23 min

An Overview of Cost Accounting Standards Cherry Bekaert: Government Contractors Guidance

    • Management

Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) are 19 standards and rules promulgated by 41 U.S.C. 422. These standards impact emerging small and large businesses alike. They are designed to achieve uniformity and consistency in cost accounting practices and to improve the accuracy of cost data by ensuring its basis on consistent definitions and principles.  
Ultimately, the Federal government wants a reliable basis for cost comparison and decision making. This allows them to be able to compare proposals from contractor to contractor and from a single contractor year-over-year.

In this new Cherry Bekaert GovCon Podcast CAS series, Eric Poppe, a Managing Director in Cherry Bekaert’s Government Contracting Industry practice, is joined by Jeff Annessa, a Senior Manager in the Firm’s GovCon practice who spent 13+ years with DCAA holding positions such as Quality Manager, Supervisory Auditor and Field Audit Office Manager, to give an overview of CAS. Listen to find out:
An overview of CASThe differences between the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and CASWhat the standards consist of, including the four main categories When CAS comes into consideration as it pertains to government contractingWhen CAS would apply to a contract and if there are certain dollar thresholdsThe current exemptions, differences in full and modified CAS coverage and applicationOverview of the disclosure statement requirementWhy contractors should consider completing a disclosure statement prior to being CAS- covered Who is responsible in administering CAS and making the required determinations and findings The benefits of abiding by CASPitfalls and compliance considerations for changes in accounting practices, M&A activity and budgeting/forecasting Cherry Bekaert’s Government Contractor Industry practice has significant  CAS experience and can help you navigate CAS compliance issues or disclosure statement development. Contact us to discuss your situation.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the remainder of our GovCon podcast CAS series, where our hosts will go into more detail on the specifics of the individual CAS standards, general requirements, cost accounting changes and the disclosure statement. 
View all Government Contracting Podcasts

Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) are 19 standards and rules promulgated by 41 U.S.C. 422. These standards impact emerging small and large businesses alike. They are designed to achieve uniformity and consistency in cost accounting practices and to improve the accuracy of cost data by ensuring its basis on consistent definitions and principles.  
Ultimately, the Federal government wants a reliable basis for cost comparison and decision making. This allows them to be able to compare proposals from contractor to contractor and from a single contractor year-over-year.

In this new Cherry Bekaert GovCon Podcast CAS series, Eric Poppe, a Managing Director in Cherry Bekaert’s Government Contracting Industry practice, is joined by Jeff Annessa, a Senior Manager in the Firm’s GovCon practice who spent 13+ years with DCAA holding positions such as Quality Manager, Supervisory Auditor and Field Audit Office Manager, to give an overview of CAS. Listen to find out:
An overview of CASThe differences between the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and CASWhat the standards consist of, including the four main categories When CAS comes into consideration as it pertains to government contractingWhen CAS would apply to a contract and if there are certain dollar thresholdsThe current exemptions, differences in full and modified CAS coverage and applicationOverview of the disclosure statement requirementWhy contractors should consider completing a disclosure statement prior to being CAS- covered Who is responsible in administering CAS and making the required determinations and findings The benefits of abiding by CASPitfalls and compliance considerations for changes in accounting practices, M&A activity and budgeting/forecasting Cherry Bekaert’s Government Contractor Industry practice has significant  CAS experience and can help you navigate CAS compliance issues or disclosure statement development. Contact us to discuss your situation.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the remainder of our GovCon podcast CAS series, where our hosts will go into more detail on the specifics of the individual CAS standards, general requirements, cost accounting changes and the disclosure statement. 
View all Government Contracting Podcasts

23 min