For over 25 years, the federal government has used a contractor's past performance on prior contracts and projects as a mandatory evaluation factor in most procurements. So, in deciding whether to award a contract, most federal agencies must examine prior projects, including those performed for the U.S. government. This past performance information could be the reason that an agency refuses to award a contract. And federal contracting rules provide specific limits on a contractor's ability to challenge inaccurate past performance evaluations. This webinar will address (1) how the government uses past performance information in federal procurements; (2) contractor and offeror responses to past performance issues; and (3) the role of the GAO, Boards of Contract Appeals, and U.S. Court of Federal Claims in past performance-related disputes. Based on extensive practical experience and recent caselaw, this webinar will provide guidance to help contractors successfully navigate federal past performance issues, including the process to challenge an agency's inaccurate or improper evaluation. Learning Objectives: By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to recognize unique features of federal government past performance evaluations, including the use of federal "report cards" or CPARS, the process for challenging adverse ratings, and the role of GAO, Boards of Contracts Appeals and U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The webinar will include discussion of lessons learned from years of experience representing clients in past performance disputes and protests before numerous fora. Finally, this webinar will provide practical advice for contractors to prevent potential disputes regarding an agency's negative past performance rating.

Don't miss the opportunity to become an expert in navigating the complexities of FAR 31.201 with our comprehensive webinar, tailored specifically around Unallowable Costs! Here's why you should grab your virtual seat:  Demystify FAR 31.201: Get an in-depth walkthrough of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) that governs Unallowable Costs.  Comprehend Unallowable Costs: Obtain a clear-cut understanding of what constitutes Unallowable Costs and why they matter to you.  Classify Unallowable Expenses: We'll take you through the various types of Unallowable Costs, providing the knowledge to identify them with ease.  Master Accounting Practices: Learn the ropes of properly accounting for Unallowable Costs, ensuring your organization's financial compliance.  Avoid Costly Mistakes: Uncover potential penalties and safeguard your organization by staying ahead of compliance issues related to Unallowable Costs.  Audit with Confidence: Gain valuable insights into the auditing process of Unallowable Costs to help streamline your company's operations. This webinar is an invaluable investment for those looking to refine their accounting skills, ensure compliance in their financial reporting, and steer clear of the hurdles associated with Unallowable Costs. Make sure to reserve your spot now-your expertise is just a webinar away!

In this less than 15 minute webinar, learn how the New FPS Leadership Institute can help you develop your leadership skills. Leadership expert, Rex Marks, breaks down the six sessions FPS has developed to better grow your work relationships, business acumen and overall leadership. This succinct webinar will provide the overview you're looking for-- and FPS staff will be available to answer any outstanding questions you may have at the end of the program. Specifically, you will learn:  What six topics are included  How and where to attend the program  Who should enroll  Cost

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

This session builds on CAS Overview and Applicability with understanding the impacts to an organization's business segments. The session begins with defining the difference between a business unit and a segment and explains the pros and cons of transferring materials, supplies or services based on both cost and price. Learning Objectives: Participants will learn about the applicability of Disclosure Statements to segments, including when a Disclosure Statement is required to be completed. The session also includes a case study which will provide hands-on experience with a sample Disclosure Statement.

The first webinar in the series provides a foundational understanding of Agile methodologies, reviews the benefits of Agile, discusses the differences from traditional management methodologies, and reviews frameworks to implement Agile for non-agile government contracts. Learning Objectives  Develop an understanding of Agile principles and their benefits.  Compare Agile from a traditional `waterfall' methodology.  Learn about options to implement Agile frameworks for Government Contracts.

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

The second webinar in the series will review Agile planning processes and artifacts. We will introduce and discuss the cadence beginning with developing the product vision, implementation backlog, increment planning, and sprint planning. We will also review tools that will support these processes and effective project management. Learning Objectives  Develop an understanding of the typical Agile planning cadence.  Learn about best practices for developing the primary Agile artifacts.  Discover tools that will support effective Agile processes and project management.

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

Once a contractor has a contract subject to full CAS coverage, it is important to understand how to make a change to a disclosed cost accounting practice. This session will include a discussion of (Learning Objectives):  What is considered an accounting practice change?  What does not meet the definition of an accounting practice change?  What are common triggers for a cost accounting practice change? Additionally, the course will dive into cost impact proposals covering when a proposal is required, the timing for submission, and how impacts are calculated. The course also includes a case study for hands-on experience with a cost impact calculation.

The last webinar in the series will review Agile methodologies for measuring and monitoring performance. We will also discuss how these metrics may be combined with traditional best practices for Project Controls which will enable government program management and reporting. Learning Objectives  Learn about Agile methodologies which will provide important metrics for measuring and monitoring project performance.  Understand how traditional cost and schedule management tools such as an integrated master schedule (IMS) and EVM may be used for Agile projects.  Discover how these tools will help enable improved government collaboration.