Estimated read time: 6 minutes Key Takeaways Point 1: The Immediate Fix. Never arbitrarily mimic another firm’s indirect rate architecture. Your cost pools must organically mirror your unique workforce footprints, project delivery environments, and cost behaviors under FAR 31.203 guidelines. Point 2: The Compliance Risk. Bundling mismatched indirect costs into a generic ledger bucket distorts allocation math and triggers structural compliance deficiencies. Under DFARS 252.242-7005, failing to maintain adequate accounting control over your cost pools allows… Read More
Archives for July 2026
Direct vs. Indirect Costs: GovCon System Setup | GovCon Wednesday
Estimated read time: 6 minutes Key Takeaways Point 1: The Immediate Fix. Consistency is an absolute legal mandate under FAR Part 31. You cannot classify an expense as a direct cost on one contract and an indirect cost on another when the underlying circumstances are identical. Point 2: The Compliance Risk. Treating direct vs. indirect classifications as a casual data-entry task creates immediate exposure. Under DFARS 252.242-7005, system deficiencies in cost structural accounting can… Read More
GovCon Chart of Accounts: Setup Guide | GovCon Wednesday
Estimated read time: 6 minutes Takeaways Point 1: The Immediate Fix. Do not make your general ledger accounts do all the tracking work. Keep your Chart of Accounts (COA) lean by using accounts strictly for cost type (e.g., Direct Labor) and mapping where it belongs using your software’s project, job, or cost center modules. Point 2: The Compliance Risk. Mixing unallowable expenses like business entertainment or penalties into standard operating accounts contaminates your indirect cost pools…. Read More
How to Set Up a DCAA-Compliant Accounting System | GovCon Wednesday
Estimated Read Time: 6 mins Takeaways Point 1: The Immediate Fix. No software platform is “DCAA-approved” right out of the box. True compliance requires intentionally structuring your general ledger around distinct cost objectives and logical allocation bases under DFARS 252.242-7006. Point 2: The Compliance Risk. Failing to isolate unallowable costs or failing to reconcile your job-cost ledger with your general ledger creates structural audit risk. Under DFARS 252.242-7005, an unoptimized system with material weaknesses can trigger… Read More
GovCon Accounting System Setup: DCAA Basics | GovCon Wednesday
Estimated Read Time: 6 mins Key Takeaways Point 1: The immediate fix. Commercial off-the-shelf accounting software configurations are not compliant out of the box. You must immediately restructure your general ledger into explicit segments: direct costs, indirect pools, and FAR-defined unallowable accounts. Point 2: The compliance risk. Failing a Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) pre-award survey—governed by the Standard Form (SF) 1408 checklist—will instantly disqualify your firm from winning cost-reimbursable, labor-hour, or… Read More