Presenting the IDEAL Estimating System Integrated Data Evaluation

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Presenting the IDEAL Estimating
System(Integrated Data Evaluation Analysis
Library)
A New Paradigm for Cost Estimating, Modeling, and
Data Sharing

August, 2002
Programming Contact Richard F Seel 985 Old Eagle
School Rd Suite 513 Wayne PA 19087 610-964-8200 di
ck_at_primetime.com
Cost Engineering Contact William G Hombach 200
South 20th St Suite B Purcellville, VA
20132 540-338-0601 wghombach_at_teamanalysis.com
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Quick Update

• Share Project Cost Model
• Share Cost Estimating Relationships/Cost
  Assemblies
• Share Project Cost Estimates
• Library Contributor Dictates
• Accessibility from General Public to Company
  Personnel
• Acquisition Charge if Any
• Parametric Cost Modeling Manual
• Parametric Modeling Standards
• Parametric Design Model (PDM) Standard Practice
• Integrated Cost Estimating Relationship (ICER)
  Standard Practice
• Standard Adjunct for the use of XML for Data
  Definition Transmission and Application

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Central XML Library

• International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI)
  has Joined Forces w/ the National Institute of
  Building Sciences (NIBS)
• IAI/NIBS has Stated an Enthusiastic Interest in
  Sponsoring the Central XML Library
• All data and models must follow the electronic
  standards
• The Library can be Virtual ? Links to Member
  Servers Throughout the Country
• IAI is Creating a Cost Work Group Starting w/
  IDEALs XML Schema

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Central XML Library

• The Library is Organized
• All Data and Models Must Follow the Electronic
  Standards
• It Must be Profitable to Government and Industry
• There Must be Tight and Secure Access Control
• It Will Include a Data Quality Indicator

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IDEALs Range of Cost Estimating/Modeling
Methodologies
Parametric Models
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NASAs Use of IDEAL

• Environmental Restoration Liability Estimating
  and Budgeting
• Provides Remedial Project Managers (RPM) with
  Easy-to-Use Estimating Tool
• Library of ICERs, CERs, Assemblies, and other
  Cost Data (Vendor Unit Costs)
• Provides HQ w/ Historical Database for Budgets ?
  Track Sites Cost History
• Execution Plan
• Use ICERs for early Budgetary Estimates (Until
  at Least FS)
• Use Estimating Capabilities to perform
  Government Estimates
• Phase II
• Use Schedule Estimating Relationships (SER)
  Capability
• Tie into SAP (MS Project, Primavera) using XML
  Interoperability
• Phase III
• Build ESRI Active Maps into IDEAL to Run
  Estimates from Map Objects

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Albuquerque ITRD Example(Innovative Treatment
Remediation Demonstration) Engineering Cost
Analysis Software Evaluation Report December 21,
2001

• Used Existing Navy VVA Cost Models (Integrated
  Cost Estimating Relationships ICER)
• Acquired Technical Data for New Technology
  Modified Existing ICER(s)
• Saves Significant Time to Edit Existing Models
• Built New Relationships and Included Cost
  Assemblies and/or Unit Cost Databases (e.g., R.S.
  Means)
• Built a Model not just an Estimate
• Saves Significant Time to Run Models vs
  Re-estimate

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Albuquerque ITRD ExampleEngineering Cost
Analysis Software Evaluation Report December 21,
2001
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Albuquerque ITRD ExampleEngineering Cost
Analysis Software Evaluation Report December 21,
2001
Table 4. Software Evaluation Matrix
IDEAL is the only tool that is being structured
in an open architecture format using Extensible
Markup Language (XML)
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Albuquerque ITRD ExampleEngineering Cost
Analysis Software Evaluation Report December 21,
2001

• Quotes
• IDEAL provides a set of cost estimating
  relationships on common remedial actions and
  supporting site activities.
• IDEAL provides the user with access to this
  library and the ability to document their own
  unique considerations and compile the model or
  estimate in a single system.
• In other words, the IDEAL system takes advantage
  of existing work while providing the user the
  ability to insert unique cost models into the
  logical hierarchy utilizing the common cost
  variables already defined eliminating repetitive
  input.

• The IDEAL system appears to do an excellent job
  providing the estimator with the ability to
  formally document cost research by providing a
  way to integrate the information.
• IDEAL provides the ability to organize and
  manipulate information obtained from published
  databases such as R.S. Means, catalogs, market
  research, and the cost item quantity
  relationship.

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Use of Spreadsheets

• Advantages
• Free Form
• Can Develop Equation and Document on the Fly
• Can Include Complex Relationships between Cost
  Elements
• Not Constrained by Parent/ Child Relationships
• Intuitive to the Creator - no Programming Skills
  Needed

• Disadvantages
• No Apparent Conventions
• Can be Difficult for user to Understand
• Easily Broken by User
• Spreadsheets become Volatile when too Large
• Operates out of Memory not Storage
• Security and User Interface is a Problem

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Use of Database

• Advantages
• Can Handle Large and Complex Data Sets
• Can Use Standardized Unit Price Databases
• More Robust Less Likely to Break
• Provides a more Intuitive User Interface
• Better Security

• Disadvantages
• Referential Integrity
• Requires Error Checking and Maintenance
• Requires Programming
• Locked into a Parent/ Child Relationships
• Vertical Relationships
• Difficult to Visualize Relationships within Data

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IDEAL Estimating System
You Can Have Your Spreadsheet Database
Too!! With the advantages of both and
disadvantages of neither

• Uses Spreadsheet Interface
• Develop/Maintain Cost Models in Comprehensive
  Development Environment and/or Supporting
  Spreadsheets

• Free Form
• Can Develop Equation and Document on the Fly
• Can Include Complex Relationships between Cost
  Elements
• Intuitive to the Creator - no Programming Skills
  Needed

• Can Handle Large and Complex Data Sets
• Can Use Standardized Unit Price Databases
• More Robust Less Likely to Break
• Provides a more Intuitive User Interface
• Better Security

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IDEAL Estimating System
Initial Screen ? Required Parameters
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IDEAL Estimating System
Next Screen ? Secondary Parameters
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IDEAL Estimating System
Default Tree View ? by Technology
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IDEAL Estimating System
Navy CER Library
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IDEAL Estimating System
2 Windows Opened and Tiled Windows ? Library,
Model, Estimate, or Data Can Copy From One to
Another New Branch in Tree Looks to Parent for
Data
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IDEAL Estimating System
Forms Dialogue used to Edit Parameters in
Worksheet