Redstone Government Consulting Blog | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

The FAR Council issued a proposed rule on November 29, 2024 to amend the FAR to increase acquisition related thresholds for inflation.

Topics: Proposal Cost Volume Development & Pricing, DFARS Business Systems, Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Estimating System Compliance

Again, this year our friendly DCAA auditors have taken up the government requirement to calculate and publish annually the new compensation cap as provided for in Section 702 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (BBA; Pub. L. 113-67), dated December 26, 2013. The 2025 compensation cap amount is $671,000. Below we have provided the compensation caps going back to 2019.

Topics: Proposal Cost Volume Development & Pricing, Employee & Contractor Compensation, Incurred Cost Proposal Submission (ICP/ICE), DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

The Government wants to pay a fair and reasonable price for products and services that they purchase and expects you to pay your suppliers a fair and reasonable price. FAR 52.244-5 Competition in Subcontracting includes the requirement to select subcontractors and suppliers on a competitive basis to the maximum extent possible. What happens when you receive only one bid or there is only one source that can perform the effort? Well, the purchase becomes sole source – and yes, the requirements have just increased significantly. If the purchase exceeds the micro-purchase threshold, yes $10,000, you must document the justification as sole source. While it sounds pretty simple, for example, when the customer directs a part to be purchased from a specific supplier, you just check the box “customer directed” and move on. Oh, if that were only the case. Even when a purchase is customer directed, more documentation is necessary. It is never as easy as checking a box. When you are directed to buy from a supplier, you must still document the price is fair and reasonable. If the price is not fair and reasonable, it is your job to inform the government.

Topics: DFARS Business Systems, Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR), Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Both the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) used by Federal Agencies to acquire products and services to support their operations and 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200 used by Federal Agencies for grants to support Federal programs set forth requirements that the organizations awarded contracts or grants have an established purchasing/procurement systems. Before getting a procurement under a grant, you must determine if any lower-tier organization is either a subrecipient or a contractor (read more in this article, “Understanding your Lower-Tier Relationships with Subrecipient and Contractor Determinations under 2 CFR 200.” In this article, we are only dealing with contractors under 2 CFR 200 and subcontractors under the FAR.

Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR), Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Grants & Cooperative Agreements (2 CFR 200)

Normally, I make numerous references to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) when writing. However, there is only one FAR reference for this topic, and then we must turn to the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). In this case, that single FAR reference is FAR 31.201-2(a)(3).

Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Incurred Cost Proposal Submission (ICP/ICE), DCAA Audit Support, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

CAS 411 provides criteria for accounting for the measurement and assignment of material costs to cost objectives and follows generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

What is the Purpose of CAS 411?

If you don’t have contracts subject to full CAS, then FAR 31.205-26 Material costs requires contractors to implement GAAP when accounting for material. Material costs can either be charged direct to a contract or assigned to contracts through inventory accounts. Material that is charged direct should be identified on the purchase order and material assigned through an inventory account should be consistently applied by category of material. While CAS 411 requires written policies for accounting for material, it is a best practice to establish written policies whether CAS 411 is applicable or not.

Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Proposal Cost Volume Development & Pricing, DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Material Management and Accounting System (MMAS)

On October 15, 2024, the Department of Defense (“DoD”) published the final rule of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (“CMMC”) requirements in Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, effective December 16, 2024. The Final Rule updates DoD national security regulations to ensure contractors have implemented cyber security measures to safeguard Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CMMC will be contractually required when the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (“DFARS”) clause has not been finalized (see our article, “DoD Issues CMMC Proposed Rule – Submit your comments by October 15, 2024”). We will refer to this DFARS clause throughout this blog as the DFARS CMMC Clause Final Rule.

Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Government Regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cybersecurity

I wrote an article in 2022, “The Future Does Not Look Good For COVID-Related REAs.” Well, it looks like things may have changed. On October 2, 2024, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) issued its decision in the Appeals of Chugach Federal Solutions, Inc. ASBCA Nos. 62712, 62713, and 62877. In this case, the Board “rule[d] the government … failed to carry its burden to establish the sovereign acts defense.”

Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, Government Regulations, COVID-19, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

So, the title is maybe a little misleading, and don’t worry – DCMA won’t let you forget the Government property during contract closure. Government property closeouts are only a singular piece to the contract closeout process. And like with all things Government property, the closeout process takes teamwork from both the contractor side and the Government side to be successful.

Topics: Contracts & Subcontracts Administration, DFARS Business Systems, DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations, Government Property Management, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Every small business that receives a Federal Government cost reimbursable contract is expected, by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), to have a “sound internal control environment, accounting framework, and organizational structure.”

Topics: Compliant Accounting Infrastructure, Small Business Compliance, DCAA Audit Support, Government Regulations, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)