Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) Refresher Course

Module 1: The Strategic Foundation — The IGCE in the Acquisition Lifecycle

• Define the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and its statutory and regulatory basis
• Position the IGCE within the acquisition lifecycle and its role in budgeting and source selection
• Distinguish the IGCE from the government estimate, budget, and independent cost estimate
• Recognize how a well-built IGCE supports fair and reasonable price determinations

Module 2: Breaking Down the Requirement — From Words to Worksheets

• Translate a Statement of Work (SOW) or PWS into discrete, estimable cost elements
• Build a work breakdown structure (WBS) that maps requirements to worksheets
• Identify assumptions, constraints, and cost drivers embedded in the requirement
• Organize estimate inputs for traceability and repeatability

Module 3: The 5 Methods of Estimation

• Compare the five estimating methods: analogy, parametric, engineering (bottom-up), extrapolation, and expert opinion
• Select the appropriate method based on data availability and requirement type
• Apply each method to representative cost elements
• Understand the strengths, limitations, and risk profile of each approach

Module 4: Labor Rates, Indirect Costs & Market Research

• Develop direct labor rates and map labor categories to the requirement
• Apply indirect cost factors—fringe, overhead, G&A, and fee/profit
• Conduct market research to validate rates and pricing assumptions
• Build a fully burdened labor cost from base rates through applied factors

Module 5: Defensibility, Escalation & Documentation

• Apply escalation and inflation factors across multi-year periods of performance
• Document sources, assumptions, and methodology to withstand scrutiny
• Build an audit trail that supports the estimate’s defensibility
• Recognize common documentation gaps that undermine an IGCE

Module 6: Agile Estimation & Final Review

• Estimate agile and outcome-based requirements using story points and capacity
• Convert points to dollars and apply hybrid estimating approaches
• Review the completed IGCE for completeness, accuracy, and defensibility
• Finalize the estimate using a reusable, formula-driven template