Cost360™: Enterprise-wide Cost Modeling Tracking and Sensitivity Analyses

The inability of MDA acquisition programs to effectively manage costs and curb cost growth has historically produced cost over-runs. One key reason for this cost escalation is the lack of total visibility into all the sources of cost within the enterprise. What is needed for “total cost knowledge” are accurate cost models that are integrated with the various business and engineering applications (e.g. ERP/ERM, PDM/PLM) in the enterprise. This SBIR project is concerned with developing methods and tools that maximize knowledge of total cost, enable cost sensitivity analysis, and facilitate interoperability and automatic integration of cost models with other enterprise applications including business systems and dependent model elements (such as mechanical part models with related material models and associated manufacturing process models) as part of a model-based enterprise. The cost modeling tool will account for various sources of project uncertainties and risks and will enable cost projections under a variety of “what if” assumptions. Phase I of this effort will establish a generic framework for weapon system lifecycle cost modeling.