5.1 In addition to its cost management and project management functions, the ECES can also be used to support a number of other program and project functions. These functions include:
5.1.1 Bid solicitation, collection, and evaluation;
5.1.2 Communicating project data between installations, complexes, agencies, and industry;
5.1.3 Providing a project checklist;
5.1.4 Cost and schedule estimating;
5.1.5 Historical cost/schedule data collection;
5.1.6 Historical project data collection (for example, technology deployments, project conditions);
5.1.7 Validating and calibrating cost estimates and software tools; and
5.1.8 Establishing and disseminating best practices and lessons learned.
5.2 Several government agencies are already incorporating this structure into existing and future cost estimating models, databases, and other similar software tools and systems.