Learning Management System for Government Contractors

The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) utilizes labor floorcheck audits as part of their real-time testing of employee labor controls. The floorcheck process is often overwhelming for employees because interacting with government auditors is not a routine occurrence for personnel outside of a company’s accounting or compliance areas. This course provides an overview of the DCAA Labor Floorcheck process from an employee perspective and offers interactive scenarios covering the questions asked of employees by DCAA. Narration is provided by a former DCAA auditor and explains the “why?” behind the questions asked by auditors. This knowledge is invaluable to the employee and the company to ensure that employees are informed and prepared for DCAA Labor Floorchecks.

Federal agencies and Courts regularly emphasize the importance and, in some instances, the requirement that employers provide harassment prevention training to all employees on a routine basis so they understand their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. Indeed, employers are obliged to exercise reasonable care to promptly prevent and correct any sexually (or other illegal) harassing behavior. Government contractors have additional obligations to ensure their workplace is free of discrimination and harassment and that they are making good faith efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Moreover, contractors subject to the affirmative action obligations of Executive Order 11026 are subject to more stringent requirements to address and prevent harassment in the workplace. This course provides an overview of equal employment opportunity law, “protected classes,” what “harassment” in the workplace means, additional responsibilities for supervisors, and how to facilitate a workplace free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Government contractors have specific obligations to promote an organizational culture that encourages ethical conduct and a commitment to compliance with the law. FAR 52.203-13 provides that all contractors must have a written code of business ethics and conduct, and ensure that all employees are aware of their ethical obligations and how to report any concerns they have based upon a reasonable belief that violations or wrongdoing has occurred. This course provides an overview of government contractors’ ethics requirements, including identification of personal and organizational conflicts of interest and protection for whistleblowers. A licensed attorney provides narration with experience creating ethics awareness programs for government contractors and investigating potential ethical violations.

Many federal contractors and all federal grantees are required by law to establish and maintain a drug-free workplace policy and awareness program pursuant to the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. Failure to comply may result in penalties, up to and possibly including suspension or termination of contracts or grants. This course provides an overview of the requirements of the Drug-free Workplace Act, including personal reporting obligations and the organization’s obligation to make reports to the contracting agency. Furthermore, the course addresses possible red flags that indicate someone has a problem with drugs or alcohol so that the organization can promptly address issues to avoid safety risks, maintain a healthy workplace and maximize productivity.

Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar criminal industry that uses force, fraud, or coercion to exploit vulnerable people with the intent of obtaining forced labor or services, including sex. The U.S. Government condemns these practices and requires those who do business with them to take action to prevent, report and remedy human trafficking in federal contracts. FAR Subpart 22.17 requires that clause 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons, be incorporated in all solicitations and contracts and that the substance of this clause shall be included in all subcontracts and all contracts with agents. FAR clause 52.222-50 prohibits contractors, subcontractors, their employees, and their agents from, among other things, engaging in severe forms of trafficking in persons, using forced labor during the period of performance of the contract, using misleading or fraudulent recruitment practices, and charging employees for recruitment. The FAR clause requires contractors and subcontractors to notify employees and agents of the U.S. Government policy prohibiting trafficking in persons and the actions that will be taken against them for violations of this policy. Further, U.S. Government contractors working abroad on large contracts (valued at $550,000 or more) are required to have an anti-human trafficking compliance plan, according to FAR 52.222-50. This course will educate participants on what human trafficking is, how to recognize human trafficking situations, and what contractors and their employees are required to do to help stop this violation of human rights.

The public law at 10 USC 4701 and 41 USC 4712 requires contractors with federal government contracts and grants to notify their employees, at least annually, of their protection under the law. Employees have the right to report suspected fraud, waste, or abuse impacting the government contracts and grants they work on for the government. The law also protects employees from inappropriate employment actions by the employer resulting from such a report. Contracting officers are expected to confirm the contractor has made the required notification and, in some cases, has also required supporting documentation.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of a contractor purchasing system review. The course covers the purchasing system in general, the different agencies that perform CPSR reviews, when a CPSR review is required, the scope of the review, and the different criteria addressed during the review. The course also covers the CPSR review process and what to expect from the entrance conference to the report. While other agencies can perform a CPSR review, this course will concentrate solely on DCMA’s review process.

