Effect of Information and Decision-making on DoD Performance Incentives and Award Fees

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Authors
Hildebrandt, Greg
Subjects
Managing Risk
Risk Sharing, Implicit Cost of Effort, Performance Incentives, Award Fees
Advisors
Date of Issue
2009-04-01
Date
01-Apr-09
Publisher
Language
Abstract
This analysis discuses DoD policy for the use of Performance Incentives and Award-fee Contracts during System Development and Demonstration (SDD). Both a review of the use of Performance Incentive Contracts since the 1960s, as well as the current policy required by the DoD to develop performance incentives are provided. A performance incentive should be structured such that the contractor receives a profit for improved performance equal to the value to the government of the improved performance times the cost-sharing ratio. This formula will motivate a contractor to spend no more than the government''s value to enhance performance. If exactly that amount is spent, the loss in profit resulting from increased cost will just equal the profit received from enhanced performance. This project also shows how a similar logic can be extended to Award-fee Contracts. The analysis examines alternative decision-making and informational structures to determine the effect on contract outcome when the performance incentives are structured in accordance with policy. In certain situations, more complex incentive structures may be required. However, the informational requirements to properly develop these more complex Incentive Contracts may be substantial.
Type
Technical Report
Description
Proceedings Paper (for Acquisition Research Program)
Department
Acquisition Management
Other Research Faculty
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
NPS-AM-09-028
Sponsors
Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.