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

Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Cost Sharing Policy Collect average cost data Update cost lists annually (at least) Changes supported by justification State Conservationist approval GM Title 120 Part

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET IDEA Let’s automate the collection of average costs.

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET Here’s the plan… 1.Create cost estimate and bill of materials 2.SAVE an electronic copy 3.Enter actual costs when submitted 4.Print for payment documentation 5.“EASY BUTTON” to store cost data

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET F.O. Management Tool Print annual cost summary report What got built? What were the costs?

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Sneak Preview…

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET  Select Practice

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Check applicable boxes…

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Fill in Quantities

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Cost Share Totals Helps explain the cost sharing

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Then after installation…

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET Enter installed quantity and cost

February 28, 2005 Cost Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET 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 Analysis SPREADSHEET Questions? Comments? Keep in touch!