NAPEX Training Events

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Billing Series, including Provisional Billing Rates and Barriers to Payments from a DCAA Perspective. Cost reimbursable contract awards are great for small businesses because of the opportunity for frequent monthly billing. One requirement of cost reimbursable awards and monthly invoicing to the government is the need for Provisional Billing Rates (PBRs). Join experts from DCAA as they define PBRs, their purpose, and the procedures for establishing these rates. Additionally, the DCAA will discuss when PBRs need to be submitted to DCAA for approval, the type of information that should be included in a PBR package, and the importance of monitoring your business’ expenditures throughout the year. Congratulations! You have your first cost reimbursable award! Now what? The DCAA will define what types of contracts are eligible for interim reimbursement, DCAA’s responsibility, and regulatory oversight your company should be familiar with. The DCAA will dive into the preparation of vouchers, the SF 1034, and the DCAA pre-payment assessment. Learn examples of noncompliance DCAA finds when reviewing interim vouchers and how your small business can avoid them. Additionally, the DCAA will provide an overview on how to navigate the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment formerly known as PIEE, the system your business will use to submit interim vouchers.

For over 30 years, Alliance Northwest is the largest business-to-government conference in the Pacific Northwest. This event features high-quality workshops and one-to-one meetings between small businesses, government agencies, and prime contractors. Hosted by Thurston Economic Development Council, home of APEX Accelerator, Alliance Northwest has a strong history of federal agency support. It is widely known as the place where business and government learn and make connections with small and disadvantaged businesses. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Businesses interested in selling to the government and prime contractors. R&D firms, engineering firms, and others working on new innovative technologies. Prime contractors and government buyers seeking to do outreach to small and diverse businesses. Alliance Northwest is the premier government contracting event in the region, bringing together prime contractors, government agencies, and small businesses for a full day of relationship building. The 2025 event will start with pre-event activities and allow for extended networking beyond March 20th. For those firms who are experienced government contractors, Alliance Northwest is the place to strengthen established relationships, explore other government contracting opportunities and teaming opportunities, and hear the marketplace’s latest news and trends from the expert workshop speakers. If you’re new to government contracting, you’ll have an opportunity to meet government agency representatives, explore subcontracting opportunities with prime contractors and attend high-quality training workshops. If you’re unsure if the government marketplace is a good fit for your business and if you should attend this conference, reach out to the APEX Accelerator who can provide your business with no-cost advising services.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Introductory Series, including Intro to DCAA and Audit Process Overview and Breaking Into GovCon from a DCAA Perspective. Join us as we explore the roles and responsibilities of Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) as well as learn about the various types of audits performed throughout the acquisition lifecycle. Additionally, this presentation will provide an overview of DCAA’s audit process and some common communications contractors will experience throughout the audit. While each audit is different, there are some common questions small businesses have relating to the process. Participants will learn the importance of adequate assertions, scheduling entrance and exit conferences, communicating throughout the audit, auditor site visits and requests for information. The DCAA will then break down the impact of the 2019 GAO “Contract Financing” report and the subsequent Defense Pricing and Contracting finance study, which cited government compliant accounting systems, Cost Accounting Standards, and FAR Cost Principles as barriers to entry for small businesses looking to enter the Defense Industrial Base. During this presentation, DCAA will look at the types of contract awards and the requirements for each, as well as the common misconceptions of FAR, CAS, and TINA.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Pricing Series. Part 1 of the Pricing Series includes Elements of an Adequate Proposal and Cost and Price Analysis for Small Business. Proposals are contractor prepared packages made in response to government solicitations and include the contractor’s budgeted costs for the projected period of performance of the solicitation. Join experts from DCAA as they discuss the requirements of these proposal packages set forth in FAR Part 15 and DFARS 252.215-7009. The training will walk participants through all the proposal cost elements, including direct labor, material, subcontracts, ODCs, and indirect rates. The DCAA will also discuss how the agency determines the adequacy of your proposal submission. Additionally, the DCAA will provide examples of budgeting practices using historical data considerations, examples of adequacy non-compliances, and regulatory resources to assist with proposal development. Cost and Price Analysis is often a tricky topic for small businesses. The DCAA will go over the requirements of cost versus price analysis and when one (or both) is required. The DCAA will define the FAR requirements for “Certified Cost or Pricing Data” and what is the FAR requirement for “Data Other Than Certified.” Practices for both cost and price analysis will also be discussed.