Federal Acquisition
Regulation & Cost Accounting Standards
Rules of the Game
Developing Your Game Plan
INTRODUCTION
Small businesses consistently encounter FAR and CAS requirements upon entering or growing into federal government contracting. The purpose of these standards is to supply uniform regulatory guidance to all companies doing business with the government and to the agencies that buy from them.
This article will discuss a basic understanding of FAR and CAS as well as the methods to design approaches to meeting them.
OVERVIEW
Small businesses consistently encounter FAR and CAS requirements upon entering or growing into federal government contracting. The purpose of these standards is to supply uniform regulatory guidance to all companies doing business with the government and to the agencies that buy from them.
This article will discuss a basic understanding of FAR and CAS as well as the methods to design approaches to meeting them.
OVERVIEW
The below table contains the principal FAR chapter titles and each of the 19 CAS clause titles (CAS 419 was never written). Linked below the table are the web sites that can be utilized to explore these documents.
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The FAR applies to the full acquisition cycle for all supplies and services the federal agencies buy. The CAS apply to consistency in estimating, pricing, job cost accounting, billing and closeout of financial data under the contracts for supplies and services regulated by the FAR.
FAR and CAS are not "Rocket Science" but they are different than the commercial business sector.
HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT FAR AND CAS MEAN TO YOU
No one ever reads the full body of FAR and CAS from cover to cover. They are reference documents, maintained by the government to oversee the contracting process. From time to time changes to the regulations are offered for public comment at the FAR web site. Such changes are more common in the FAR than in CAS. The CAS have been constant for several years and are not as dynamic as the detail processes in the FAR.
FAR
Determine the regulation basics that apply to any given job considered for bidding. Examine a few solicitations in your area of expertise at the FEDBIZOPPS web site:
Use the FAR and CAS links to determine the basic terms and conditions and examine the solicitation source documents to read in detail the clauses you must understand to effectively bid federal work.
CAS
Standard 9904.401, Consistency in Estimating, Accumulating, and Reporting Costs
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/octqtr/pdf/48cfr9904.401.pdf
Standard 9904.402, Consistency in Allocating Costs Incurred for the Same Purpose
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/octqtr/pdf/48cfr9904.402-50.pdf
Standard 9904.405, Accounting for Unallowable Costs
http://www.smalltofeds.com/2007/04/unallowable-costs-under-federal.html
Standard 9904.406, Cost Accounting Standard―Cost Accounting Period
The following article contains practical business
system guidance regarding building a Modified CAS Coverage Small Business
System for federal government contracting:
HELP
When you have confusion regarding interpreting a requirement, seek assistance in the table of contents to the free book at this site offering guidance under the topic in question:
PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
You may also set up a free counseling connection at Micro
Mentor:
Search for Mentor Kenneth Larson
SUMMARY
While assessing the impact of FAR and CAS on your company educate yourself on that what directly affects your company first in making the transition to federal government contracting and growing into the field.
Carefully maximize your existing business processes and systems first before making changes and do not jump to instant fixes with exotic software tools a supplier or consultant has told you will make you compliant or competitive overnight in government contracting.
FAR and CAS are generally logical bodies of regulation that have come about due to the need to control and make consistent the government and industry approaches to meeting prudent and sound contracting objectives with the necessary transparency to govern.
FAR and CAS do not impose business systems. They do require that you disclose the way you meet regulatory requirements in the way you operate with your processes and tools. Plan the approach and learn to convey it to auditors, contracting officers and industry partners.
Grow into the business by exploring the venue and having it grow into you.
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