Redstone Government Consultants are industry veterans with over 150 years of combined DCAA experience. We understand the unique nuances of its organizational structure and operating procedures. We’ve been in the auditor’s shoes and we share many years of industry management expertise. Our consultants provide unique perspectives; bringing both government and contractor proficiencies to bear and we are committed to serving government contractors. In addition to our consulting and training services, our team develops and publishes a variety of industry materials that are filled with the most relevant and current information for government contractors including our newsletter, whitepapers, and information on cutting edge current events through our blog.
Are you ready for year end? This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview and understanding of what recurring compliance requirements Government contractors must be concerned with on a recurring basis every year.
If you’re a government contractor, you know that deadlines are critical to success, and missing a deadline can mean losing revenue, contracts, and even legal repercussions. That’s why we’ve created the 2025 Government Contractors Deadlines – your ultimate resource for staying on top of all the critical deadlines for government contractors in 2025.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the essential steps and best practices for conducting compliant and effective internal investigations.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees a review of the types of ledgers within Deltek Costpoint and how to prepare those ledgers for year-end closing.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of a Government Contractor’s Purchasing System Review (CPSR).
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of how to deal with DCAA audit findings and what to do and NOT to do in response to DCAA findings. Redstone GGI has subject matter experts who can assist you with resolving DCAA audit findings.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the interrelationship between requirements set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulations Part 31 and the Cost Accounting Standards.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the documentation that a prime or higher-tier subcontractor should include in a well-written commercial determination.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the three (3) most important areas of FAR Part 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.
A White paper by John C. Shire, Director
Are you a government contractor trying to navigate FedRAMP complexities? Our whitepaper is the essential resource you need!
Additional Training Delivery Options Live Webinar Training In Person Training (Individual) In Person Training (Group) Learning Management System Custom Training Available This course is available for purchase as an individual module or as part of the Human Resources Course Package. Course Overview The public law at 10 USC 4701 and 41 USC 4712 requires contractors…
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of why every incurred cost proposal needs to be prepared for an audit. Currently, the number of audits by DCAA is very low, especially for smaller contractors. If you get complacent and overlook things in your proposal, the DCAA auditor could view this as potential fraud. We have some best practices to help avoid this.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the similarities and differences between a cost accounting system necessary to support the requirements of FAR-based contracts and 2 CFR 200-based grants and cooperative agreements.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of how to comply with the most challenging aspects of the Service Contract Act.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the Incurred Cost Submission (ICS) and provide specific information to avoid common issues as well as the importance of specific schedules. If you have the Allowable Cost and Payment Clause (FAR 52.216-7) within your contracts, you are required to complete an ICS within 6 months of your fiscal year-end. This presentation by Mrs. Basden will assist you in understanding your ICS obligations, compliance requirements, and mitigate potential audit issues. Let’s get a jump on your submission early!
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the types of allocations available in Deltek Costpoint, how the system calculates and processes each, and the benefits and limitations of each.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of how the PMSA/Government property audit is conducted from the initial notification letter through the exit conference.
A White paper by John C. Shire, Director
Are you a Construction or Architect-Engineer (A&E) Contractor looking to navigate the complexities of federal contracts? Our whitepaper is the key resource you need!
A White paper by John C. Shire, Director
Are you navigating the complex world of government contracting? Do you find the policies and procedures surrounding advance payments bewildering? Our whitepaper on FAR 32.4, “Dirty Little Secrets Behind Advance Payments on Government Contracts,” is your guide to understanding these intricate rules.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the Service Contract Act (SCA) and show how the regulations for implementing SCA are some of the most challenging requirements for contractors and contracting agencies involved in federal contracts for services.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the challenges and potential opportunities contractors will face in FY 2024 related to changes in government regulations and areas government auditors are concentrating on.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the enhancements included in the Deltek Costpoint 8.2 release scheduled for Spring 2024. Deltek Costpoint’s 8.2 release has cool new features and enhancements in Accounting, CRM & Contracts, Planning, Projects, Materials, People, T&E, Reports & Analytics, and more! We will also discuss Deltek’s commitment and approach to continuing improvement, including a new release cadence for updates and enhancements. We will discuss the roadmap for innovations and Deltek’s continued focus on Cybersecurity.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of 2 CFR 200.317 to 327 requirements for contract-type purchases supporting Grants and Cooperative Agreements.
A Case Study by the Redstone Government Consulting Team
Does Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) or Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) provide specific requirements when it comes to accounting for costs related to software to be sold, leased, or marketed in the future? The simple answer is “no”, however, a review of FAR Part 31 certainly supports that the cost is allowable and allocable to both individual contracts and as a benefit to more than one contract, based on the nature of the software related effort, provided the cost is reasonable. For the purposes of this whitepaper, we are going to assume the cost is reasonable in both nature and amount based on the prudent person in the conduct of competitive business test in FAR 31.201-3, determining reasonableness.
