The Army’s commitment to digital modernization provides an opportunity to re-engineer and optimize DASA-CE’s delivery of cost estimation and analysis applications. DASA-CE is re-engineering four web-enabled cost models into a consolidated, cloud optimized solution. Leveraging cloud native and open-source technologies enables users to operationalize cost data across functional boundaries. This improves cost estimation and analysis products used by the resource management community.


Cost Analysis and Visualization Environment (CAVE) Goals and Objectives:

  • Consolidate OSMIS, FORCES, AMCOS, and all applications currently in the CPP. See the tabs to the right for more information about each application.
  • Promote visibility and transparency into Army costs and operations to maximize cost effectiveness.
  • Create one interoperable system, reducing management and oversight costs, and administrative burdens.
  • Improve enablement of Army business processes to support multiple Army business domains (acquisition, logistics, and human resources) and end to end processes.
  • Accelerate the adoption of advanced analytics to improve cost analysis/estimation methodologies in the Army.

 

 

What’s Happening?

DASA-CE is leading modernization efforts by systematically using Business Process Reengineering (BPR). BPR is a logical methodology for assessing process weaknesses, identifying gaps, and implementing opportunities to re-engineer and modernize applications as follows:

  • DASA-CE chartered the application modernization effort early in FY22.
  • To gather requirements, DASA-CE interviewed end users from multiple Commands, internal analysts, and system owners.
  • Next, evaluation criteria were developed and presented to system owners for prioritization and weighting of each criterion to facilitate decision-making across the courses of action (COA).
  • Requirements were then used to design viable software architectures to serve as COAs.
  • DASA-CE is currently analyzing, testing, and examining prototypes for each COA and their variations.
  • Piloting prototypes may lead to quick implementation of solutions for key capabilities or microservices within select applications.
  • Conducting gap analysis facilitates decision-making to select the course of action early in Q4 FY23.
  • Gap analysis also informs development of the implementation plan.
  • Delivery of the implementation plan kicks off full implementation of CAVE at the beginning of FY24.

 

 

Looking Forward You’ll Experience…

  • Revised and consolidated user interface.
  • Streamlined user access and authentication process.
  • Consolidated help desk support.
  • Implementation of advanced analytics.
  • Improved performance.

 

AMCOS (CAC Required) is the Army's official manpower costing tool. It provides costs for Soldiers, Civilians, and Contractors. It can provide top level costs by grade or rank or more detailed cost information by Area of Concentration (AOC), Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), Civilian Occupational Series, and Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Codes.

AMCOS uses the OSD CAPE approved cost element structure from DoDI 7041.04. Using this approved cost element structure allows users to compare cost outcomes using different manpower types and from different services.

AMCOS provides the capability to cost the Active Army, Army Reserves, Army National Guard, Army Civilian, and Contractor Cost Estimates.

Why use AMCOS?
  • Versatile: Provides high-level and detailed estimates of specific force structures.
  • Quick: AMCOS can provide the full cost of Soldiers, Civilians, or Contractors in a short time
  • User Friendly: AMCOS, & particularly the AMCOS Lite tool, is easy to use with no formal training. The user can look up the cost of man-power in a series of easy to use tables.

Uses
  • Cost Benefit Analysis (CBAs)
  • Weapon/Information System Cost Estimates
  • Lean Six Sigma Projects
  • Work Force Mix Analysis
  • Studies

How does it Work?
Quick Access: Users with a Common Access Card (CAC) may gain access into AMCOS through the registration process available upon the first visit to the site. Civilian and Military users simply complete the user registration form, while all other users must specify their military or civilian sponsor.
High Level Cost Output: Users can input how many Soldiers, Civilians, or Contractors they are costing by rank or grade and AMCOS will provide cost output without MOS or AOC or Series specified.
More Refined Cost Output: AMCOS will provide more detailed cost output when users include the Military Occupational Specialty, Area of Concentration, or Occupational Series.

