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CAIS Costing Overview

Inspection or assessment data is loaded into the Condition Assessment Information System (CAIS) Web database where it is costed using various RS Means Construction Cost Book data. RS Means is the predominant national cost estimating system. Currently CAIS Web contains over 53,000 line items dealing with building elements, components, and types and other structure and facilities, and infrastructure systems. These costs are broken down by equipment, material, labor, and overhead type. Costing multipliers based on geographical locations as well as site, area, asset and inspection unit costs can be applied to the RS Means cost. Costs can be based on inspector estimates, repair algorithms, or replacement of components.

CAIS Web shares asset information with and provides annual deferred maintenance cost data to the DOE real property inventory system, FIMS. CAIS Web provides reliable consistent field data to justify repair and replacement project requests.

The CAIS cost information is updated annually. New line items are added to the database as necessary. Twenty sites are using CAIS as their source for deferred maintenance costs. A new project formulation module has been developed to assist users in developing requests for budget funding.

System Requirements

The CAIS Web database application is designed to run on a personal computer with a screen resolution set to 1024 x 768 or higher. The computer must have the following software items installed and configured:

• Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, or Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Browser, version 5.5 or higher.
• Adobe Acrobat 6.0.