A White paper by John C. Shire, Director
Does Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) or Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) provide specific requirements when it comes to accounting for costs related to software to be sold, leased, or marketed in the future? The simple answer is “no”, however, a review of FAR Part 31 certainly supports that the cost is allowable and allocable to both individual contracts and as a benefit to more than one contract, based on the nature of the software related effort, provided the cost is reasonable. For the purposes of this whitepaper, we are going to assume the cost is reasonable in both nature and amount based on the prudent person in the conduct of competitive business test in FAR 31.201-3, determining reasonableness.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees a guide to preparing for and setting realistic expectations for an accounting system implementation for Government Contractors.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of 2 CFR 200.317 to 327 requirements for contract-type purchases supporting Grants and Cooperative Agreements.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of requirements to establish and maintain an adequate system of internal controls to comply with 2 CFR 200.303.
Our Commercial Item Expert, Lynne Nalley, discusses and clarifies common questions and issues associated with commercial items and Commercial Item Determinations (CID).
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of the Affirmative Action Program requirements of the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and a summary of the various components of a compliant Affirmative Action Plan. This webinar will explain the types of audits performed by OFCCP and provide an overview of the information which must be submitted when audited. Finally, a brief update of proposed changes to OFCCP compliance will be provided.
What is the Incurred Cost Submission? What is Schedule O? What are the Supplemental A Schedules? This VLOG will briefly explain the Incurred Cost Submission, how to complete Schedules O and the Supplemental A Schedules, and the importance of those schedules.
A Case Study by the Redstone Government Consulting Team
Learn why government contractor, Broadway Ventures, entrusts Redstone GCI and Deltek Costpoint as a scalable solution for their finance & accounting needs.
Schedules H and J are some of the most important parts of the Incurred Cost Submission. This VLOG will briefly explain the Incurred Cost Submission, how to complete Schedules H and J, and the importance of each schedule.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an understanding of the importance of project setup decisions in Costpoint. Attendees will learn information about project structure decisions, revenue setup decisions and other important decision areas within the project setup. We will also discuss what role each department plays in ensuring that all contractual requirements are met.
Schedules B, C, D, and Fringe are some of the most important parts of the Incurred Cost Submission. This vLOG will briefly explain the Incurred Cost Submission, how to complete Schedules B, C, D, and Fringe, and the importance of each schedule.
Schedule I is the most important part of the Incurred Cost Submission and is the single area of great interest for the Government and its auditors. This VLOG will briefly explain the Incurred Cost Submission, the importance of Schedule I, and how to resolve potential issues.
This FREE webinar will offer attendees an overview of multiple ways to retrieve data from Costpoint beyond the standard PDF reports.
A White paper by John Shire, Director & Lynne Nalley, Director
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) is structured significantly differently than OMB Guidance 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (i.e., Grants and Cooperative Agreement).
A Case Study by the Redstone Government Consulting Team
In this case study: Redstone GCI explains three scenarios to illustrate how to understand 2 CFR 200 requirements related to subrecipients vs. contractors.
Schedule K is one of the most important parts of the Incurred Cost Submission and is an area of great interest for the Government and its auditors. This VLOG will briefly explain the Incurred Cost Submission, how to complete Schedule K, and the importance of Schedule K.
This video is the second of a two-part series where we provide an overview of the position of the Department of Labor (DoL) on independent contractor classifications. This series will presents a mock audit to give you a first hand perspective of the types of questions that a Department of Labor investigators ask with regard to the all too common issue of whether or not your workers are properly classified under the law. We will provide “red flags” that are often key to the final determination of Department of Labor, and how to address them.
This video is the first of a two-part series where we provide an overview of the position of the Department of Labor (DoL) on independent contractor classifications. This series presents a mock audit to give you a first-hand perspective of the types of questions that DoL investigators ask with regard to the all too common issue of whether or not your workers are properly classified under the law. We will provide “red flags” that are often key to the final determination of DoL, and how to address them.
This video is the second part of a two part series where we provide an overview of some of the expectations that come with completing a Government proposal and their respective realities. There are some misleading expectations when it comes to completing a Government proposal, and in this video we discuss the various realities that come with completing a proposal. This second part specifically details the expectations and reality of communication with team members, indirect rate goals, and the review process.
This video is the first part of a two part series where we provide an overview of some of the expectations that come with completing a Government proposal and their respective realities. There are some misleading expectations when it comes to completing a Government proposal, and in this video we discuss the various realities that come with completing a proposal. This first part specifically details the expectation and reality of the time it takes to complete a proposal and the frequency of Government updates.