This CPSR course module covers the DFARS CPSR requirements for consent to subcontract, when it is required, the information to provide to the contracting officer for approval, and the documentation needed for the purchase order file. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for protecting the government’s interest when subcontracting with contractors debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, otherwise known as debarment. The course covers the requirements for checking debarment and the steps performed to confirm the subcontractor is not debarred. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the purchasing system expectations, procurement process, the regulatory expectation for competition, different types of procurements, and the regulatory basis for sole source. The course covers the impacts of using competition and sole source in the procurement process, the expectation for well-documented sole source justifications, and the importance of market research in sole source justifications and the procurement process. The course also covers DCMA’s perspective in evaluating sole source justifications.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA). The course goes over the reporting of executive compensation and first-tier reporting. The course also covers the requirements under FFATA and what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements on flowdowns and what a flowdown is. The course covers the mandatory and non-mandatory flowdown clauses and other clauses that DCMA checks for. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for purchase requisitions. The course covers what information is normally included in purchase requisitions. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files related to purchase requisitions.

This CPSR course module discusses the DFARS CPSR Requirements for negotiations, contracting by negotiation, and negotiation documentation for purchases by threshold. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files related to negotiation documentation.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act (formerly the Truth in Negotiations Act or TINA). The course covers the definition of TINA and cost or pricing data, the applicability of TINA, and the requirements and flowdown clauses. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files for compliance with TINA.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for cost and price analysis. The course covers the definition of cost analysis and price analysis, when a cost or price analysis should be conducted, cost analysis techniques, and price analysis techniques. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files related to cost and price analysis.

This CPSR course module provides an overview of the DFARS CPSR requirements for commercial determinations. The course covers when a commercial determination is required, the benefits of commercial products and services, and criteria in a well-written commercial determination. The course also covers what DCMA CPSR reviewers look for in the policies and procedures and in the purchasing files.

This course provides an introductory foundation for participants to understand the FAR Part 31 total cost principles, including segregation of cost by contract, direct cost charging, indirect cost groupings, and proper allocation bases, identifying unallowable costs, and properly documenting expenses. Examples of these costs include direct and indirect expenses. This module also introduces typical indirect cost pools and allocation bases and provides an explanation of indirect rates.

This course provides an overview of Cost Accounting Standards (CAS). When contractors receive their first contract subject to modified or full CAS, understanding the requirements can be overwhelming. In this course, we discuss the history of CAS, the differences between modified and full CAS, and the exemptions from CAS. The course briefly discusses each of the 19 CAS standards in 48 Code of Federal Regulations 9904, when they are applicable to a contract, and their interrelationship with FAR Part 31. We explain what a disclosure statement is, when it is required, the information included, the requirements for each reporting unit, and the government’s adequacy and compliance review process. Finally, the course walks through CAS administration in FAR Part 30, discusses the types of accounting practice changes, notification requirements to the government, noncompliance, identifying the universe of CAS-covered contracts, and cost impacts.

This course discusses provisional billing rates and their importance. FAR 42.704 Billing Rates addresses the government’s regulation on establishing provisional billing rates. Provisional billing rates are used to bill indirect costs on vouchers for cost-type contracts, the materials portion of T&M contracts, and progress payment requests on fixed-price contracts. Contractors should be proactive and submit proposed provisional indirect rate information to the government prior to the beginning of the calendar or fiscal year. If the contractor is negligent and does not submit provisional rate information for acceptance, the government can unilaterally establish the provisional billing rates for a contractor. This course also addresses some of the information that may be submitted or requested by the government when establishing provisional billing rates, as well as the need for contractors to monitor indirect rates on a regular basis and update them, if necessary.

This Export Compliance Management course covers introductory training that is intended for both novice and experienced export compliance professionals with an overview on complying with United States export regulations. Export Control Laws are a set of federal regulations that restrict the release of certain items, information, and software to foreign nationals in the United States and abroad. This course covers the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), The Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC).

The U.S. Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls administers ITAR, which covers items, services, and technology with explicit military/defense applications. Examples of items controlled under ITAR are satellite technology, some unmanned aerial vehicles, global positioning systems, chemicals, night vision technology, navigation systems, sonar and radar systems, military electronics, and software. The U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security administers the EAR and establishes controls over “dual-use” items, services, and technologies that have both civilian and military purposes. Examples of items controlled under EAR are lasers, infectious agents, computers, encryption technology, sensors, navigation and avionics, propulsion systems, toxins, chemicals, certain materials for the manufacture of controlled goods, and telecommunications equipment. The U.S. Department of the Treasury administers OFAC and oversees foreign trade embargoes and economic sanctions.

Moreover, this course offers guidance on the implementation of these regulations as well as the components of Export Compliance Programs.