What's New in RACER™ 2005?

Users who are already familiar with previous versions of RACER should be aware of additional functionality and the new and updated technologies that were added to RACER 2005 (version 7.0.0). Updates that have been added to RACER 2005 include:

Database Update
New Composting Technology
Updated Environmental Technologies
New Technical Drawings in the Help System
Functionality Changes to RACER
Utilities for Government Users
New Reports

Details about each of these items are provided below.

Database Update

The RACER cost database has been updated for 2005, including assembly prices for material, labor and equipment. Where possible, RACER assemblies have been redefined using the 2004 version of the TRACES Unit Price Book (UPB). As a result, many of the Assembly Descriptions have also been redefined using the 2004 UPB and will be different from the description shown in RACER 2004. Additionally, per diem rates, escalation factors, and location modifiers have been updated for RACER 2005.

Previous cost estimates from RACER 2003 and RACER 2004 can be imported into RACER 2005 and updated to utilize the new prices, if specified by the user.

The Environmental Cost Elemental Structure (ECES) Handbook (Aug 2003) has dropped several ECES numbers. As a result, previous estimates containing User-Defined technologies with the ECES Work Breakdown Structure need to be reviewed, since some of the old ECES numbers may not be valid.

New Composting Technology

RACER 2005 includes a technology for composting explosives- or petroleum-contaminated soils. This technology uses windrows (long piles of soil mixed with amendments) that are periodically turned to promote biodegradation of the contaminants. This technology incorporates the Cost Over Time functionality in RACER based on the batch size and volume of soil to be treated. This technology interacts with the Excavation technology and the Residual Waste Management technology.

Updated Environmental Technologies

Several of the existing RACER environmental technologies were reviewed and updated for RACER 2005. Note that these changes are not retroactive (i.e., they do not automatically affect any estimates that you previously created using these technologies). Details about the updated environmental technologies are provided in the subsections below.

In situ Biodegradation

This technology has been revised to include injection of electron donor release compounds (ORC) for treatment of chlorinated solvents using anaerobic biodegradation. The revisions also include injection of electron acceptor release compounds (HRC) for aerobic treatment of petroleum hydrocarbon or chlorinated solvent contamination in groundwater. Previously, this technology used Operations and Maintenance to calculate the cost of chemical and microbial requirements. This technology now includes these as capital costs in the Assemblies. If you have used this technology in your prior estimates, it is recommended that you rerun this technology and the O&M associated with this technology. Instructions for rerunning technologies are provided below.

Five-Year Review

A Start Date field and Number of Reviews field have been added to the System Definition tab to allow Cost Over Time reporting of Five-Year Reviews. In the past, users were required to add a new phase for every Five-Year Review with the Phase Start Date staggered in five-year increments. Now, only one technology and phase is required for completing multiple Five-Year Reviews. If your estimates are set up with multiple phases for their Five-Year Reviews, you can either leave the estimates as they are, or you can add the updated Five-Year Review technology to the estimate, complete the parameters, and delete the additional phases. It is not necessary to rerun this technology in prior estimates unless you want to restructure the estimates to take advantage of the new functionality.

Bioslurping

There is no default Formation Type on the System Definition tab because this is a required parameter. It is not necessary to rerun this technology in prior estimates.

Bioventing & Soil Vapor Extraction

Bioventing and Soil Vapor Extraction previously required you to specify soil type twice. These two fields in these two technologies have been consolidated so that the Soil Type field is specified in only one location. It is not necessary to rerun these technologies in prior estimates.

Operations & Maintenance for Permeable Barriers

Backfill with Excavated Material (assembly #17030415) has been replaced with a new assembly (#17030401) that does not include the Soil Density Test, Compaction Water, and Vibrating Plate line items. If your prior estimates include O&M for Permeable Barriers, it is recommended that you rerun the O&M wizard. Instructions for rerunning technologies are provided below.

Capping

The Passive Gas Vents tab functionality has been changed so that Type of Material is not active until a Geotextile is selected. If Composite Drainage Netting is selected as the Geotextile, the Type of Material field will not be active and no sand or gravel layer will be included in the estimate. Also, the Biaxial Geogrid has been removed as an option from the Geotextile drop-down list for the gas vent layer. If you have used the Capping technology in your prior estimates, it is recommended that you rerun this technology and the O&M associated with this technology. Instructions for rerunning technologies are provided below.

MEC Site Characterization and Removal Assessment (formerly OE Site Characterization and Removal Assessment)

This technology has been revised to include a more accurate calculation of sampling area. This has a pronounced effect on projects with large characterization areas. Consult the help menu for more information about this calculation. If you have used this technology in prior estimates, it is recommended that you rerun this technology. Instructions for rerunning technologies are provided below.

