ICEAA’s annual Professional Development & Training Workshop brings together professionals from government, industry and academic cost communities for an intensive 3-day program dedicated to developing the understanding and appreciation of using data-driven estimating and analysis techniques.
“The ICEAA Workshop consistently provides quality content, excellent training opportunities and most importantly, the opportunity for cost professionals to network – refreshing old relationships and establishing new ones.” –2025 Attendee
Sponsors Schedule Registration Hotel Info
Breakout Sessions Speaker Bios Keynote Presentations
OEM Forum & Networking Event ICEAA Cost Challenge
The final deadline for 2026 abstract submission was November 20, 2025. Abstracts may still be submitted, however, they will be placed on the wait list for consideration once space becomes available.
Sponsoring
ICEAA’s 2026 Professional Development & Training Workshop exhibit hall will be open for over 30 hours, with 8 hours on the Workshop schedule dedicated for attendees to visit our exhibitors. The limited number of available booths allows for a focused, consultative environment in which you can meet with current and future clients. Tuesday and Wednesday’s evening receptions, as well as food buffets and beverage breaks, will be served in the exhibit hall among the booths, providing ample time to develop leads. The exhibit hall is located adjacent to the general session room in the grand foyer.
Download the 2026 Workshop Sponsoring & Exhibiting Prospectus for more information. Contact Megan Jones for questions.
Join our growing list of sponsors and exhibitors!
Hotel
Norfolk Waterside Marriott 
235 E Main Street
Norfolk, VA 23510 USA
1-757-627-4200
Book your room at Norfolk Waterside by April 27, 2026 to take advantage of the ICEAA block rate of $189 per night: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1752517020960&key=GRP&app=resvlink
Employees of federal, state, or local governments of any country may take advantage of the limited number of rooms ICEAA has reserved at the 2026 government per diem rate once those rates are made available. Guests unable to provide proof of direct government employment upon check-in will have their fee corrected to the ICEAA block rate. Government employees can access the per diem rate of $110 per night at: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1752517153730&key=GRP&app=resvlink
Should you have difficulty making your reservation, or if one or more of the nights desired are not available at the desired rate, please contact the hotel directly at 1-757-627-4200.
ICEAA does not have a relationship with any group accommodation providers, travel agents, or other third-party reservation services. If you are unsure if a correspondence you have received regarding the Workshop is valid, please contact us at iceaa@iceaaonline.org
2026 Workshop Registration Rates
| After April 1: | |
| ICEAA Members | $1,295 |
| Non-Members* | $1,450 |
| ICEAA Member & Government Employee | $1,190 |
| Non-Member Government Employee* | $1,345 |
| For companies sending 5 or more paid registrants: | |
| 5+ Group Registrant ICEAA Members | $1,255 |
| 5+ Group Registrant Non-Members* | $1,410 |
Visit https://members.iceaaonline.com/event/nfk2026 to register
Attendees of the ICEAA Professional Development & Training Workshop will have access to four hours of thought-provoking presentations in general sessions and 36 hours of concurrent breakout training and professional papers presentations. Individuals are free to determine their own schedule and do not need to indicate in advance which sessions or tracks they plan to attend.
Registration fee includes breakfast and lunch for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Evening networking receptions on Tuesday and Wednesday will feature light hors d’oeuvres but dinner is not served.
*Attendees who register at a non-member rate will receive a coupon code after the conclusion of the Workshop to use for a complimentary year of ICEAA membership. Attendees will be instructed how to log into their ICEAA profiles to activate their free membership; the membership will not be automatically applied to your account.
Workshop Registration Cancellation Policy:
Refund requests made before April 1, 2026: Full refund, less a $100 administrative fee.
Refund requests made April 2-May 4, 2026: 50% refund.
On or after May 5, 2026: No refund.
Substitutions can be made at any time. Email iceaa@iceaaonline.org to transfer your registration.
Draft Detail Schedule
Download the detailed schedule (PDF) as of May 1, 2026. All times, titles, and speaker information subject to change.
Outline Schedule
Attending the ICEAA Professional Development & Training Workshop earns a minimum of 2 points towards CCEA recertification. Additional points can be claimed for individual sessions attended by completing a form after the Workshop.