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Pricing Series. Part 2 of the Pricing Series includes Indirect Costs and Rates and Monitoring Subcontracts. Not sure how to build your indirect rates? Experts from DCAA will define direct versus indirect costs, what general indirect rate structures look like, and the relationship between indirect pools and bases. Additionally, the DCAA will discuss the life cycle of indirect rates, then build example indirect rates using the four-step method in allocating indirect costs to Government Contracts. Confused about what your requirements as a prime contractor are when it comes to your selection and oversite of your subcontracts? The DCAA will provide information about navigating through the world of subcontracting. Discussion will include the documentation of subcontract selections, subcontracting requirements, and the responsibilities of a prime contractor. Additionally, the DCAA will highlight the importance of monitoring subcontracts, what information is required when submitting your annual incurred cost submission, as well as what the subcontractor will need to provide to the prime contractor.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series. Part 1 of the Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series includes Accounting System Requirements and Real Time Labor Evaluations. Prior to being awarded a cost reimbursable contract, federal government contractors need to ensure their accounting system is adequate for determining costs applicable to federal contracts. This is accomplished when DCAA conducts a Pre-Award Accounting System Audit at the request of a federal agency. During this training, DCAA will discuss the federal regulations that define an acceptable accounting system, evaluate the minimum requirements of the SF 1408 criteria, and how small businesses can prepare for this type of audit. Experts from DCAA will differentiate between direct versus indirect costs, define total contract costs, provide an overview of indirect allocation bases, and learn how FAR Part 31 clauses describe allowability, allocability, and reasonableness. Once awarded a cost reimbursable contract award, contractors are eligible for floor check audits, otherwise known as “real-time labor evaluations”. Join DCAA as we discuss what is a real- time labor evaluation, why DCAA performs them, and how small businesses can prepare for these audits.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series. Part 2 of the Cost Reimbursable Requirements Series includes Incurred Cost Submissions and Contract Briefs. At the end of a defined accounting period, federal government contractors must submit actual costs incurred to DCAA. The intention of this process is for DCAA to review costs claimed to ensure they are allowable, allocable, and reasonable per FAR 31, as well as within the terms of their respective contracts. DCAA will discuss requirements for the annual submission and what DCAA considers to be elements of an adequate submission. This training provides an overview of the DCAA Incurred Cost Electronic (ICE) model, which provides contractors with a standard user-friendly package to compile their financial data. DCAA will also discuss its adequacy review process and means of how they select submissions for audit. Why is briefing your contracts so important? Contract briefs are your “One Stop Shop” for all pertinent information, including contract provisions, clauses, requirements, allowability, funding, and so much more! DCAA will discuss the use of contract briefs in audits, reviewing vouchers, and the usefulness of contract brief information while monitoring your contract expenditures.

The National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX) and your local APEX Accelerator are excited to announce the upcoming DCAA Billing Series, including Provisional Billing Rates and Barriers to Payments from a DCAA Perspective. Cost reimbursable contract awards are great for small businesses because of the opportunity for frequent monthly billing. One requirement of cost reimbursable awards and monthly invoicing to the government is the need for Provisional Billing Rates (PBRs). Join experts from DCAA as they define PBRs, their purpose, and the procedures for establishing these rates. Additionally, the DCAA will discuss when PBRs need to be submitted to DCAA for approval, the type of information that should be included in a PBR package, and the importance of monitoring your business’ expenditures throughout the year. Congratulations! You have your first cost reimbursable award! Now what? The DCAA will define what types of contracts are eligible for interim reimbursement, DCAA’s responsibility, and regulatory oversight your company should be familiar with. The DCAA will dive into the preparation of vouchers, the SF 1034, and the DCAA pre-payment assessment. Learn examples of noncompliances DCAA finds when reviewing interim vouchers and how your small business can avoid them. Additionally, the DCAA will provide an overview on how to navigate the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment formerly known as PIEE, the system your business will use to submit interim vouchers.