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CADRe/ONCE – Data Collection and Database

CADRe (Cost Analysis Data Requirement) is a data‑collection activity that captures key information about a NASA project at each lifecycle milestone. It includes technical parameters that describe the project, along with estimated and actual costs organized within a work breakdown structure (WBS). CADRe provides a historical record of cost, schedule, and technical attributes, enabling analysts and other stakeholders to perform a wide range of management, engineering, and business activities supported by actual NASA data.

Here are some examples of activities that rely on the CADRe data collection process:

  • Estimators use the CADRe data to improve life cycle cost estimates for future analogous projects.
  • Systems Engineers use the historical growth of technical attributes (ex. Mass) to establish growth allocations. 
  • Design Teams and Proposal Developers use historical schedule durations to support their new plans. 
  • Modelers and data scientists build tools and automations with the data to provide valuable insights to decision makers. 
  • Managers and evaluators use historical actuals to compare against current project performance. 

The CADRe data is collected in 3 parts:

CADRe Part A: Narrative report describes a NASA project at each milestone (SRR, PDR, CDR, Launch and End of Mission) and describes significant changes that have occurred.

CADRe Part B: Captures key technical parameters for the Project, spacecraft, and/or payload(s) such as Mass, Power, Data Rates, etc.

CADRe Part C: Captures key cost, schedule, and risk data including the cost estimate and actual life cycle costs within the Project WBS and a NASA Cost Estimating WBS.

CADRe data collection activity is performed at milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, etc.) during the Project lifecycle
CADRe data collection activity is performed at milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, etc.) during the Project lifecycle

ONCE (One NASA Cost Engineering) is a web-based database located at https://oncedata.hq.nasa.gov that provides controlled access to the CADRe data and supports the data collection process. Automated search and query of CADRe is available via the ONCE database. ONCE is available to approved NASA Civil Servants and NASA Contractors.  ONCE Access Instructions (as of January 2026)

Figure 2 One NASA Cost Engineering (ONCE) Database
One NASA Cost Engineering (ONCE) Database

The ONCE database is primarily based on the CADRe Part B technical information and the programmatic information from Part C (cost, schedule, risk, etc.).  The CADRe data stored in ONCE is organized so that users can quickly access information on a single, or multiple, historical NASA Projects.     

ONCE User Reports Example

ONCE makes CADRe data available in a variety of formats.  Users can search and retrieve CADRe data via customizable reports, dashboards, and numerous graphical or tabular exports. 

Figure 4 Example ONCE Dashboard displaying overall CADRe metrics for the Database
Example ONCE Dashboard displaying overall CADRe metrics for the Database

Additionally, the CADRe source files in the native formats are available in the CADRe Library.   

Source files that support CADRe are included in ONCE

ONCE contains a variety of other useful information in its electronic libraries for people supporting NASA Projects such as:

  • A full searchable archive of all NASA Cost & Schedule Symposiums since 2006 
  • Schedule Repository files from historical NASA Projects in their native format (.MPP, etc.)
Figure 6 ONCE contains an archive of NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium files and other useful information
ONCE contains an archive of NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium files and other useful information

The ONCE Model Portal provides users with a centralized location for models and tools to help with analysis tasks.  This includes both Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) tools that HQ makes available to NASA Centers, as well as In-House tools that NASA develops internally.

Figure 7 The ONCE Model Portal allows users to download analysis tools like MOCET - Mission Ops Cost Estimating Tool
The ONCE Model Portal allows users to download analysis tools like MOCET – Mission Ops Cost Estimating Tool

ONCE acts as a web host for containerized applications and models developed internally and by NASA partners.  ONCE can host the containers online and make them available to the NASA user base. Internal organizations and partners interested in providing containers for hosting can contact technical support for more information: hq-oncesupport@mail.nasa.gov.

The aView container provides detailed data on project workforce levels

The goal of ONCE is to serve as a functional center-point for historical NASA Project information so that the NASA community can easily retrieve data and perform analysis to support current NASA Projects and decision makers.  By integrating the CADRe data with other useful information, and models/tools, ONCE users can find everything that they need in one place.  The implementation of ONCE saves a significant number of staff-hours every year and supports a centralized configuration & control process that enables OCFO SIB to distribute updates quickly to a broad audience.

ONCE & CADRe Links

ONCE & CADRe Website: https://oncedata.hq.nasa.gov (inside NASA only)
Request Access: ONCE Access Instructions (as of January 2026)
Technical Support: hq-oncesupport@mail.nasa.gov
Links to CADRe Waiver/Tailoring: CADRe Waiver Memo and Business Process Memo 24-01

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