Cost Accounting

In Honeywell International, Inc., the ASBCA declined to dismiss a roughly $151 million claim by DCMA alleging a violation of CAS 410, holding that the government’s allegations were sufficient to state a claim for improper treatment of G&A expenses.  The Board’s decision provides guidance on how to interpret CAS 410 — a topic that is often addressed by auditors, but has rarely been the subject of written opinions by the courts or boards of contract appeals.Continue Reading ASBCA: Government Can Pursue $151 Million Claim Under CAS 410

Earlier this week, the Federal Circuit issued a decision in The Boeing Company v. United States that clears the way for resolution of Boeing’s substantive challenge to a controversial FAR provision that can give the government windfall recoveries in Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) matters.  The Federal Circuit decision is notable for three reasons.  First, in rejecting the government’s argument that Boeing had waived its right to attack the relevant FAR provision, the court clarified the circumstances in which a contractor will be found to have waived its rights to object to FAR provisions.  Second, in concluding that the Court of Federal Claims had jurisdiction to consider the dispute, the court provided a useful primer on the three different kinds of jurisdiction available under the Tucker Act.

Finally, the Federal Circuit’s remand means the Court of Federal Claims will now address Boeing’s substantive challenge to FAR 30.606, which directs contracting officers to ignore offsets that save the government money when calculating the impact of changes to a contractor’s cost accounting practices.  Boeing’s argument that this provision amounts to a breach of contract and an illegal exaction will now be resolved on the merits.Continue Reading Federal Circuit Rejects Government’s Waiver and Jurisdiction Defenses, Paving the Way for a CAS Showdown at the Court of Federal Claims

On February 17, 2016, the FAR Council proposed a rule that would add a new category of unallowable costs to FAR Part 31 — costs of responding to an inquiry by Congress, if that inquiry results from a judicial or administrative proceeding in which the contractor is found criminally liable, found liable for civil fraud, ordered to remedy a whistleblower reprisal, suspended or debarred, terminated for default, or in which the contractor paid to settle a proceeding that could have led to any of these outcomes.
Continue Reading FAR Council Proposes to Disallow Costs of Congressional Investigations That Result From Adverse Legal and Administrative Proceedings

A Federal Register notice has requested public comments on “alternative measures” for capping the reimbursement of contractor employee compensation.  This notice follows a June 24, 2014 interim rule from the Department of Defense (“DOD”), the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that implements Section 702 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of…