Week 3
assignment
Assignment 1: Proposal
Note: Refer to scenarios and readings from previous weeks in
order to complete this assignment.
Imagine that you just created a new start-up company. You
want to compete in the growing industry of drone navigation systems. VectorCal
is the only major company in the field. You also want to be a leaner, faster
version of a company that you view as being too slow and costly. Note: you may
create and /or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this
assignment.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
Describe the new start-up company that you have created.
Include in your description the nature of your company, its mission and vision,
your company’s product, an analysis of your staff, and your target clientele.
Criticize VectorCal’s forecasting method. Determine the
appropriate forecasting approach for your company. Provide a rationale to
support your determination.
Suggest the semi-variable, allocated, and indirect costs
that you should address in the startup phase of your company. Provide a
rationale to support your response.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment mustfollow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, doublespaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow
APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment,
the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.The
cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment
page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Determine the characteristics of government contracting that
affect pricing and what is considered fair and reasonable pricing.
Outline the process to forecast the likely price of an
acquisition, calculate semi-variable costs, and allocate direct and indirect
costs.
Use technology and information resources to research issues
in cost and price analysis.
Write clearly and concisely about cost and price analysis
using proper writing mechanics
Week 4
assignment
Assignment 2: Price Analysis for the Navigation System
In order to complete this assignment, refer to the scenario
from Assignment 1, as well as to the scenarios and readings from previous
weeks.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
Analyze your company’s cost classification for pricing of
the navigation system. Defend your cost classification to the US government.
Determine reasonable, allowable, allocable, variable, fixed
& semi-variable costs for your company after the initial startup phase is
complete.
Predict the method for performing price analysis that the US
government will want from your new company and VectorCal. Justify your
response.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow
APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment,
the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The
cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment
page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Examine the various cost classifications, the different
allocation bases, and the application of cost-accounting standards.
Use technology and information resources to research issues
in cost and price analysis.
Write clearly and concisely about cost and price analysis
using proper writing mechanics.
Week 6
assignment
Assignment 3: Buy American Requirements
In order to complete this assignment, refer to the scenario
from Assignment 1, as well as to the scenarios and readings from previous
weeks.
Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:
Specify the main points of the Buy American Requirements in
one page or less.
Determine the substantive means by which the Buy American Requirements
would benefit both VectorCal and your new company. Provide a rationale for your
response.
Analyze the fundamental ways in which the Buy American
Requirements are contradictory to a capitalistic ethos, given that the U.S.
government claims to promote competition and the U.S. espouses a free market
ideology (i.e., capitalism). Support your answer with two examples of such a
contradiction.
Debate whether or not you believe that the exceptions to the
Buy American Requirements set forth by the government are fair and advantageous
to the US economy. Provide a rationale for your response.
Determine the key advantages and disadvantages of using the
Buy American Requirements with the navigation system that both VectorCal and
your company produce. Justify your response.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow
APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment,
the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The
cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment
page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Determine how to validate costs and certify cost and pricing
data.
Specify the government policies regarding profit and pricing
adjustments for contracts.
Use technology and information resources to research issues
in cost and price analysis.
Write clearly and concisely about cost and price analysis
using proper writing mechanics.
Week 8
assignment
Assignment 4: Analysis of Direct Costs
In order to complete this assignment, refer to the scenario
from Assignment 1, as well as to the scenarios and readings from previous
weeks.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
Predict the main costs (e.g. labor cost, material cost)
associated with the production of VectorCal’s drone navigation system. Provide
a rationale for your response.
Compare and contrast the direct and indirect costs
associated with the drone navigation system that both your company and
VectorCal would assume. Predict whether or not your company could easily
control these costs and thus reduce production expenses. Justify your response.
Compare your company with VectorCal relative to the price of
acquisition, semi-variable costs, and allocated direct and indirect costs of
the drone navigation system. Justify your response.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow
APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment,
the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The
cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment
page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Outline the process to forecast the likely price of an
acquisition, calculate semi-variable costs, and allocate direct and indirect
costs.
Examine the various cost classifications, the different
allocation bases, and the application of cost-accounting standards.
Determine how to validate costs and certify cost and pricing
data.
Use technology and information resources to research issues
in cost and price analysis.
Write clearly and concisely about cost and price analysis
using proper writing mechanics.
Week 10
assignment
Assignment 5: Federal Contracting Activities and Contract
Types
Note: Refer to scenarios and readings from previous weeks in
order to complete this assignment.
The Department of Defense plans to issue a $400,000
government contract to a company that specializes in drone navigation
technologies. As a result, a government auditor has been contacted to examine
the operational data VectorCal and one competitor (previously identified as
“your company”) in order to decide which company should win the government
contract.
Note: You may create and /or make all necessary assumptions
needed for the completion of this assignment.
Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:
Create a one-page overview of the history and background of
each company vying for the government contract.
Specify at least one (1) of the recent major contracts that
was awarded to both companies. Explain the fundamental reasons why both
companies were awarded the contract(s) that you specified.
Determine the type(s) of contract for which both companies
might be eligible (e.g., fixed-price, cost reimbursement, etc.). Justify your
response.
Discuss at least three (3) direct costs and three (3)
indirect costs that each company incurred during the production of its
navigation system. Explain the manner in which this data would factor into your
decision as to which company would be more eligible to receive the contract.
Suggest which company should be awarded this government
contract based on the data that was presented for each company. Next, provide
three to five (3-5) reasons to support your stance.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow
APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment,
the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover
page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page
length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Specify the government policies regarding profit and pricing
adjustments for contracts.
Evaluate the role played by contract auditors.
Use technology and information resources to research issues
in cost and price analysis.
Write clearly and concisely about cost and price analysis
using proper writing mechanics.
