GCA Report and Digest

How do you stay informed of important changes to federal costing, pricing and contracting rules?  The GCA REPORT is your answer.  How do you obtain greater insight into the “hot” issues organizations doing business with the federal government face?  The GCA DIGEST will meet your needs.

Now in its 20thth year, the newsletters have become the most widely read publications in the field.  The GCA REPORT will give you timely information on new developments and practical advice on accounting and contracting matters in its Q&A and feature article for new/small contractors sections.  The GCA DIGEST is designed to give you greater in-depth coverage of well-selected topics the REPORT cannot provide.  We draw on our unique access to virtually all publications, authorities and private position papers to present articles that summarize the thoughts of experts in costing, pricing and contracting matters.  See a recent copy of each newsletter (LINK) and a partial list of prior articles in both newsletters (LINK BELOW)

Each issue of the GCA REPORT includes:

  • New Developments – Rule Changes, New Guidelines, Court Decisions
  • Feature Article for Small/New Contractors
  • Practical Q&A Section

The GCA DIGEST includes articles:

  • Featuring Experts’ Discussions of “Hot” Contracting Issues
  • Analyzing a Cost Principle or Cost Accounting Standard
  • Pricing Strategies
  • Case Studies on Challenges to a Government Finding

A subscription will include access to our “Ask the Experts” panel of imminent consultants and attorneys who will respond to subscribers’ questions free of charge.  A subscription will allow you to examine our convenient index of prior articles and give you on-line access to all past issues of newsletters since 1999.

Each newsletter stands on its own.  Together, they help us achieve our primary goal: to help create a well-informed reader possessing relevant information and insight obtained with minimal time, effort and expense who can help their organization prosper.

The REPORT and DIGEST:

HIGHLIGHT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT.  The substance of most contracting and accounting regulations is not limited to written material in government manuals.  New proposals likely to be implemented, decisions of appeals boards and courts, guidelines contracting officers and auditors are asked to follow and opinions of experts truly define the practical meaning of regulations.  We, not you, conduct the research to identify the most important developments and insights.

PRESENT MATERIAL CLEARLY, QUICKLY AND INEXPENSIVELY.  We present the material clearly and simply without presuming our reader has or even wants a mastery of government regulations.  We ensure our reader can digest the information they need to know in minimal time at up to one tenth the cost of other publications.

PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO EXPERT ADVICE.   Our “Ask the Experts” program enables subscribers to submit questions and chat at no charge to a member of our panel of imminent specialists in government costing, pricing and contracting.  The panel consists of well known lawyers and consultants who have been former COs, DCAA auditors and supervisors and controllers/CFOs..

ARE WRITTEN BY EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS.  All contributors have extensive industry and government experience.  They now help companies manage procurement regulations and hence write about matters of practical significance to both small and large contractors.

HIGHTLIGHTS DCAA GUIDANCE.  If you anticipate having contact with the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) or other government auditors the newsletters are indispensable.  Our experience as former DCAA auditors provides readers both formal and informal up-to-date guidance DCAA is likely to follow as well as effective challenges to their opinions.

ACCESS TO PRIOR ARTICLES.  All current subscribers will be able to access all newsletters going back to 1999.  We provide a convenient index of all prior issues with a list of articles in each and subscribers will be able to link to the desired newsletter and  view on screen and download a hard copy.  Our modern word search function provides an essential resource tool.

The GCA REPORT is issued once every other month (with occasional flash reports as needed) and costs $175 per year or $325 for two.  The GCA DIGEST is issued quarterly with an annual subscription rate of $175 or $325 for two.   As an introduction to new subscribers only, we are offering a one-year subscription to both the REPORT and DIGEST for $275.   Please examine complementary copies (LINK) of both newsletters as well as a partial list of topics recently covered (LINK) in past issues below.  If you think the newsletters will meet your needs complete the subscription form (LINK) and we will begin your subscription with the next issue.

