A World Without DCAA hits SBIR Phase One

Here are some of the requirements from the Department of Homeland Security’s latest SBIR  RFPs

 

“Additional deliverables in this phase include the following (templates to be provided later by the federal Program Manager):

  • Monthly Status Reports, including master schedule for Phase II activities, quad chart, table showing each task description, percentage completed, targeted completion date, revised dates (if applies), etc.
  • Monthly Financial Status Report showing reporting month, cumulative costs, allocated financial data for direct labor categories, labor hours, labor rates, consultants/subcontractors cost, travel, materials purchased, etc.
  • Monthly status calls “

Section A-5

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=41268594cdfdef40295cae324d0b2abe&tab=core&_cview=1

I recently participated in a Navy SBIR conference where one of the other panelists encouraged contractors not to worry about the budgets on their SBIR Phase One. It appears that may no longer be the case.

I had a dim memory of the DOD program staff asking for similar reports years ago. I went to look and found one form so old that I cringed at the title: “Fund Man Hours Expenditures”. I imagine an updated version of this is in many small business contractor’s futures.

All of this underlines the importance of doing it right from the start. Contractors starting out should start out with a cost accounting system that will meet their needs and the government requirements.