#Japan #Tokyo #MCIS #IT System #Estimation Contest

Invitation to Join the Summer Estimation Contest FY26

The IT System Visualization Council, known as MCIS, is excited to announce its upcoming event, the Summer Estimation Contest FY26, scheduled for September 10, 2026. This interactive competition will take place at THE LINKPILLAR2 located in Minato, Tokyo, where participants will engage in a collaborative effort to analyze and compare bids in response to a simulated request for proposal (RFP).

The goal of the Estimation Contest is not merely to compete based on cost but to assess various estimation rationales, scope inclusions, functional scales, risk perceptions, and explanation contents under the same simulated RFP. Through this event, both buyers and suppliers can gain insights necessary for evaluating the validity of estimates, ultimately contributing to more informed decision-making processes.

During the contest, even under the same RFP framework, different teams will approach assumptions, scopes, and risk explanations diversely. By visualizing and comparing these differences, the event offers buyers a perspective for evaluating supplier estimates and allows suppliers to objectively assess their own estimating and proposal explanation skills.

Participants who are not MCIS members are also welcome to join. Non-members will have the chance to experience MCIS activities as trial members for a limited period after the contest. This opportunity allows them to engage with the offerings of MCIS, including meetings, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and deliverables, leading to potential membership decisions later.

MCIS remains committed to hosting events that bolster the verification of estimation validity and the development of practitioners in the field, ultimately enhancing decision-making processes in IT investment and system development.

Who Should Attend

This event is highly recommended for:

• - Individuals responsible for validating the reasonableness of estimates provided by contractors.
• - Professionals involved in RFPs, requirements definition, vendor selection, and IT investment decision-making.
• - Contractors looking to enhance their proposal and estimation explanation skills.
• - Those interested in learning about estimates taking development scale, assumptions, and risks into account.
• - Quality management, PMO, and IT consulting professionals involved in proposal evaluation.

Expected Benefits by Role

In the Summer Estimation Contest, participants will work in teams to create bids based on a virtual RFP. By comparing fundamental assumptions, scoping, and risk explanations among the teams under identical conditions, attendees will gain valuable insights tailored to their roles:

• - Buyers: Access perspectives on the reasonableness of contractor estimates and points of consideration during vendor selection.
• - Suppliers: Opportunity to validate their estimation assumptions, proposal content, and risk explanations.
• - Quality management, PMO, and consultants: Understand evaluation perspectives for bids and proposals.
• - All roles: By comparing with other teams, obtain practical insights into estimation values, assumptions, scopes, risks, and explanation contents beyond just the estimate figures.

Event Overview

• - Event Name: Summer Estimation Contest FY26
• - Date: September 10, 2026 (Thursday) from 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM (Registration starts at 9:30 AM)
• - Location: THE LINKPILLAR2, 15th floor, 2-22-2 Takanawa, Minato, Tokyo 108-0074 (Tokyo Office of Japan System Techniques Co., Ltd.)
• - Participation Format: Team registration (minimum two members) or individual registration (mixed teams will form on the day)
• - Capacity: Approximately 30 participants (10 teams) on a first-come, first-served basis
• - Participation Fee: Free for MCIS members, 10,000 yen for non-members (per person)
• - Application Deadline: August 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM
• - Documents: Materials like the RFP used during the event will be accessible via a specified MCIS Box environment (download, duplication, and redistribution are not allowed).

For detailed information and application, please visit the MCIS event page.

About MCIS

• - Organization Name: IT System Visualization Council (MCIS)
• - Representative Name: Chairman Mitsunobu Hayashi
• - Location: 2F, Ginza Otake Residence, 1-22-11 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo.
• - Activity Overview: Founded in 1994, MCIS originated from the Japan Function Point Users Group (JFPUG) and promotes the advancement of IT investment decision-making through system quantification and visualization.
• - Website: https://www.mcis-jp.org/