This report briefly summarizes a gap analysis and alternatives analysis of the Coast Guard cost-estimating workforce and provides recommendations to achieve flexibility to deal with future requirements.

Gap Analysis and Alternatives Analysis of the Coast Guard Cost Estimating Workforce

Irv Blickstein, Tim Conley, Brynn Tannehill, Abby Schendt, Jason Michel Etchegaray

ResearchPublished Apr 11, 2018

This Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center report assesses the capabilities of the current Coast Guard cost-estimating workforce; identifies current requirements and current and future demands for cost-estimating services, based on Coast Guard acquisition plans; and recommends staffing and organizational alternatives to achieve flexibility to deal with future requirements.

Key Takeaways

  • The Coast Guard can more effectively manage the currently supported twenty full time equivalents through a competency aligned organization.
  • The Coast Guard's current structure, which relies heavily on contracting, hampers cross-program cost comparisons and keeps cost estimators from increasing their subject knowledge. Furthermore, cost estimators often cannot access contractors' models and data.

Recommendations

Researchers found three alternatives for the Coast Guard's cost-estimating capability.

  • Alternative A would maintain the status quo. This option saves review time and does not require extra billets, but is the least responsive to required changes.
  • Alternative B would create a civilian-military competency-aligned division. This division would be best aligned to meet changing requirements and improve communication and career advancement. However, it would add more time to review and would require realignment of cost estimator billets.
  • Alternative C would be similar to Alternative B, but would initially include contracting support as well.

Topics

Document Details

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Blickstein, Irv, Tim Conley, Brynn Tannehill, Abby Schendt, and Jason Michel Etchegaray, Gap Analysis and Alternatives Analysis of the Coast Guard Cost Estimating Workforce. Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center operated by the RAND Corporation, 2018. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2047.html.
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This research was sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard and conducted within the Strategy, Policy, and Operations Program of the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) operated by the RAND Corporation under contract with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

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