MEC Removal Action (formerly OE Removal Action)

This technology has been revised to include a more accurate calculation of sampling area. This has a pronounced effect on projects with large removal areas. Consult the help menu for more information about this calculation. If you have used this technology in prior estimates, it is recommended that you rerun this technology. Instructions for rerunning technologies are provided below.

Instructions for Rerunning Technologies:

To rerun a technology that has been reengineered for RACER 2005, follow these steps:

Open the technology from the phase screen or from the RACER tree.
Reselect or reenter a secondary parameter.

Caution – Reselecting or reentering a required parameter will cause the technology to reset all secondary parameters for the technology.

Click the Accept button to recalculate assembly quantities and prices.
Click the Assemblies button to view the assembly quantities and prices.
Make any changes that you require on the Assembly grid, and then click the Close button.

New Technical Drawings in the Help System

Technical drawings have been added to technologies in the RACER help system. This new feature allows the user to view drawings depicting the remedial technology. The following is a list of technologies with new technical drawings added to the help system:

Advanced Oxidation Processes
Air-Sparged Hydrocyclone
Bioslurping
Composting
Ex situ Bioreactors
In situ Biodegradation (Saturated Zone)
In situ Vitrification
Injection Wells
Metals Precipitation
Oil/Water Separation
On-site Incineration
Slurry Walls
Soil Flushing
Soil Washing

Functionality Changes to RACER

Changes to the Level 2 (Site) Screen

RACER 2005 release includes several changes to the functionality on the Level 2 (Site) screen. Details are provided in the subsections below.

New Estimator Information and Reviewer Information

Required fields have been added to the Site Form for the estimator to input their contact information. New fields have also been added for the person reviewing the estimate. This information will be printed on the reports and will help those reviewing the estimate know where to direct their comments and questions.

A Contact Info menu has been added in RACER so the user only needs to enter their contact information once, rather than every time they create or review an estimate. Completion of this form allows the user to auto-populate the Estimator Information or Reviewer Information tab.

Setup Method

The Level 2 (Site) screen now has two options when setting up an estimate. The Manual method works in the same way as prior versions of RACER in that it allows you to select the phases to include in an estimate. The new Template method uses templates based on the Agency/Organization and regulatory program selected. The phases are named in accordance with the regulatory terminology for various organizations. This method also automatically adds the selected Phases and in some cases, the associated Technologies to the RACER tree.

Start Date – New fields have been added to allow the user to specify Start Dates for each Level 3 (Phase) selected on the Level 2 (Site) screen. This allows you to stagger start dates for the Cost Over Time reports and to view all start dates in one location. The Phase Start Dates on the Level 3 screens will default to the Start Dates selected on the Level 2 (Site) screen.

New Pre-Study Phase

A new Pre-Study Phase has been added to the list of Phases on the Level 2 screen to include in the estimate. This new Phase type is similar to the Study Phase and only includes technologies that would be completed in the Pre-Study Phase.

Changes to the RACER Screen and Tree Behavior

The main RACER screen has been updated to prevent automatic re-sizing every time items are edited on the right side of the screen. This allows you to view the entire Level names and technology names in the RACER tree. Forms that are opened on the right side of the screen will either be centered in the right side of the screen when there is enough room or will take up the entire screen so that the tree will not be visible when the form is open.

Mandatory Description Fields

RACER is continually being improved to insure that estimates are auditable. Each area in RACER where decisions are made needs to be documented and the mandatory description fields force the users to add documentation. The following screens now have a mandatory Description field:

Level 1 (Project) Form
Level 2 (Site) Form
Level 3 (Phase) Form

The Save button will not be active on any of these screens until something is entered into the Description field. This requires you to document your estimate every step of the way. Additionally, if the screens are edited, the Description field must be modified before you can Save those changes.

Utilities for Government Users

In the past, a separate utility was required to reformat the data in an estimate for uploading into the Agency’s database or management information system. RACER 2005 integrates two of these utilities into the Utilities menu. These new utilities are available only to registered government users (i.e., “G” license codes). Both of the utilities will allow users to select one or more than one estimate and develop a file to upload into the FUDS Management Information System (FUDSMIS) or the Army Environmental Database – Restoration (AEDB-R) or Compliance Cleanup (AEDB-CC).

New Reports

Folder Level Batch Cost Over Time Report

This report is similar to the Level 2 Cost Over Time Report in Excel, except that it prints a Cost Over Time spreadsheet for all of the Level 2 items in the selected Folder. This report does not include escalation.

Phase Level Technology Cost Detail Report (With Markups)

Previous versions of RACER included this report without markups, but now you have the option of viewing this report with markups or without markups. This report shows all assemblies, quantities, unit prices, and total cost for every technology in the selected Phase.