Dylan McMurrey
Dylan McMurrey is a Senior Managing Consultant in Redstone Government Consulting’s Collaborative Accounting Solutions Group, where he provides strategic accounting support, government contractor-specific reporting, and financial system optimization. With experience spanning public accounting, financial management, and compliance, Dylan offers a comprehensive approach to accounting solutions that helps government contractors navigate complex financial environments. His expertise in account reconciliations, project analysis, revenue recognition, and software implementations allows him to support clients in streamlining processes and improving operational efficiency. Dylan began his career in the banking industry, supporting financial operations and developing a strong foundation in accounting systems and reconciliations. He later transitioned into public accounting, where he gained extensive experience in financial reporting, tax preparation, attestation services, and compliance for various industries, including government contracting. His background in managing financial closes, payroll and sales tax compliance, and financial analysis gives him a well-rounded perspective on the unique challenges government contractors face. Before joining Redstone GCI, Dylan held roles in accounting and financial consulting, where he was responsible for monthly and annual financial closes, accounts payable and receivable, tax filings, and developing financial models to support budgeting and forecasting. His expertise extends to accounting software solutions, where he has supported clients using multiple accounting software packages. At Redstone GCI, Dylan plays a key role in collaborative accounting support, assisting government contractors with monthly accounting and reporting activities, financial system implementations, and process improvement initiatives. He also supports Redstone GCI’s compliance and software implementation teams, leveraging his experience to assist clients in DCAA-compliant system set-up, including supporting policies. Dylan’s strong technical background, problem-solving skills, and commitment to client success make him a trusted resource for government contractors seeking to enhance financial operations and maintain compliance with confidence.
You’ve won the contract; the work is underway (or even finished), but how do you actually get paid? Billing the federal government is an entirely separate process, often more complex than the work itself (if you let it be). Between compliance requirements, strict documentation rules, and lengthy payment terms, it’s no surprise that payment delays are one of the most common (and costly) frustrations in this space.
Here are the biggest billing challenges we see and how to stay ahead of them, so your cash flow doesn’t take a hit.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks
Revenue recognition is a very critical and highly scrutinized aspect of accounting for government contractors. Whether you're working on cost-plus contracts, time and materials, or firm fixed price agreements, how and when you recognize revenue can significantly impact your financial reporting and compliance with government regulations.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
DCAA Audit Support,
Government Regulations,
Cost Accounting Standards (CAS),
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Government contracts can be a great opportunity. They often come with stability, a steady income, and the chance to scale your business. But they also come with strings attached: a detailed set of rules and expectations, especially when it comes to your accounting. Unfortunately, many government contractors learn about those rules the hard way, which is after they’ve already made a mistake. In this article, we’ll walk through some of the most common accounting mistakes that can derail even experienced contractors, cost you money, or worse, jeopardize your contracts.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Incurred Cost Proposal Submission (ICP/ICE),
Small Business Compliance,
DCAA Audit Support,
Quickbooks,
Government Regulations,
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Government contracting moves fast and brings with it a dense web of compliance requirements. For small to mid-sized contractors, staying compliant with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) standards, and other regulations, while also focusing on growth, can feel like solving a puzzle with missing and shifting pieces. Each contract award introduces new requirements for cost tracking, timekeeping, reporting, and audit readiness, often with little room for error. What’s more, evolving guidance, shifting contract types, and limited internal resources can make it difficult to build a financial infrastructure that both supports operations and withstands government oversight. Without the right support, compliance gaps can go unnoticed until it’s too late.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
DCAA Audit Support,
Quickbooks
Time tracking isn’t just an HR or project management issue for government contractors, it’s a critical accounting function. Accurate timekeeping feeds directly into everything from billing and financial statements to compliance and audit readiness. Let’s explain why this matters for your business, especially through the accounting lens.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
DCAA Audit Support,
Quickbooks
Job costing involves tracking all expenses related to a specific job or project, including materials, labor, subcontractors, travel, and various other costs. For government contractors, this is especially crucial. In the context of payroll, job costing means taking each labor dollar and accurately allocating it to the appropriate cost pool and project. So, theoretically, all you need to do is set up a few projects, establish a DCAA-compliant chart of accounts, ensure you're
following FAR Part 31 cost principles, and you’re ready to go, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Incurred Cost Proposal Submission (ICP/ICE),
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks,
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
QuickBooks Online, while not specifically designed for government contractors, is still considered a compliant software for government contractors. It can also handle the setup of any type of contract that you may be awarded. The process is straightforward, but there are some key considerations that need to be made before diving in headfirst into your project setup.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks
QuickBooks Online is one of the most used accounting software for small to medium-sized businesses. The same is true for small businesses in the government contracting sector. QuickBooks Online does not label itself as a DCAA-compliant software to the extent that other software does (Costpoint, Unanet, etc.). However, it is a DCAA-compliant software, and it has the reporting capabilities needed to be considered as such. Let’s look at three essential reports you need to use as a government contractor for QuickBooks Online. Now, I realize these reports are not exactly groundbreaking reports. However, some people fail to realize the importance of each report and do not really understand how to utilize them to their full potential.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop are great pieces of accounting software for small businesses. There is almost no accounting task that QuickBooks cannot handle, and the good news for those looking to calculate indirect rates is that it is considered a government-compliant accounting system when used correctly. This means you can use it to pass an SF1408 pre–award audit and can even use the system to handle your government contract accounting indefinitely.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks
QuickBooks is considered a government-compliant accounting system and can definitely get the job done for a lot of small government contractors. However, there may come a time when you need to change your accounting system to something that is designed with government contractors in mind.
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Topics:
Compliant Accounting Infrastructure,
Small Business Compliance,
Quickbooks
