The Air Force's Experience with Should-Cost Reviews and Options forEnhancing Its Capability to Conduct Them in Bloomington, MN

The problem of cost growth in major weapon system acquisition programs has plagued the Department of Defense for several decades. This report examines the Air Force experience with should-cost reviews—a special form of contract cost analysis intended to identify contractor inefficiencies and lower costs to the government—and options for enhancing the Air Force’s capability to conduct such reviews.