance evaluation, and assist in performance analysis of various contractor reports (CPRs, CSSRs, CFSRs, CCDRs). Participation in Integrated Baseline Reviews (IBRs) and utilizing the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) to understand scope, management control processes, and risks is crucial. The role provides inputs to program documentation, supports the evaluation and reporting of total program cost, schedule, and performance, and assists in evaluating actual program problems and warning of potential issues. Direct cost service support is provided during acquisition milestone decision points for various program categories, and participation in Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) exercises is expected. Economic analyses will be provided to aid in decisions among competing alternatives, and direct cost estimating and analysis assistance will be given to the formal Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) process. The contractor will also provide ancillary assistance to acquisition program offices and outside government cost agencies as required, in accordance with relevant acquisition reform acts and Air Force cost analysis initiatives.

Requirements

Advanced Degree (Master of Arts (MA) / Master of Science (MS)) and twelve (12) years of experience in the respective technical / professional discipline being performed, five (5) years of which must be in the DoD
OR, BA/BS degree, and fifteen (15) years of experience in the respective technical/professional discipline being performed, five (5) of which must be in the DoD
OR, twenty (20) years of directly related experience with proper certifications as described in the Functionally Aligned Job Descriptions, eight (8) of which must be in the DoD.
Must have the ability to pass Government Cost Chief review and an annual Sufficiency Review.
Subject to compliance with DoD Directive 5000.1 The Defense Acquisition System, DoD Instruction 5000.02 Operation of the Defense Acquisition System, AFI 65-501 Economic Analysis, AFI 65-502 Inflation, AFI 65-503 S. Air Force Cost and Planning Factors, AFI 65-508 Cost Analysis Guidance and Procedures, AFMAN 65-506 Economic Analysis, the AFLCMC Standard Cost Process and other DoD, Air Force and lower level policy, publications, supplements, and manuals, as well as applicable documents and regulations, systems, processes and guides, as required.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Security clearance at the required level; U.S. Citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with Automated Cost Estimating Integrated Tools (ACEIT)
Previous experience with other estimating tools such as: PRICE "TruePlanning" parametric modeling, Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO), and Oracle Crystal Ball
Previous experience with Air Force maintained databases such as Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) and Reliability and Maintainability Information System (REMIS).
Experience with the Government's documentation/ databases requiring financial management and cost data, including but not limited to 1537s, mandatory Cost and Software Data Repository (CSDR) requirements for all programs, Procurement Documents (PDOCs), Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Documents (RDOCs), the Capital Investment Report, Government Accounting Office (GAO) and Air Force Audit Agency (AFAA) reviews and audits, Acquisition Program Baseline (APB), award fee plans, award fee boards, MARs, and CCaRS, should cost analyses, and cost capability analyses.

Responsibilities

Prepare and adhere to estimating schedules, in coordination with the responsible Government PM, that conform to the requirements of the acquisition timeline for each estimate.
Develop Program Office Estimates (POEs) from an estimating procedure which specifies the expected dollar cost to perform a stipulated task or to acquire an item.
Interface with IPT members developing the program's technical baseline, perform data collection and analysis, and document results.
Assess all current and future program efforts and estimate their costs, continuously adjust POEs whenever there is a program change, and produce objective, realistic life cycle cost estimates in an effective and timely manner.
Document, brief, and reconcile the results of the estimates, which will include development, procurement, sustainment / operations, and support (O&S), and where applicable disposal costs, reflecting the program Cost Analysis Requirements Description (CARD) for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) / Major Automated Information System (MAIS) programs or technical baseline for all other Acquisition Category (ACAT) programs.
Develop, maintain, and provide on-going sustainment of a directorate cost data repository.
Receive, review, catalog, store, and retrieve all cost reports, cost data, and completed cost estimates.
Develop life cycle cost estimates to include Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), production, and sustainment phases of programs.
Perform excursions, major and minor, to an existing program cost estimate that might include a program restructure/re-baseline, the insertion of new capabilities or technology, quantity changes, significant funding reductions/additions, and others as required.
Analyze weapon system contractor proposals.
Assist in the development of Program Objective Memorandum (POM) inputs and other financial documents.
Assist in the development of the program's initial CARD and assist in updates required throughout the program's lifecycle.
Utilize WInsight or other Government-provided software to coordinate work scope, schedule, and cost goals to objectively measure progress and evaluate weapon system contractor contract performance reporting data.
Assist the program offices in performance analysis of CPRs, CSSRs, CFSRs, and CCDRs.
Assist in Integrated Baseline Reviews (IBRs).
Use the PMB throughout the life of a project to facilitate and maintain mutual understanding of: The scope of the PMB consistent with authorizing documents. Management control processes. Risks in the PMB associated with cost, schedules, and resources, and Corrective actions where necessary.
Provide inputs to program documentation, including inputs for the identification and development of program requirements and/or cost, schedule, technical, and program risks. These efforts shall include: program management plans; program baselines; WBSs; program risk assessments; standard program reviews; and/or reports including SARs, MARs, and DAES reports.
Support the Government's process to evaluate and report the status of total program cost, schedule, and performance, as well as program unit cost and unit cost breach information.
Support the Government process to evaluate and report actual program problems, warning of potential program problems, and describing mitigating actions taken or planned.
Provide direct cost service support during acquisition milestone decision points for MAIS programs and MDAPs, ACAT II, ACAT III, non-ACAT programs, and Clinger-Cohen Act compliance.
Participate in ORI exercises as an IPT member, working in the development of the cost estimate and associated documentation.
Provide economic analyses when called upon to assist the Government in developing decisions among competing alternatives and systematically examining and communicating costs, benefits, and risks of various alternatives IAW AFMAN 65-506.
Provide direct cost estimating and analysis assistance to the Government's formal Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) process.
Provide ancillary assistance to the acquisition program office as well as the outside Government cost agencies such as OSD CAPE, AFCAA, and the Performance Assessment and Root Cause Analysis (PARCA) organization as required / requested.