Senior Cost & Price Analyst
About the role
Nakupuna Companies is seeking a Senior Cost & Price Analyst in support of the Department of State (DoS) Bureau of Global Acquisitions (GA). DOS has a robust Acquisition Program with an average annual spend portfolio of $12 billion executed through approximately 25,000 contract transactions and $4.7 billion executed through approximately 1,200 federal assistance (grants) awards supporting a diverse mission set. GA reports to the Undersecretary for Management and has three organizational elements to include Acquisition Management Directorate (GA/AM), Acquisition Policy Directorate (GA/AP), and Federal Assistance Directorate (GA/FAM).
Responsibilities
- Analyze each major cost element—direct labor, materials, subcontracts, other direct costs, and indirect costs—for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness under FAR Part 31 and FAR 15.404-1.
- Confirm proposed direct labor rates align with established compensation policies and that proposed indirect rates are consistent with provisional billing rates, FPRA rates, or FPRR rates.
- Evaluate the prime contractor's analysis of subcontractor proposals, assess make-or-buy decisions, and recommend whether subcontract costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.
- Assess whether the contractor's estimating system produces proposals consistent with disclosed accounting practices and historical cost experience.
- Verify data accuracy, completeness, and currency for the Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data.
- Assess each offeror's proposed costs for realism and consistency with requirements and technical approach and document the assessment for CO use.
- Compare proposed indirect rates to established provisional, FPRA, FPRR, and historical rates.
- Evaluate proposed direct labor hours and material costs for realism against historical performance data, labor norms, and market pricing.
- Prepare a cost realism analysis report documenting methodology, cost element adjustments for each offeror, and provide technical support to the CO for best value tradeoff analysis.
Skills and Qualifications
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience, with at least 5 years of direct cost/price analysis and/or auditing experience in federal government contracting.
- Demonstrated experience independently performing CAS administration, evaluating cost allowability under FAR Part 31, performing accounting system reviews, developing pre-negotiation objectives and conducting or directly supporting negotiations of provisional billing rates, final indirect cost rates, or Forward Pricing Rate Agreements.
- Advanced Proficiency in Microsoft Excel with the ability to independently build and validate indirect rate calculation models, multi-year cost trend analyses, cost impact calculations across multiple contract pools, and financial models supporting pre-negotiation objectives.
- Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university in a business related field such as accounting, business, or finance.
Clearance Requirements
- This position requires an active Secret security clearance.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to perform repetitive motions with the hands, wrists, and fingers.
- Ability to engage in and follow audible communications in emergency situations.
- Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and working on a computer.
Pay
The projected compensation range for this position is $140,000 to $155,000 (annualized USD). The salary range displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Nakupuna Companies' total compensation package for employees.