Principal Cost Estimator Associate

Quantech Services, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Quantech Services, Inc. is seeking an experienced cost estimator to develop, validate, and update cost estimates across the acquisition life cycle for DoD programs. The role involves analyzing data, building CERs, and supporting program cost reviews and briefings.

You will use ACEIT, SEER, and PRICE to produce credible estimates and assist in POM submissions, risk assessment, and cost performance analyses. A Secret clearance is preferred, with potential Top Secret consideration.

Qualifications

• Ten years of cost estimating experience across information systems, radars, aircraft, and space systems in DoD/government and commercial contexts.
• ACEIT experience required; SEER and PRICE familiarity encouraged.
• Minimum five years of ACEIT experience and five years of Microsoft Office Suite experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in management, business, economics, finance, ORSA, accounting, mathematics, science, technology, engineering, statistics, or cost estimating/analysis; Master’s preferred; 24 semester hours of quantitative analysis including calculus.
• ICEAA certification preferred. Software, Agile, Cloud certifications desirable. Clearance: Active Secret (Top Secret preferred). Travel up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and update credible cost estimates for programs across the acquisition life cycle.
• Create cost models using ACEIT, SEER, PRICE and related tools; support briefings and documentation.
• Analyze historical data and develop CERs using regression analysis.
• Assess risks and uncertainties in cost drivers and CER equations.
• Prepare cost estimates for POM submissions and various official cost analyses.
• Support program cost reviews, contractual negotiations, and acquisition reporting (MAR, SAR, DAES, APB).

Skills

Cost estimation

Data analysis

Statistical methods

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

ACEIT

SEER

PRICE

MS Office

PMRT

CCaR

EDA

AFTOC

Job description

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Job Title

Functional Title

Contract position State Location

Education

Bachelor's Level Degree

Job Type

Full-time

Job Description

• Develop, maintain, and update credible, defensible, and replicable cost estimates for all programs in the Division’s portfolio in any phase of the acquisition life cycle
• Develop, maintain, and update credible, defensible, and replicable cost estimates for software related components of all programs leveraging source/logical/physical lines of code, programming productivity and maintainability, code growth, engineering updates, capability insertion in accordance with the applicable program documents (e.g., Cost Analysis Requirements Description) and the applicable policies and guidance
• Develop, analyze, reconcile, and/or assess Program Office Estimates, Single Best Estimates, Independent Cost Estimates, Independent Cost Analyses, Sufficiency Reviews, Cost Excursions, Rough Orders of Magnitude, Service Cost Positions, Program Contractor Cost Estimate, Program Executive Officer Estimates in support of annual Program Objective Memorandum (POM) submissions, Should Cost Estimates, Independent Program Assessments, Milestone Cost Estimate Reviews, Interim Program Cost Estimate Reviews, and “what-if” Cost Estimates
• Analyze historical data and develop analogies and Cost Estimating Relationships (CERs) using regression analysis
• Understand technology trends and analyze impacts on cost
• Develop risk and uncertainty distributions for cost driver variables and Cost Estimating Relationship (CER) equations
• Study, analyze, and develop metrics for complex, modern software development programs
• Build complex spreadsheet-based program cost models used as decision analysis tools
• Apply statistical concepts to quantify the probability of success for program budget and schedule plans
• Document, identify, and record all data/information required for the development of the cost estimates to include methodologies, assumptions, Cost Estimating Relationships (CERs), inflation rates, growth factors, risk factors, uncertainty factors, program dates, program milestones, etc.
• Support development, creation, integration, and correlation of briefings charts.
• Support all cost related activities associated with contract award activities – Acquisition Planning, Draft RFP Release, ESIS, ASP, RFP Release, Technical Evaluation, Source Selection, Contract Negotiation, etc.
• Create Business Case Analyses, Cost Benefit Analyses, and Economic Analyses
• Use prescribed standardized/specialized software applications such as ACE-IT, SEER, and PRICE; and apply data from Government-approved published databases
• Possess knowledge of all applicable cost policies and guides – DoDI 5000.73, AFI 65-508, GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, JA CSRUH, etc.
• Assist in the development of Program Work Breakdown Structures as required and evaluate approved Contract Work Breakdown Structures to ensure and maintain compliance with Military Standard 881F, Defense Cost and Resource Center, Office of the Secretary of Defense/Cost Assessment and Performance Evaluation requirements
• Support the preparation of Program Office Technical Baselines and Cost Analysis Requirements Descriptions (CARDs) as applicable; ensuring completeness and consistency with other program documents
• Support development, review, and update of all cost related tasks/suspenses, staff packages, and action items
• Support and attend Government/Prime Contractor meetings for information gathering purposes to assist the government in assessing cost estimates.
• Assess program performance, cost, and schedule risk as applicable to the cost estimate and appropriately factor any risk and uncertainty into the cost estimates
• Analyze program contractor cost estimates to ensure consistency with Government cost estimating procedures; analyze the contractor BOEs, crosscheck WBS elements or cost drivers
• Provide cost related support to accomplish required Acquisition Reporting, to include, but not limited, to the Monthly Acquisition Report (MAR), the Selected Acquisition Report (SAR), Defense Acquisition Executive Summary (DAES), Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) and Program Management Reviews (PMRs).

Job Requirements

• Ten (10) years of experience performing cost estimating activities for Information Systems, Radars, Aircraft, and/or Spacecraft commodities in the commercial, industrial, government agencies, (only NASA, MDA, NRO, FAA, NGA, DOE), and/or military arena/DoD, of which five (5) years shall include duties/assignments specifically in support of space and/or ground systems that support/tracks space programs. Space programs are defined as systems that pass above earth’s atmosphere.
• Experience required using standardized and specialized software applications such as, but not limited to, Microsoft Office, Automated Cost Estimating Integrated Tools (ACEIT), SEER, PRICE and Government systems and databases including PMRT, CCaR, EDA, AFTOC.
• At a minimum, five (5) years of ACEIT experience
• At a minimum, five (5) years of Microsoft Office Suite experience
• Bachelor’s degree required in the fields of Management, Business, Economics, Finance, Operations Research Analyst, Accounting, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Engineering, Statistics, or Cost Estimating/Analysis; Master’s preferred. Must have 24 semester hours of quantitative analysis, including at least three semester units of calculus.
• Certification requirements: ICEAA certification (CCE/A, PCE/A) preferred. Software, Agile, Cloud certification preferred.
• Clearance: Must hold an Active Secret clearance, Top Secret preferred.
• Some travel may be required (10%).