Heather Stroud is a Senior Consultant in the Deltek Costpoint group at Redstone Government Consulting. She works primarily in the Accounting, Projects, and Planning modules. The Costpoint Group works with our clients to implement Costpoint, create customized Costpoint training, and assist with day-to-day processing. Redstone’s President, Asa Gilliland and Heather Stroud are going to sit down to go over some common Costpoint questions and complaints we hear from our clients.
Heather Stroud is a Senior Consultant in the Deltek Costpoint group at Redstone Government Consulting. She works primarily in the Accounting, Projects, and Planning modules. The Costpoint Group works with our clients to implement Costpoint, create customized Costpoint training, and assist with day-to-day processing. Redstone’s President, Asa Gilliland and Heather Stroud are going to sit down to go over some common Costpoint questions and complaints we hear from our clients.
A Whitepaper by John C. Shire, CPA, Director, Redstone GCI & Asa Gilliland, President & Director, Redstone Government Consulting
Based on DCAA’s track record of disregarding its own guidance on what are acceptable accounting methods for contractors incurring potentially significant amounts of uncompensated overtime, DCAA is very likely to see the risk sufficient to report what they see as a non-compliance as a significant deficiency and therefore recommend system disapproval and the implementation of a withhold.
If you have cost-reimbursable vouchers or progress payments based on costs, you want to make sure you have established provisional billing rates. This video and article discuss the importance of provisional billing rates for government contractors.
This short video and article provide insights into FAR Part 31 – the Cost Principles. We explain what FAR Part 31 cost principles are, when they apply, and why they are important. We also discuss what contracts are subject to the cost principles, how they cannot apply to only some of your contracts and not others, and the impact on your accounting system to accommodate the cost principles.
Have questions regarding what travel costs are allowable? Do you think the travel regulations say you can never have first-class airfare reimbursed? Or do you think the regulation says you are restricted to a compact rental car? For the answer to these questions and more, check out our video on travel regulations and myths!
A Whitepaper by John C. Shire, CPA, Director, Redstone GCI & Jerome S. Gabig, Attorney, Wilmer & Lee
Although technically 41 USC § 6305 prohibits the transfer of Government contracts from one contractor to another, there are times when the Government realizes it is in its best interest to waive this rule—in a document called a novation agreement. If you want the Government to recognize your transfer, you need to design and execute an agreement that protects the Government while ensuring all parties assume (or waive) rights and obligations where necessary, including those situations where subcontracts are involved. Additionally, finding the Contracting Officer is another key step in the process of executing a novation agreement, especially where contracts are large enough to be administered by DCMA. Lastly, you must ensure that risks are averted in the transfer process, the required documentation is submitted, and the format meets FAR requirements before the Government finally gives its final approval.
For many contractors (truly, for any business), any event with the word “Audit” in the name has a scary connotation. And when you add DCAA to that, a contractor’s blood pressure may automatically rise. However, the best way to rock an audit is to understand what it is for and be prepared for it.
The DFARS requires contractors to maintain compliant systems for Material Management and Accounting System (MMAS). This video and article will help you understand the requirements of a compliant Material Management and Accounting System.
Have you made a change in accounting practice that would require a Cost Accounting Standard (CAS) Cost Impact? Watch our latest blog to help you understand the requirements and potential issues.
f your company no longer qualifies as a small business or is a company that wants to move from commercial contracts to negotiated contracts with the Federal Government, then this Vlog is for you. This Vlog explains how to determine when Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) apply and what are the different levels of coverage. It also discusses how to determine your CAS-covered universe and why it is important. There are three significant dollar amounts when dealing with CAS: $7.5M, $2M and $50M. Watch to find out why these are important numbers in the world of negotiated Government contracts.
Listen to a few questions your organization should answer if moving to a prime role is on your radar. This change will affect your business operations, therefore your staff should take into consideration this change and how to plan moving forward. From proposal development to subcontract management, your organization may experience some growing pains.
Our latest video and article provide essential tips and strategies for government contractors, both small and large, to ensure success throughout the government contracting process.
A reminder of different contract vehicles and types and common terms in the business. A refresher for those in the industry or primer for those new to contracting.
A Government Property Management System Analysis (PMSA) can be a contractor’s first experience with Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). This video and article explain what to expect for a Government contractor’s initial PMSA – commonly known as a Government property audit. Join Jonas Clem as he discusses the essential aspects of a contractor’s first PMSA.
Merger and acquisition events are major milestones for every company and not something that is dealt with on a routine basis. Join us as Asa Gilliland discusses some of the important considerations for government contractors considering an acquisition.
