Practice Test GeeksACAP - Army Cost Analysis Position Practice Test
← All ACAP Flashcard Decks

Data Collection and Management Flashcards

6 cards from real ACAP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Data Collection and Management flashcards as text

  1. Which Army regulation governs the collection, management, and reporting of cost data for Army acquisition programs?

    Answer: AR 70-13 (Management and Oversight of Defense Acquisition Programs)

    AR 70-13 establishes Army policy for cost management and data reporting within the Army acquisition system, including cost estimating and analysis requirements.

  2. What is the purpose of Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) in the context of data collection for cost analysis?

    Answer: To track technical parameters that drive cost, allowing analysts to correlate technical progress with cost growth

    TPMs capture the technical attributes (e.g., weight, power, processing speed) that serve as cost drivers, enabling analysts to build and validate cost estimating relationships.

  3. What is a 'data call' in Army cost analysis?

    Answer: A formal request sent to program offices or contractors to collect specific cost and technical data needed for an estimate

    A data call is a structured request that specifies exactly what information is needed, in what format, and by what date, ensuring consistent and complete data collection.

  4. Why is 'actual cost data' preferred over 'budgeted cost data' when developing cost estimating relationships (CERs)?

    Answer: Actual costs reflect what was truly spent, avoiding budget optimism or political adjustments that distort real cost drivers

    Budgets are often set optimistically or politically adjusted, while actuals represent real resource consumption, making them a more reliable basis for future predictions.

  5. What is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and why is it critical to cost data collection?

    Answer: A hierarchical decomposition of program scope used to organize and collect costs at consistent, comparable levels across programs

    The WBS provides a common framework so that costs from different programs and contractors are collected at the same structural level, enabling meaningful comparison and analysis.

  6. What does 'data maturity' mean when assessing historical cost data for use in an Army estimate?

    Answer: How complete and final the data is—early-phase data is less mature and more subject to revision than data from completed programs

    Immature data from programs still in development may change significantly before completion, reducing its reliability as a basis for new estimates compared to data from completed programs.