President Trump has signed several Executive Orders (EO) addressing ways to improve the acquisition process through simplifying the regulations, utilizing competitive marketplace and commercially available products and services, consolidating procurements at General Services Administration (GSA), and now overhauling the Department of Defense acquisition processes.
Topics: Proposal Cost Volume Development & Pricing, Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Commercial Item Determination
Terminated contracts do not relieve a contractor from dispositioning and closing out Government property. This will become a bigger issue as more and more agencies receive funding cuts or contracts are simply terminated.
Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, DFARS Business Systems, DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations, Government Property Management, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
On April 9, 2025, President Trump signed the Executive Order (EO), Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base. The EO indicated that the factory floor is as significant as the battlefield, and the current defense acquisition system must have a comprehensive overhaul to deliver state-of-the-art capabilities at speed and scale.
Topics: Proposal Cost Volume Development & Pricing, Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR), Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Commercial Item Determination
On April 7, 2025, Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Director Ms. Jennifer Desautel announced a major DCAA reorganization to her staff that is perhaps DCAA’s largest since its 1965 inception. With the current federal government’s stress on efficiency and cost reduction, DCAA faced increased pressure to contain its costs and become more efficient. As a result, Ms. Desautel immediately began reorganizing the field and headquarters offices. DCAA will now have three Directorates (shown below): Land, Sea, and Air.
Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Small Business Compliance, Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations
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.
Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Small Business Compliance, DCAA Audit Support, Quickbooks
The Department of Justice (DOJ) implemented an initiative to pursue cybersecurity fraud in 2021 (see our article on DOJ Initiative on Cyber Security Incident Reporting), and it is apparently working.
Topics: Litigation Consulting Support, Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cybersecurity
There is no definition of split purchases in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) or Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). However, the Defense Contract Management Agency reviews purchase order files for split purchases during a Contractor Purchasing System Review. The Government considers a split purchase when a contractor intentionally breaks down a requirement to stay under a regulatory threshold (e.g., micro-purchase, simplified acquisition threshold, or Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act (TINA)) in order to circumvent procurement requirements or avoid having to compete.
Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, DFARS Business Systems, DCAA Audit Support, Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR), Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, has left many unsure as to what you can, cannot, should, or should not do. You are not alone! There are many unanswered questions, so we do not and could not claim to have all the answers, but we do have some thoughts and suggestions to consider at this stage.
Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Human Resources, Government Regulations, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
It may be an understatement to say defense contractors are currently living in changing times. Change has happened in our government administration resulting in some changes in priorities in federal government programs. This can translate into federal government contracts being changed, suspended, stopped, or even terminated. Although contract terminations seem complex, you can navigate through the complexities by reading and understanding your contract clauses, the acquisition rules, working with your contracting officer, and knowing your cost reporting system and how it can comply with contracting regulations.
Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), REAs, Claims & Terminations
Managing HR functions while ensuring compliance can be challenging, especially during busy times of the year. Between tracking accruals, managing time records, verifying new hire documentation, and ensuring HR systems function correctly, small inefficiencies can quickly add up. Addressing these issues early allows organizations to maintain accurate records, generate reliable reports, and streamline compliance processes, reducing stress during critical reporting periods.
Topics: DCAA Audit Support, Human Resources, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Service Contract Act, UKG Ready HR Software Consulting