Contract Pricing: Defense Contractor Cost Estimating Systems: Nsiad-87-140
Description
GAO reviewed defense contractors' estimating systems to determine whether they produced accurate and reliable materiel cost estimates.
GAO found that: (1) contractors were not providing Department of Defense (DOD) contracting officers with reliable materiel cost estimates; (2) contracting officers rely extensively on contractor estimates in awarding noncompetitive contracts; (3) current procurement regulations do not require contractors to maintain adequate estimating systems; and (4) the Air Force and the Defense Contract Audit Agency proposed amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation that would allow contracting officers to disapprove contractor estimating systems and require them to decrease contract prices in the event of estimation errors.
GAO found that: (1) contractors were not providing Department of Defense (DOD) contracting officers with reliable materiel cost estimates; (2) contracting officers rely extensively on contractor estimates in awarding noncompetitive contracts; (3) current procurement regulations do not require contractors to maintain adequate estimating systems; and (4) the Air Force and the Defense Contract Audit Agency proposed amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation that would allow contracting officers to disapprove contractor estimating systems and require them to decrease contract prices in the event of estimation errors.