CAS Standards Applicability Date List—Don’t Miss These Crucial Deadlines!
CAS Standards come with a wide variety of applicability deadlines, none of which you want to miss. To ensure you meet the deadlines, Redstone GCI has created a free downloadable list of CAS Standards, spelling out the crucial deadlines you need to plan on.
CAS Coverage—Steps in Determining Your Coverage
New to CAS and want to ensure your CAS coverage? Teetering on that Small Business Threshold? Download a copy of the CAS Coverage Decision Matrix.
The matrix offers the latest information regarding the various steps in determining your CAS coverage level. Don’t make decisions blind or assume you have the most up-to-date information before deciding you don’t meet the qualifications!
A White paper by John C. Shire, CPA, Director
Where does allowable planning end and unallowable organization begin? Two FAR clauses are at odds with each other in terms of merger/acquisition activities being allowable. Contractors need to understand where their planning activities cross the line from allowable, generalized consideration of an opportunity, to unallowable, where specific actions are taken to plan for a specific opportunity. Documenting decision-making, clarifying employee activity, and noting the point at which the organization’s decisions move from a generalized consideration to a specific opportunity plan will help avoid having salaries and employee efforts ruled unallowable by the Government.
A White paper by Asa Gilliland President & Director &
Robert L. Eldridge, CPA, Director
Due to several factors, including the desire to reduce the work for DCAA auditors, the federal government has put subcontractor audit responsibility on prime contractors. Although not specifically assigned to prime contractors in the regulation, it is assumed their responsibility. Learn why it is important for prime contractors to have guidance to monitor subcontractor awards and handle contract closeouts and audits.
A Case Study by the Redstone Government Consulting Team
In this case study: Redstone was able to justify and substantiate, using the weighted guidelines approach, a 7.99% fee for services versus a 6.0% fee as originally proposed by the Government, resulting is significant gain to the client.
A White paper by Robert L. Eldridge, CPA, Director
Due to an increase in the rejection of contractors’ commercial item justifications, even for those that had previously been approved, it is essential that DoD contractors identify the risks and costs involved to prevent DCAA rejection.
A white paper by Michael Steen, Senior Advisor & Robert L. Eldridge, CPA, Director
The proposed DFARS amendments related to case 2012-D042 shed light on some of the inefficiencies surrounding the DCAA auditing concerns, both in the burden shift to contractors and the financial burden of juggling both internal audits and external independent CPA audits. When combined with increased DCAA oversight, government contractors could experience oppressive auditing requirements.
A White paper by the Redstone Team
When negotiating a DoD contract, it is crucial to fully comprehend the Limitations of Funds clause to avoid later settlement agreement negotiations, which can lead to unrecoverable costs. This Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (“ASBCA”) case spells out clearly what can happen.
A Case Study by the Redstone Government Consulting Team
DFARS Case 2012-D042 In this case study: Redstone was engaged to perform a mock CPSR for a multi-billion dollar utilities services company.
A White paper by Wayne Murdock, CPA
Although hourly employees are protected under FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), salaried employees do not enjoy the same protection. With the 2015 revision of FAR 52.237-10, all uncompensated overtime must be accounted for. DCAA and auditors are most concerned about this overtime as a requirement for an adequate accounting system. Although the CAM (Contract Audit Manual) offers plenty of guidance, it is up to contractors to fully understand and implement the accepted methods to prevent DCAA rejection.
A Whitepaper from Redstone Government Consulting
Government contractors who are small businesses face the challenge of distinguishing themselves in proposal settings. The introduction of DFARS Subpart 242.70 Contractor Business Systems in 2012 marked a pivotal shift, offering acquisition personnel a nuanced mechanism to evaluate contractor responsibility through the lens of critical business systems, including accounting, purchasing, and material management.
This whitepaper delves into the intricacies of these regulations, highlighting the essential role of DFARS clauses in contracts of varying sizes and the significant implications for small businesses striving to navigate the complex requirements. With insights into the FAR 9.104 criteria for contractor responsibility and strategic advice from our team on navigating the DFARS landscape, this whitepaper is essential for contractors eager to secure their competitive edge and ensure compliance.
A White paper by Michael Steen, Senior Advisor
Under FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment Clause, DCAA policies are vague, and even nonexistent, in some sections. Before submitting a proposal to DCAA, government contractors must ensure their incurred cost proposals (ICPs) are adequate.
A White paper by Wayne Murdock, CPA
It is important to remember that DCAA’s primary goal is to ensure the government gets a fair price for products and services, so the auditor is not visiting your location for your benefit. By knowing this, you can, however, be prepared when dealing with auditors. See why researching and educating your auditing staff can make a DCAA audit a successful experience.