Cost as an Independent Variable: A Study of Its Continued Use by Aeronautical Systems Center's Programs and Their Contractors to Set and Maintain Cost Objectives

摘要

The purpose of this research was to assess whether Aeronautical System Center's (ASC's) acquisition professionals believe CAIV has enabled their programs and contractors to set and maintain cost objectives. The three major objectives of this thesis are to answer the following questions: First, Do ASC's acquisition professionals believe their programs are setting and maintaining cost objectives. Second, Do ASC's acquisition professionals believe their contractors are setting and maintaining cost objectives. Last, what is the practitioners' perspective of CAIV. This research identified CAIV as being well received by DoD. It also identified that ASC's acquisition professionals believe their programs and contractors are setting and maintaining cost objectives. Through synthesis of the interview answers, a few unexpected practitioners' perspectives emerged as conclusions. First, there are no incentives for DoD programs to implement CAIV. Second, limited accountability is placed on programs to utilized CAIV. Third, CAIV has lost most of its momentum. Fourth, DoD has substituted budget for the cost in CAIV. Last, a window of opportunity might be on the horizon to reintroduce a new and improved CAIV.