FAR Part 12 regulates commercial item acquisition. Selling a commercial item to the Federal Government sounds easy right? Wrong. The Federal Government wants to make sure it is getting a fair and reasonable price and ensure it is a commercially available item. This session will cover what determines an item or service to be commercial and how to effectively support price reasonableness. Learning Objectives: By the end of the webinar you should be able to:  Identify commercial items and commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) items;  Determine how to classify an item as commercial and document commercial items with an adequate commercial item determination (CID);  Support price reasonableness with the appropriate method of analysis (price or cost); and  Understand the DCMA Commercial Item Group's role in the federal acquisition process.

This course will provide the basis for why companies should want to enter into OTAs, a brief history of the changes to OTAs, key elements of an OTA and the Statutory Basis for OTAs. Learning Objectives: This initial session will cover the following topics:  Current Spending Trends  Statutory Basis  Key Elements of an OTA

The session provides an overview of the cost impact process, with a specific focus on the parties involved in the review and audit, along with expectations from DCAA. We will discuss the factors that contribute to a cost accounting practice change and the requirements to submit a Cost Impact, including identifying the change, determining the impact population, calculating the impact and driving toward resolution. We will touch on many of the key deliverable expectations included in DCAA's Cost Impact Adequacy Tool and likely areas of emphasis during the audit. Learning Objectives:  Overview of the Cost Impact process, including parties involved  Characteristics of a Cost Accounting Practice Change  Understanding the difference between a General Dollar Magnitude and a Detailed Cost Impact  Common risk factors to think about that may be raised during a Cost Impact proposal audit  Overview of DCAA's Cost Impact Adequacy Tool

The session provides guidance on how to navigate a DCAA accounting system audit. The webinar takes a lifecycle approach. It begins with understanding the different accounting system and associated audit requirements, to supporting the audit process, through audit reporting and corrective action. This course emphasizes the practical realities of an accounting system audit by offering tips and tricks to get out in front of audit findings, managing auditor/auditee relationships, avoiding common pitfalls, and facilitating timely corrective action if adverse audit findings surface. Learning Objectives:  High-level overview of the accounting system requirements  Understanding and differentiation of accounting system audit types and associated approaches  Developing strong working relationships with DCAA  Common DCAA data requests to expect and the rationale behind them  Sensitive areas and common contractor pitfalls during accounting system audits  Tips and tricks to get in front of potential audit findings and facilitate timely corrective action

This session provides guidance on what to expect before, during, and after a DCAA Incurred Cost Proposal (ICP) audit. Along with covering the typical ICP audit process, we explore the normal areas of focus for DCAA, expected DCAA data requests and their purpose, typical DCAA findings and potential responses to those findings, as well as some best practices to avoid common pitfalls during the audit process. Learning Objectives:  Brief overview of the ICP and its purpose  DCAA selection criteria for ICP audits  Understanding the difference between an adequacy review vs. a full audit  Common DCAA data requests to expect and the rationale behind them  Common DCAA findings  Tips on how to defend against findings, particularly questioned costs  Most common challenges contractors face during an ICP audit and tips on how to overcome them

Contracts and Accounting often operate independently within contract management, leading to inefficiencies and labor-intensive data gathering for project reporting, Incurred Cost Submission preparation, and contract closeouts. In this session, we will identify common inefficiencies and discuss streamlined processes to provide accurate data without manual intervention.

Since January 2025, President Trump has signed over 125 Executive Orders - many of which directly or indirectly affect the government contracting industry. These orders range from "Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency" and "Reforming Foreign Defense to Improve Speed and Accountability," to "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement." Among this barrage of Executive Orders, is other information released by agencies such as employee terminations, CMMC 2.0 rollout, and the elimination of whole departments within agencies and the consolidation of purchasing/acquisition offices. With so many rapid changes, disruptions and noise, FPS is offering you the opportunity to talk directly with stakeholders and subject matter experts. This panel is designed to help sort out the current situation and get a glimpse of the future for the industry. This 90+ minute panel features FPS industry specialists who stay current on all the latest trends and can help make sense of and navigate these critical issues contractors are facing. Our panel will discuss: · The various Executive Orders that directly impact the industry including: - EO on Foreign Supply and impact on international direct sales and Foreign Military Sales - FAR 2.0 and the180 day window the FAR Council has achieved the objectives of the EO · Rumor, Fact and Fiction about Acquisition, Commerciality, and Implementation · The quiet changes DCAA has been making to Audit rules. · CMMC 2.0 and its implementation as of today This event is not eligible for CLE/CPE credits.

A Forward Pricing Rate Proposal (FPRP) is one of the main outputs of a contractor's annual budgeting and planning cycle, and thus receives a lot of audit attention. Even though this attention occurs regularly during the year in connection with contract pricing proposals, DCAA re-scrutinizes FPRPs as part of an overall estimating system audit. Join our experts for this one-hour webinar - part of a larger webinar series focused on government audits - to discuss common forward pricing rate audit challenges and findings, strategic risk mitigation options, and tactical tips and tricks to ensure a successful audit. Learning Objectives:  The purpose and intent of forward pricing rates, and the focus of government audits  Who performs these audits, with a primary focus on the Defense Contract Audit Agency  Recent areas of attention and common challenges contractors face during FPRP and proposal audits  How estimating business system audits intersect with and are impacted from FPRP audits  Strategies for managing and addressing audit requests  Key estimating process risk areas and how to mitigate them

A negotiated contract (or procurement) allows the government to select a contractor based on criteria other than solely a formal price competition. The FAR provides guidance for conducting these types of procurements and the contract types that can be used by both the federal government and its contractors (e.g. fixed price, incentive, or cost-reimbursement). In this session, learn how these types of contracts can be both a challenge and an opportunity for contractors and about the extra steps necessary to justify the proposed price. Learning Objectives: By the end of the webinar you should be able to:  Differentiate between cost and price analysis and understand the appropriate times to apply each method;  Define cost or pricing data, certified cost or pricing data, and data other than cost or pricing data;  Understand defective pricing and how to prevent it; and  Utilize the six-step process to develop a compliance process that fits the needs of your firm.

In this session, we will introduce the students to the federal marketplace, the acquisition process, and the regulatory environment that surrounds it all. We will examine the various procurement vehicles that contractors utilize to fulfill their obligations to the US Government. We will also guide students through contract pricing and cost allowability to protect the interests of both the contractor and the federal government as well as help the contractor recuperate the costs associated with each contract. Learning Objectives: By the end of the webinar you should be able to:  Have a basic understanding of the federal acquisition process;  Understand the regulatory environment that surrounds the federal marketplace;  Identify the various procurement methods and contract types;  Determine the allowability of contract costs; and  Recognize the principles of contract pricing and the techniques of determining a fair and reasonable price.