Monday, May 11 all times subject to change
OEM Forum & Networking Event (optional) • 2:00 – 5:00
Monday Meetup Mixer (optional) • 5:00 – 7:00
Tuesday, May 12 all times subject to change
Breakfast buffet available • 7:00 – 8:00
Best Paper Awards & Keynote Presentation • 8:00 – 9:30
Papers • 9:45 – 11:45
Lunch • 11:45 – 12:45
Training/Papers • 12:45 – 4:45
Welcome Reception • 4:45 – 7:00
Wednesday, May 13
Breakfast buffet available • 7:00 – 8:00
Association Awards & Keynote Presentation • 8:00 – 9:45
Training/Papers • 10:15 – 12:00
Lunch • 12:00 – 1:15
Training/Papers • 1:15 – 5:15
Attendee Reception • 5:15 – 7:00
Thursday, May 14
Breakfast buffet available • 7:00 – 8:00
Best Paper General Session • 8:00 – 9:00
Training/Papers • 9:15 – 12:00
Lunch • 12:00 – 1:15
Training/Papers • 1:15 – 3:15
Closing General Session • 3:30 – 4:15
Keynote Presentations & Panel Discussions:
Tuesday, May 12 – 8:30am
Put Your Socks on Properly: Practical Tools to Improve Decision-Making
Ricardo Valerdi
Join Ricardo Valerdi for a fast paced and entertaining look at why small habits shape big decisions. Drawing on lessons from sports, engineering, and the military , this keynote shows how simple, overlooked fundamentals can transform the accuracy, speed, and confidence of your choices. You will walk away with practical techniques that help teams think more clearly, avoid common decision traps, and build momentum toward better outcomes. It all starts with putting your socks on properly.
Ricardo Valerdi is an engineer, educator, and sports scientist who helps teams strengthen the way they think and decide. He is a Professor and Head of the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering at the University of Arizona, where his work has supported organizations such as SpaceX, the US Army, Major League Baseball, and the NCAA. He is also the founder of Science of Sport, a nonprofit that has introduced hundreds of thousands of students to STEM through the lens of athletics. His upcoming book The Five Tool Team, available in September, offers a practical playbook for improving team decision making across industries. Ricardo is the recipient of ICEAA’s Frank Freiman Lifetime Achievement Award and completed his PhD at the University of Southern California under the mentorship of renowned software cost estimation pioneer Barry Boehm.
Wednesday, May 13 – 8:30am
The Life Cycle of a Cost Estimator
Ranae Woods
Timothy P. Anderson (Moderator)
Much like the acquisition processes that we follow in cost estimating, our careers are comprised of distinct phases, decision points, and milestones. Ranae Woods from the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency is approaching the end of her distinguished service to the federal government after more than three decades. In a live interview hosted by Timothy Anderson, Ms. Woods will reflect upon the triumphs and challenges she faced throughout her illustrious career in cost analysis. She will share her most memorable stories, discuss the evolution of the cost profession, offer advice to current estimators, and provide her predictions for the future of the industry.
Ranae Woods, a Senior Level executive, is the Technical Director for Cost and Economic Analysis Research, Air Force Cost Analysis Agency, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, Washington, D.C. As the senior Air Force cost and economics technical leader, she provides strategic and professional leadership in the development of highly complex major weapon system program cost estimates, studies, and models, influencing multi-billion dollar Air Force acquisition, budget and programming decisions. She directs the Department of the Air Force wide cost research program to improve cost and economic analysis databases, methods and tools, and is responsible for the creation of policy, regulations, standards, guidance, and training to enhance workforce skills. Ms. Woods began her career as a cost analyst and industrial engineer in the Navy Cost Analysis Intern Program for the Naval Center for Cost Analysis where she supported the development of cost estimates for a wide variety of Navy weapon systems. Since 1993, she has held a wide variety of cost analysis positions within the Air Force as well as a career broadening position within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Programs. Ms. Woods has a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Pennsylvania State University, a MBA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a Master’s degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF). She is a Department of Defense certified acquisition level III professional in business cost estimating.
Timothy P. Andersonis an expert senior cost analyst at KBR, with over 30 years of experience. Prior to joining KBR, Mr. Anderson was a principal engineer at The Aerospace Corporation where he served as director of the Integrated Cost and Schedule Analysis Department, as well as director of NASA Program Assessments. Mr. Anderson is also a member of the faculty of the Naval Postgraduate School, teaching courses in cost estimation, risk analysis, and operations research.
