Everyone has heard the line that goes like this: Hi, we're from the Government and we're here to help". Its a humorous line because its antithetical to what really happens when the auditor comes knocking. Its unlikely that any contractor will get help from a DCAA auditor these days because the Agency takes the notion of being independent very seriously. That is not to say however that DCAA won't help - you just have to find the right person. It won't be an auditor but the Agency has a few non-audit staff dedicated to assisting small businesses.
To find these folks, go to the section on DCAA's public website containing resources devoted to helping small business contractors and subcontractors understand the audit requirements and common audit processes (see Audit Process Overview).
The site contains a link to its venerable Information for Contractors pamphlet that we've referenced a few times on this blog. The latest version is from 2012 but still relevant.
The site also contains contract information (phone and email) for the Agency's small business focal point. We have heard good things about the services offered by the focal point from contractors (or prospective contractors) who have chanced to contact them. If you're looking for some training, you might get lucky and find some nearby scheduled training. And its free.
If your comfortable with viewing training slides, there are eight PowerPoint presentations available for download. For new contractors, these are great introductions to managing and administering Government contracts. The eight presentations include:
- Accounting system requirements - use this to self-assess whether your accounting system is ready for Government contracting
- Contract briefs
- Incurred cost submissions
- Monitoring subcontracts - lots of emphasis lately on how well contractors manage their subs
- Proposal adequacy -
- Provisional billing rates
- Public vouchers
- Real-time labor evaluations - highly recommended if you have or anticipate cost-type contracts.
If you're a small business and especially if you're a small business new to Government contracting, the resources on DCAA's "Help for Small Business" website is a great place to learn some of the fundamentals of Government contracting.
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