To help fulfill a congressional mandate that cost estimates for major defense acquisition programs be performed by properly qualified members of the armed forces or full-time employees of the Department of Defense, RAND researchers conducted a census of the cost-estimating staff in the Air Force's four product centers and three logistics centers. They also held focus groups with a sample of cost estimators. This report presents the results.

The Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) develops, acquires, and maintains most Air Force systems and is tailoring its workforce to adapt to changes in technology, weapons, and battlefield requirements. This volume is a practical guide to the main steps in analytical workforce planning and development: determining workforce demand, describing workforce supply, comparing the demand with the supply, and implementing solutions.