GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes If timekeeping is where audits start, indirect rates are where audits often expand. Why? Because indirect rates (Fringe, Overhead, G&A) touch nearly every dollar you bill on cost-type work—and they directly influence provisional billing, final indirect cost rate negotiations, and contract closeout. FAR makes it clear that final indirect cost rates are formally established through contracting officer or auditor procedures. This post breaks down what DCAA commonly evaluates… Read More
Indirect Rates
Common DCAA Findings (and How to Avoid Them): A Practical Guide for GovCons
GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes Most DCAA “findings” aren’t about bad intent they’re about weak controls, inconsistent documentation, or preventable process gaps. The good news: the most common issues repeat across contractors, which means you can address them before an auditor does. This post covers the most frequent DCAA audit findings Government contractors run into and a straightforward way to prevent each one. What DCAA means by a “finding”… Read More
Pre-Audit Readiness Checklist for GovCons: What to Have Ready Before DCAA Knocks
GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes A DCAA audit is rarely “surprising” once you know the triggers but the scramble usually happens because contractors don’t have a repeatable readiness package. The fastest way to reduce disruption is to prepare a checklist you can revisit monthly (not the week you get the email). This pre-audit readiness checklist is designed for government contractors who want to be audit-ready for common DCAA… Read More
What Triggers a DCAA Audit? The 8 Most Common Triggers GovCons Should Watch For
GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes DCAA audits usually don’t happen “out of nowhere.” In most cases, an audit is triggered because the Government needs independent audit support to make a contract decision (award, rates, billing, or closeout), or because your contract type and clauses require specific compliance steps. This post breaks down the most common DCAA audit triggers and what government contractors can do to stay audit-ready without overbuilding processes. Why… Read More
ICS Essentials #8: How to Prepare a Compliant ICS (Documentation & Best Practices)
GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes Preparing a compliant Incurred Cost Submission (ICS) requires more than filling out schedules, it requires accurate documentation, consistent accounting practices, and strong compliance with FAR cost principles. This final installment in the ICS Essentials Series explains the best practices contractors should follow to assemble an accurate and audit-ready ICS package. All recommendations are based on your ICS slide deck guidance. Core Concept: What… Read More
ICS Essentials #5: What’s Included in an ICS? Breakdown of Required Schedules
GovCon Wednesdays Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes The Incurred Cost Submission (ICS) is more than a single document, it is a structured package of schedules designed to reconcile your fiscal year’s direct and indirect costs and certify that all claimed costs comply with FAR 52.216-7. These schedules help the government determine whether your billed costs were reasonable, allowable, and allocable, and they support final indirect rate determinations and contract closeouts. This installment… Read More