# Cost Estimating Modeling (CEM) — Program Element 0901538F

**Program element:** 0901538F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0901538F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 16% to a $3.3M request in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 5.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 3.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 3.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 3.5 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 3.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 3.5 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 3.6 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 3.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 3.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 3.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 3.3 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 675177 | Cost Estimating Modeling (CEM) | 5.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 | −16% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 675177 — Cost Estimating Modeling (CEM)

Cost Estimating Modeling (CEM) enhances Air Force and Space Force-wide cost estimating capabilities by developing current cost estimating datasets and methods and tools, data architectures/structures, and other cost estimating method/tool gap-filling initiatives. In collaboration with the OSW Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) Cost Assessment Data Enterprise (CADE) project, the Department of Defense's (DoD) unified information system and initiative to collect, organize, store, and use contractor and acquisition data more efficiently, CEM products improve the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of acquisition program cost estimates in support of Department of Air Force (DAF) and DoD acquisition decisions, programming and execution decisions, and Congressional mandates. The partnership between CEM and CADE is a leading example of a data initiative designed as a response to a Congressionally expressed desire for better outcomes in acquisition. CEM research places DAF datasets, analysis, estimating tools, and institutional knowledge availability at analyst's fingertips rather than relying on an inefficient, ad hoc, and decentralized approach. CEM ensures the DAF continuously improves cost estimating capabilities for broad cross-cutting areas, as well as specific weapon system types like aircraft, space and launch systems, missiles, and others. This project performs knowledge-based studies to include organizing complete datasets, analyzing historical data, and studying changing technologies/programmatic information to develop new estimating methods (e.g., statistical tools, cost estimating relationships) across hundreds of product work breakdown structure elements and functional cost elements. CEM delivers valuable datasets, methods, and analytical tools in support of higher quality/credible estimates required by statute and regulation allowing for more realistic cost-conscious decisions on over 250 billion dollars of critical war-fighter capability. Enables DAF cost estimating community's ability to leverage modern tools and methods such as data science toolsets, including machine learning (ML)/artificial intelligence (AI). Changing technologies, acquisition laws, policy directives, and initiatives drive the continuous requirement for revised cost estimating processes, methods, and tools.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEM | 5.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Government labs & warfare centers | 27% | 0.9 |
| Other / unspecified | 73% | 2.4 |

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

Cost Estimating Modeling (CEM) enhances Air Force and Space Force-wide cost estimating capabilities by developing current cost estimating datasets and methods and tools, data architectures/structures, and other cost estimating method/tool gap-filling initiatives. In collaboration with the OSW Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) Cost Assessment Data Enterprise (CADE) project, the Department of Defense's (DoD) unified information system and initiative to collect, organize, store, and use contractor and acquisition data more efficiently, CEM products improve the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of acquisition program cost estimates in support of Department of Air Force (DAF)…

The CEM program performs studies to continuously develop updated cost datasets/databases and estimating methods and tools, data architectures/structures, and gap filling initiatives. Knowledge-based studies are organized by those that span all acquisition initiatives as well as by the following weapon system types: manned aircraft, UAVs, ballistic missiles, tactical missiles, munitions, electronics and aircraft modifications, ground stations and automated information systems, and space systems and launch vehicles.

## Related program elements

- [0208288F — Space Superiority - Advanced Intelligence Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0208288F) (Air Force)
- [0604017A — Robotics Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604017A) (Army)
- [0207452F — Dcapes](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207452F) (Air Force)
- [0603838D8Z — Defense Innovation Acceleration (DIA)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603838D8Z) (Defense-Wide)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0901538F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0901538F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*