Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Ruth Book State Office Programs Team February 28, 2005.

Cost Analysis

SPREADSHEET

Ruth BookRuth BookState OfficeState OfficePrograms TeamPrograms TeamFebruary 28, 2005

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Cost Sharing Policy

• Collect average cost data• Update cost lists annually (at least)• Changes supported by justification• State Conservationist approval

GM Title 120 Part 404.31

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

IDEA

Let’s automate the collection of average

costs.

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

I thought ProTracts did that?

• Maybe someday• Right now, it summarizes by practice

and county• Installed cost of all 4137 acres of Grassed

Waterways in Yukanuk County for FY04

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

But for now…

• How can we make sure our averages are of current costs (not just left over from previous years)?

• How do we document justification for changes to the costs?

• Some programs don’t use ProTracts anyway

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Steps to collect cost data

• Look at actual bills• Add up costs for each practice /

component• Tabulate cost per unit• Average them up when you’ve got

enough data

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Easier said than done

• Some contractors’ bills lump stuff together

• Cost for contract items?• Needed for payment documentation• Needed for collection of cost data

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

ANOTHER IDEA

• Bill of Materials for contractor use• Line items match contract• Bills tend to resemble bill of materials

• Cost Estimate / Bill of Material tool• FOs do cost estimates for each job already

• Same tool could collect actual cost data

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

What’s in it for me?

• Cost estimate that matches contract• Streamlined bill sorting• Get payments through the system

• Be “in the know”• County averages• Summary of practices installed

---FAST!

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Here’s the plan…

1. Create cost estimate and bill of materials

2. SAVE an electronic copy3. Enter actual costs when submitted

4. Print for payment documentation

5. “EASY BUTTON” to store cost data

EASYEASY

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Storing Cost Data

• Database on FO shared drive• One click from cost estimate/tracking

tool sends job information:• Practice, component & unit• Quantity• Actual unit cost• Contractor• Date• County

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

What happens next?

• Once a year, DC sends stored data to Area Office

• AO creates area average• SO creates state average

• Updated cost lists can be made with justification

EASYEASY

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

F.O. Management Tool

• Print annual cost summary report

• What got built?

• What were the costs?

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Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Sneak Preview…

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Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Select Practice

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Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Check applicable boxes…

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Fill in Quantitie

s

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Cost Share TotalsHelps explain the

cost sharing

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Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Explain the money part

Example: 60% cost share on an acre of waterway

If the cost list says:

Earthwork ACRE $1800 AM

…then the participant will get 60% of what it cost to build the practice ONLY IF the cost to build was less than or equal to $1800!

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Then after installation…

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Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Enter installed quantity and cost

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

So, to recap…

• Automate cost collection procedure• Facilitate sorting of billed items

• To make payments• To collect actual cost data

• Document justification for changes• Automate production of new cost

lists

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

When will we see this?

• Finish first draft (maybe next week?)• Reviewers’ comments • Make corrections

Probably a month

Add yourself to

the reviewer list

February 28, 2005

Cost AnalysisSPREADSHEET

Questions?

Comments?

Keep in touch!