DOE G 413.3-21, COST ESTIMATING GUIDE (05-SEP-2011)

DOE G 413.3-21, COST ESTIMATING GUIDE (05-SEP-2011), The purpose of the DOE Cost Estimating Guide is to provide uniform guidance and best practices that describe the methods and procedures recommended for use at DOE in preparing cost estimates that is specific to all work including but not limited to construction projects and/or programs. This guidance is applicable to all phases of the Department’s acquisition of capital asset management activities. Practices relative to estimating life-cycle cost (LCC) are described. LCCs include all the anticipated costs associated with a project or program alternative throughout its life; i.e., from authorization through operations to the end of the facility/system life cycle (see Figure 3-3 in Section 3.2). This Guide does not impose new requirements or constitute DOE policy, nor is this Guide intended to instruct Federal employees in how to prepare cost estimates (see Appendix C, Summary of Federal Requirements, and Appendix D, Summary of DOE Requirements). Rather, it may be used to provide information based on accepted standard industry estimating best practices and processes—including practices promulgated by the GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide (GAO-09-3SP)—to meet Federal and DOE requirements and facilitate the development of local or site-specific cost estimating requirements. The GAO has specifically recommended that DOE cost estimating guidance be provided following the GAO Twelve Steps of a High-Quality Cost Estimating Process to improve the quality of its cost estimates (see GAO- 10-199, Table 1, page 10).