A Practical Guide to Cost Engineering


Book Description

A Practical Guide to Cost Engineering aims to show you how to work as a cost engineer out in the real world. Written by an experienced cost engineer and training program developer, this book introduces the practical side of cost management (cost estimation, cost reduction, and cost control) through real cases and realistic examples from a diverse range of engineering-based projects. With examples from nuclear, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors, the book introduces and demonstrates the activities of the cost engineer throughout a project life cycle. The content is divided into logical sections covering basic concepts, cost estimation, cost control, economic feasibility, sustainability, and more, and the chapters are packed full of features such as definitions, formulas, exercises, and examples. The focus is on providing a practical approach where the reader can first understand a concept and then apply it using an Excel tool developed by the author which allows the reader to simulate different scenarios and results. The simple approach focusing on essential information backed up by practical scenarios presented in this book allows cost engineers and related professionals to execute and understand their activities, develop their professional skills, and even develop in-house training programs. A Practical Guide to Cost Engineering is accompanied by online resources, accessible via the Routledge Resource Centre wesbite.




2020 Census


Book Description




GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide


Book Description

The U.S. Government Accountability Office is responsible for, among other things, assisting the Congress in its oversight of the federal government, including agencies' stewardship of public funds. To use public funds effectively, the government must meet the demands of today's changing world by employing effective management practices and processes, including the measurement of government program performance. In addition, legislators, government officials, and the public want to know whether government programs are achieving their goals and what their costs are. To make those evaluations, reliable cost information is required and federal standards have been issued for the cost accounting that is needed to prepare that information. We developed the Cost Guide in order to establish a consistent methodology that is based on best practices and that can be used across the federal government for developing, managing, and evaluating capital program cost estimates.




Contract Pricing Reference Guides


Book Description

This new, single-volume resource provides the most complete guidance available for analyzing the cost and pricing aspects of federal government contracts--so you can propose and negotiate appropriate prices and win contracts. The practical Contract Pricing Reference Guide reference combines five manuals into a single source, covering: Price Analysis Quantitative Techniques for Contract Pricing Cost Analysis Advanced Issues in Contract Pricing And Federal Contract Negotiation Techniques Determine the Proper Pricing to Win Government Business Throughout these pages, you will find highly detailed explanations of how the government evaluates proposals, arrives at pricing, chooses contractors, and awards contracts. With Contract Pricing Reference Guide, you can more confidently: Conduct market research for price analysis Employ proven techniques of quantitative price analysis Propose a fair and appropriate price Confidently engage in sealed bidding Include only what's allowable in the price Employ the most effective, competitive pricing strategies And engage in effective contract negotiations The One-of-a-Kind, Time-Saving Pricing Resource The all-new Contract Pricing Reference Guide provides a road-map for how to set correct pricing and engage in the competitive bidding process. It is a practical business tool to help you acquire government contract business--and it brings all the most valuable pricing information together in an easy-access, single-volume resource that puts everything you need literally right in front of you. No other resource delivers all of this together in one place, making it the most convenient way to obtain the most vital information on pricing government contracts.




Introduction to Small Area Estimation Techniques


Book Description

This guide to small area estimation aims to help users compile more reliable granular or disaggregated data in cost-effective ways. It explains small area estimation techniques with examples of how the easily accessible R analytical platform can be used to implement them, particularly to estimate indicators on poverty, employment, and health outcomes. The guide is intended for staff of national statistics offices and for other development practitioners. It aims to help them to develop and implement targeted socioeconomic policies to ensure that the vulnerable segments of societies are not left behind, and to monitor progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.




Economic Evaluation in Education


Book Description

The past decade has seen increased attention to cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analysis in education as administrators are being asked to accomplish more with the same or even fewer resources, philanthropists are keen to calculate their "return on investment" in social programs, and the general public is increasingly scrutinizing how resources are allocated to schools and colleges. Economic Evaluation in Education: Cost-Effectiveness and Benefit-Cost Analysis (titled Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Methods and Applications in its previous editions) is the only full-length book to provide readers with the step-by-step methods they need to plan and implement a benefit-cost analysis in education. Authors Henry M. Levin, Patrick J. McEwan, Clive Belfield, Alyshia Brooks Bowden, and Robert Shand examine a range of issues, including how to identify, measure, and distribute costs; how to measure effectiveness, utility, and benefits; and how to incorporate cost evaluations into the decision-making process. The updates to the Third Edition reflect the considerable methodological development in the evaluation literature, and the greater empiricism practiced by education researchers, to help readers learn to apply more advanced methods to their own analyses.




Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government


Book Description

Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.




2021 National Painting Cost Estimator


Book Description

A complete guide to estimating painting costs for just about any type of residential, commercial, or industrial painting, whether by brush, spray, or roller.




Practice Standard for Project Estimating - Second Edition


Book Description

Project estimating plays a vital role in project management. Typically completed in the initial planning stages, accurate project estimation can be a difficult task. Organizations and project managers should use these initial estimates to baseline the project schedule and cost, then refine these estimates as the project develops. Accurate estimation and refinement of the estimates leads to better and earlier decision making, thus maximizing value.Developed within the framework of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK&® Guide) &– Sixth Edition and other PMI standards, the Practice Standard for Project Estimating &– Second Edition focuses on providing models for the project management profession in both plan-driven and change-driven adaptive (agile) life cycles. This practice standard describes the aspects of project estimating that are recognized as good practice on most projects most of the time and that are widely recognized and consistently applied.PMI practice standards describe processes, activities, constraints, inputs, and outputs for specific discipline subject areas and are targeted to all practitioners within projectized organizations, not just project managers.




Cost and Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Estimating and Managing Program Costs


Book Description

Contents: Characteristics of Credible Cost Estimates & a Reliable Process for Creating Them; Why Cost Estimates Are Required for Gov¿t. Programs & Challenges in Developing Results; Criteria for Cost Estimating, EVM, & Data Reliability; Cost Analysis Overview; The Cost Estimate¿s Purpose, Scope, & Schedule; The Cost Assessment Team; Technical Baseline Description; Work Breakdown Structure; Ground Rules & Assumptions; Data; Developing a Point Estimate; Estimating Software Costs; Sensitivity Analysis; Cost Risk & Uncertainty; Validating the Estimate; Documenting the Estimate; Presenting the Estimate to Mgmt.; Managing Program Costs: Planning, Execution, & Updating; & Appendixes. Tables, Figures, & Checklists.