Tools in AMCOS?
AMCOS Lite: For quickly looking up the cost of one Soldier, Civilian, or Contractor at a time. Provides cost tables by rank/grade and MOS, AOC, or Occupational Series.
Project Manager: Used for costing an entire organization (good for CBAs). Automatically updates when AMCOS is updated. Inflates out years in Budget/Then Year Dollars across the POM or for the lifecycle of a weapon/information system.
Pay Plan Crosswalk: Compares similar occupations between Civilians, Soldiers, and Contractor Cost Estimates.
Inventory: Provides end strength for Soldiers (by Years of Service (YOS) and Civilians (by Step).
GS by Zip Code: Assists users in identifying the proper locality pay to use by entering the zip code.
Pay Schedules: Provides current pay tables for Soldiers & Civilians, to include: Active Enlisted, Officer, & Warrant Officer; Civilian Doctors & Dentists; General Schedule; Wage Grade Leader & Supervisor; Senior Executive Service; National Guard Enlisted, Officer, & Warrant Officer; Reserve Enlisted, Officer, & Warrant Officer.
PCS: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): The Civilian PCS module allows users to quickly derive an estimated cost to move a civilian from one location to another. It uses several initial assumptions to derive the starting cost which is then user adjustable to tailor the estimate to the specifics of move. Because Civilian PCS is governed by numerous cost components with their own set of rules and regulations, AMCOS sections out the PCS page by cost element and provides reference to applicable policy.
If you have any questions regarding AMCOS, please contact: https://helpdesk.cave.army.mil/
Cost & Performance Portal
The Cost & Performance Portal (CPP) (CAC Required) program is run by ODASA-CE and helps Army organizations with cost estimating, modeling, metric development and process automation. Our mission is to support effective cost management in the Army, to promote visibility and transparency into Army costs and operations, and to promote an organizational culture that maximizes cost effectiveness. The CPP consolidates data from disparate data sources, configures reporting and analytical tools, creates data models and automates processes for users throughout the Army. The Portal is Common Access Card (CAC) enabled and is accessible anywhere in the world via the Internet.

The CPP is run by Army civilians with contractor support. Although we work extensively with and have expertise in cost and accounting information, we are not limited to any specific functional area. We integrate data from legacy systems, emerging systems and individual analytical products.
CBA Workflow Tool
The CBA Workflow Tool provides a central, accessible location for CBA data and documents. It is an online tool that allows Army users to submit, review, and track Cost Benefit Analyses. Please go to the Cost & Performance Portal and click on the Cost Benefit Analysis Workflow Tool Quick link in the Apps section to open the tool.

The CBA Workflow Tool provides:
  • Online CAC access to the Workflow tool through the Cost & Performance Portal
  • A Simple method to input and post "Draft" CBA information for preliminary review
  • Ability to submit a CBA to a reviewing command and/or to HQDA to begin the review process
  • A flexible structure in which selected users can enter data, upload files and view data and documents related to the CBA
  • CBA updates can be made and viewed in real-time
  • A central, globally accessible location where submitters and reviewers can refer stakeholders to monitor progress, and view documents and comments related to a CBA
  • An auditable "system of record" for CBAs submitted through the Workflow tool
  • Power Users have the ability to browse and CBA status reports, compile customized lists of CBAs and aggregate CBA data
If you have any questions regarding the CPP, please contact: asafmc-cpp-helpdesk@army.mil
FORCES Information
The Force and Organization Cost Estimating System (FORCES) (CAC Required) is a suite of web-based models and database tools consisting of four components: The FORCES Cost Model (FCM), The Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA) cost model, the Army Contingency Operations Cost Model (ACM), and the Army Cost and Factors Handbook (CFH). Each model component of FORCES is available on the web for use by organizations within the Department of the Army.
 
  • The FCM provides realistic, current and supportable force cost estimates of Active and Reserve Component Table of Organization and Equipment units for Acquisition, Activation, Operations, Movement, Modification and Inactivation. The model is sensitive to Operating Tempo (OPTEMPO), authorized level of organization, geographic location, year and component.
  • The TDA cost model provides annual operating cost estimates of the Army’s Generating Force.
  • The ACM produces cost estimates for planning a Contingency Force or Training Operation through the predeployment, deployment, operations and sustainment, redeployment, reconstitution, and demobilization phases.
  • The CFH is a searchable, web-based database containing the data used by the FCM (along with other commonly used factors) in a form quickly accessible by the analyst.
Analysts can use the components of FORCES to support a wide range of decision making analysis from DA level to company level. FCM and ACM are often used to provide cost estimates for operations or deployment options for various size units. The TDA model will use existing equipment, installation, personnel, and contractor cost data to provide estimates down to the UIC level of detail. The CFH is used by a variety of analysts to obtain detailed information on the various costs associated with unit operations.

