





Red Flags Poor Documentation Control
Red Flag: Incorrect Cost Allocation
Red Flags Untracked Labor Hours
Red Flags in Contract-Based Bookkeeping
Red Flags: Weak Internal Controls
Red Flags: Delayed Financial Reporting
Red Flags: Unsupported Overhead Charges
Red Flags: Inconsistent Financial Reports











Government contractors must comply with more stringent regulations. They must account for costs by project, record labor work in detail, maintain separate records for direct and indirect costs, and also have reports that are ready for audits. Each mistake can result in issues for the contractor, including slow payments, costs that are not reimbursed, and audit problems.
Most contractors need accounting support that includes contract bookkeeping, job costing, indirect rate calculations, specific contract billings (T&M, cost-plus, fixed price), incurred cost submissions, payroll labor distribution, and contract officer financial reporting.
Being DCAA audit ready means that your accounting system, timekeeping, documentation, and internal controls are organized in a way that meets federal audit requirements. It means less risk for audits, more cost control acceptance and reimbursement by the government, and protection from audit penalties.
Government agencies will consider costs disallowed during audits when direct and indirect costs are not supported when charging overhead costs. This results in a loss of reimbursement, a loss of trust with agencies, and a potential loss of contracts.
Government contracts demand precise tracking of labor, documentation of prevailing wages, correct classification of workers, and tax compliance based on location. Payroll and labor distribution errors are the top reasons contractors fail compliance audits.
The most common issues revolve around missing documentation, timesheets not being filled out completely, weak internal controls, reporting on a lag, discrepancies in the financial records, overhead costs that lack supporting documentation, and costs that are not segregated by contract or funding source.
Well organized offshore teams assist with the management of documentation and timesheets, invoicing, compliance checklists, and audit preparation. This also backlogs, and ensures that documentation is current and ready for review by government agencies.