Click to examine a sample of recent issues of the GCA REPORT and GCA DIGEST and download a hard copy.  Also, Click to see a sample list of article included in past issues of the REPORT and DIGEST.

GCA REPORT

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

  • Senior Executive Pay Caps
  • Past Performance Criteria
  • Updated Audit Guidance
  • Quick Contract Close-Out Procedures
  • New Travel Rules and Rulings
  • Debriefing Rules
  • Interest Rate Changes each Six Months
  • Changes to GSA Rules
  • DOD Profit Guidelines
  • Small Disadvantaged Businesses
  • New TINA and CAS Thresholds
  • Impact of Sequestration
  • Business Systems Audits
  • New Definitions of Cost and Pricing Data
  • Significant FAR Changes to
    • Executive Compensation
    • Recruitment
    • Entertainment
    • Idle Facilities and Idle Capacity
    • Reorganization and Restructuring
    • Employee Gifts and Recreation
    • Interest Cost Allowability
    • Asset Capitalization
    • Intracompany Transfers
    • Employee Entertainment and Morale
    • Training and Education
    • Environmental Clean-Up
    • Past Performance Evaluations
    • Allocation of IR&D Costs

CASES/DECISIONS

  • Best Value Award Rules
  • Excessively Low Labor Rates
  • What is Defective Pricing Data
  • Proper Documentation of Costs
  • Profit on Claims
  • Low Bids Intending Change Orders are OK
  • Conditions for Price Adjustments
  • What Protests are Likely to Succeed
  • Costs Not Yet Incurred
  • Statute of Limitations on Questioned Costs
  • Price Evaluation is Unreasonable
  • Meaning of “Benefit to the Government”

NEW/SMALL CONTRACTORS

  • Timekeeping Requirements
  • Handling Floorchecks
  • Adequate Accounting System
  • Auditing Your Proposal
  • Various Ways to Allocate Indirect Costs
  • Cost & Pricing Clauses
  • Allocating Home Office Expenses
  • Tactics to Lower Bid Prices
  • Entertainment vs. Employee Morale
  • Inter-Company Transfer Costing Rules
  • CAS Incorporated in FAR Cost Principles

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

  • Contract Financing Options
  • Establishing “Comp” Time
  • Uncompensated Overtime
  • Recouping Pre-Contract Costs
  • Avoiding Cost Build-Up Requirements
  • Training Courses
  • Allowability of Specific Costs
  • Billing Same People at Different Rates
  • Using Parent Resources to Win Awards
  • Subcontractor vs. Prime Rights
  • Reassigning G&A Costs to Overhead

GCA DIGEST

  • Cost Principles – Idle facilities, Environmental Costs, Direct Selling, Consulting, IR&D/B&P, Capitalizing and Depreciation Costs, Material Costs,  Relocation, Taxes, Severance Pay, Insurance, Facilities Costs, etc.
  • Executive Compensation – New Cases
  • Past Performance Information Rules
  • New Subcontract Clause Flowdowns
  • Indirect Costing Options
  • Tax and Financial Reporting Issues Unique to Government Contractors
  • Treatment and Penalties on Unallowable Costs
  • Accounting For Fringe Benefits
  • Claims
  • Real Cases of Responding to DCAA Findings
  • Primer on Commercial Items
  • Maximizing Recovery on Terminations
  • Basics of GSA Schedule
  • Chart on Changes to FAR Cost Principles
  • Swaying Source Selection Officials
  • Tactics to Reverse an Adverse DCAA Finding
  • Ways to Bill Purchased Labor
  • Primer on Intellectual Property
  • Annual Survey of Key Financial Data on Government Contractors
  • How Sensible Financing Decisions Can Impact FAR Costing Requirements
  • Changes to the DCAA Contract Audit Manual
  • Case Study: Dispute on Direct vs. Indirect Cost Charging
  • Case Study: Challenging Questioned Costs Claimed to be “Commercial”