DCAA Interview Questionnaire for Estimators
General
1. What is your experience in estimating?
2. Could you describe what cost or pricing data is?
Organization Assignment of Responsibilities
3. What are your duties as an estimator?
4a. From whom do you receive your assignments and supervision?
4b. What is the nature and extent of the supervision you receive?
4c. Is the supervision you receive adequate? Yes No
If no, have the estimator elaborate.
5. Do you supervise any employees? Yes No
If yes, who are the people you supervise and what is the extent and nature of the supervision you provide?
Policies and Procedures
6a. How are you informed of proposal preparation policies and procedures?
6b. How are you informed of changes in these policies and procedures?
7a. Does the company have an estimating system manual? Yes No
7b. Do you have a copy of the estimating system manual? Yes No
7c. Do you refer to it on a routine basis? Yes No
8a. Are proposals you work on ever updated? Yes No
8b. Who updates the proposals you work on?
8c. If the estimator does not update the proposal, why not?
8d. How often is an update required?
8e. Under what circumstances is an update necessary?
9. Are there any guidelines for determining when to use a division-wide factor or program peculiar factors? Yes No
If yes, what are they?
Integration with Other Management Systems - Cost Accounting System
10a. To what extent do you rely upon historical data to prepare cost estimates?
10b. Is the data produced by the accounting system reliable for preparing cost estimates? Yes No
If no, why not?
Planning and Budgeting System
11. Describe the extent of your participation in the budget process.
12. Do you ever compare budgets to actual performance? Yes No
If yes, what steps do you take when variances exist?
Training
13. What type of training have you received to prepare a proposal?
14. Have you had any continuing education classes on proposal preparation? Yes No
If yes, when?
Describe the classes.
Cost Estimate Development
15a. Do you determine what estimating rationale to use? Yes No
If yes, how do you determine it for:
Engineering labor?
Manufacturing?
Material?
If no, who determines the estimating rationale to use?
What instructions do you receive from this person? (Written, verbal, etc. If written, obtain a sample.)
Do you receive any written guidance regarding estimating rationale? Yes No
If yes, obtain a sample.
16. Do you obtain input from remote sites when estimating field site costs in the proposal? Yes No
If no, how do you estimate field site costs?
If yes, do you maintain the data in the proposal package? Yes No
Proposal Format and Support
17. Do you request documents from estimate support functions? Yes No
If yes, what form of documentation do you receive ( e.g. summary level or detail supporting documentation)?
18a. Do you maintain a proposal file containing all the necessary data needed to prepare a proposal which you have received from the estimating support functions? Yes No
18b. When you do not have the supporting data in your proposal file, do you keep a list referencing the sources that can provide the data? Yes No
18c. May we see a proposal file?
Internal Controls and Managerial Reviews
19a. Are you familiar with the Truth in Negotiations Act? Yes No
If yes, how do you ensure compliance with this act?
19b. What controls are in place to ensure that estimates are current, accurate and complete?
20a. Who reviews your work?
20b. If corrections are required, who makes them?