To access the FORCES web page, please register at: FORCES on-line
If you have questions, please contact the DASA-CE FORCES Program Manager at (703) 692-7408.
OSMIS Cost Reports
Overview of the Army VAMOSC OSMIS
Visibility and Management of Operating and Support Costs (VAMOSC)
Operating and Support Management Information System (OSMIS) (CAC Required) The Operating and Support Management Information System is the Army’s Visibility and Management of Operating and Support (O&S) Costs program. OSMIS tracks O&S information for more than 3,000 major Army weapon/materiel systems for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Cost and Economics (DASA-CE). OSMIS-tracked systems include combat vehicles, tactical vehicles, artillery systems, aircraft, electronic systems, and miscellaneous engineering systems. DASA-CE generates and fields a wide variety of requests for OSMIS data to support analysis tasks throughout the defense community.

Department of Defense analysts have found historical O&S data to be useful in projecting O&S costs for future systems, developing O&S cost analyses, and preparing O&S estimates. The types of analyses and comparisons include the following:
  • Operating and Support Cost Reduction Efforts
  • Total Ownership Cost (TOC)
  • Component Cost Analyses (CCA)
  • Program Office Estimates (POE)
  • Independent Cost Estimates (ICE)
  • Cost Estimating Relationships (CER)
  • Analysis of Alternatives (AoA)
  • Cost and Operational Effectiveness Analyses (COEA)
  • Economic Analyses (EA)
  • U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) Life Cycle Management Commands (LCMCs) weapon/materiel system O&S cost comparisons to new systems in the acquisition cycle
  • Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution system
OSMIS Relational Database
The OSMIS Relational Database presents annual Operating and Support (O&S) historical information for Army weapon/materiel Systems (such as Army aircraft, tanks and combat vehicles, etc.) which includes costs for the following:
  • Class III consumption (POL - Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants) for operating combustion/turbine engines; however, solid fuels, coal, and related products are excluded
  • Class V consumption (training ammunition only)
  • Class IX consumption (repair parts and components, including kits, assemblies and subassemblies, reparables, and consumables) required for maintenance support of equipment designated for OSMIS tracking and depot/field level maintenance costs
The OSMIS relational database also provides commodity specific insight into Army OPTEMPO and Cost Factors. This database presents easily locatable reference data that may be extracted by:
  • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
  • Command
  • Installation
  • Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and Unit Identification Code (UIC)
The OSMIS Relational Database contains the following commodity group of weapon systems:
  • Aviation Systems consisting of rotary and fixed wing aircraft
  • Combat Systems consisting of tanks and tracked combat vehicles
  • Missile Systems consisting of air defense missile systems, surface-to-surface missiles, and detection systems
  • Armament Systems consisting of towed artillery weapons
  • Tactical Systems consisting of wheeled vehicles
  • Engineer/Construction Systems consisting of engineer, construction, electrical power generation, and floating equipment
  • Communications/Electronics Systems consisting of radio receivers, radars, teletypewriters and terminal sets, communications and data processing systems, and terminals
  • Other systems that include small arms
Data sources used in these reports are from Army Enterprise System Integration Program (AESIP), Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army), Logistics Modernization Program (LMP), US Army Logistics Data Analysis (LDAC) Logistics Information Warehouse (LIW), AMC’s LCMCs, HQDA G-3, and HQDA G-4.
If you have questions concerning OSMIS, please direct them to: osmisweb@calibresys.com
 
 
 
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Cost Management Guidance

 
Due to CUI and LDS the Cost Review Board calendar, the Joint Inflation Calculator (JIC) and the ACEIT Inflation Tables have been moved to a CAC-enabled site.
Please use your Authentication Certificate to access the document(s).
If you receive a Permission Denied or Access Denied error message and would like to request access, please click here