Thursday, May 14 – 3:15pm
The Cost Analysis for Coastal Protection Projects is Both Unscientific and Unfair
Robert S. Young, PhD, PG
Coastal flooding is on the rise across the globe, predominantly due to rising sea levels, putting homes and critical infrastructure at risk and impacting the health and safety of coastal communities. Ten percent of the human population worldwide live within five kilometers of the coast. Norfolk’s own sea level is rising at twice the global rate, exacerbated by sinking land in the Chesapeake Bay region. The cost estimate for Norfolk’s flooding mitigation project has ballooned from $1.4 billion to $6.1 billion, and the projected completion date has slipped from 2032 to 2040.
Dr. Robert Young will discuss the approach used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to determine if federal funds can be allocated to coastal flood protection projects. The cost-benefit analysis conducted by USACE places substantial emphasis on the dollar value of properties at stake, which means that lower-income areas receive less investment in protective structures than more affluent neighborhoods. Dr. Young will suggest that the cost analysis is scientifically unsound and the quantified benefits push us towards coastal protection that favors wealth over community.
Robert S. Young is the Director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, a joint Duke University/Western Carolina University venture. He is also a Professor of Geosciences at Western Carolina University and a licensed professional geologist in three states (FL, NC, SC). The Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS) is a research and policy outreach center serving the global coastal community. Dr. Young received a BS degree in Geology (Phi Beta Kappa) from the College of William & Mary, and MS degree in Quaternary Studies from the University of Maine, and a PhD in Geology from Duke University where he was a James B. Duke Distinguished Doctoral Fellow. Dr. Young serves on Editorial Boards of the Journal of Coastal Research and Environmental Geosciences. He currently oversees more than $5.5 Million in grant-funded research projects related to coastal science and management. He has been awarded Western Carolina University’s highest honor for scholarship (University Scholar Award) and service (Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award). He is an elected Fellow of the Geological Society of America. Most recently, Washington State presented him an award for Excellence in Environmental Education and Diversity in Action for his work with science education in Native American communities. And, he was named a Fulbright Senior Scholar for the 2012-2013 academic year where he worked on the development of coastal management planning along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The North Carolina Coastal Federation presented him with the Pelican Award for Coastal Stewardship.
Registration for the 2026 ICEAA Cost Challenge is open now!
The challenge will have the opportunity to showcase their data analytical and storytelling skills in a supportive environment that encourages taking some risks and trying new approaches! Our judges/ will focus on the reasonable assumptions, methodology and approach to their analysis, and producing thorough, communicable estimates. Teams will send their materials in advance and then give a live presentation to our judges on Tuesday, May 12 that include:
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- Team composition
- Planning and research
- Data sources
- Approaches to data gathering
- Ground rules & assumptions
- Normalization techniques
- Analysis of any economic trends
- Any uncertainty or risks associated with their estimate
- Analytical models
A maximum of six teams will be comprised of 3-5 junior estimators (3 or fewer years of experience) and one optional mentor that may provide guidance and support but not actively participate in the project.
Learn more and register your team at https://www.iceaaonline.com/costchallenge
ICEAA OEM Forum & Networking Event
Monday, May 11, 2026 | 2:00-5:00pm
ICEAA’s OEM COG was formed to identify, acknowledge, and address the challenges ICEAA members employed by Original Equipment Manufacturers face that differ from those employed by the government or other private sector organizations. The OEM COG is proud to return for the fourth annual OEM Forum & Networking Event, Monday, May 11, 2026 at the Norfolk Waterside.
Benefits, Barriers, and Best Practices for AI Cost Estimation: A Survey for OEMs
Join us Monday, May 11 from 2:00-5:00 pm for a high-impact session on the ICEAA OEM COG’s artificial intelligence (AI) survey of cost estimating practitioners and tool providers. Our panel will unpack the survey results and provide answers for the most valuable AI use cases, reveal the true costs of AI adoption, and explore why workforce resistance to AI persists. You’ll also hear the top ten recommendations for OEM leaders on the fastest, most secure path to AI enabled estimating.
After the briefings, the floor opens for an interactive discussion—share your experiences, test ideas, and learn how AI can reshape your work, whether you’re an OEM analyst or an industry observer. This is your chance to understand what AI really means for your projects, your organization, and your career.
Attendees of the 2026 ICEAA Professional Development & Training Workshop are welcome to attend, whether employed by an OEM or elsewhere in the community. RSVP for the OEM Forum and Networking Event when you register for the 2026 ICEAA Workshop.