Blog
The Nitty-Gritty of Microsoft Product Licensing: Business Central, Dynamics 365, and Power BI
Keeping up with Microsoft and their ever-changing licensing and products can get tricky. As a Gold Microsoft partner, it’s our job at XTIVIA to keep up with all things Microsoft. We’re happy to help answer questions that inevitably come up around SQL Server, Dynamics 365, Power BI, and other products on-prem and in the cloud.
The Difference Between FAR and CAS
During a recent webinar on DCAA compliance, one of the attendees asked our team what the difference was between Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS). As we answered the webinar guest's question, we realized that it's a common...
Preparing for Contracting Purchasing System Reviews (CPSR)
When you're preparing for Contract Purchasing System Reviews (CPSR), it's essential to focus your efforts in the right direction. In a previous blog, we talked about the main provisions and CPSR objectives, but in this blog, we'll flush out some best practices for...
Considerations and Resources for Approaching SF 1408
We've mapped out the requirements of SF 1408, and we've distinguished the pre-award survey from other accounting-related reviews, but we'd like to offer some key considerations and resources for navigating SF 1408. There are basic questions to ask to find out where...
Checking In On Contracting Purchasing System Reviews
The requirements for an approved Contractor Purchasing System (CPS) have become increasingly important, with many contractors being the focus of reviews from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). In light of this emphasis, GovCon365 wants to give an overview...
Government Contracting in the Wake of COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the challenges facing government contractors are presenting unique changes in operations. While those changes haven't all looked the same, there are a few commonalities that we've seen from client to client and how they've handled...
Differences Between the SF 1408 Pre-Award Survey and Accounting System Reviews
In a previous blog, we gave an overview of the SF 1408 Pre-Award Survey and offered our opinions on best practices, as well as essential criteria when approaching this survey. One thing we noted was that SF 1408 is not an audit, nor is it an Accounting System Review...
Outlining Criteria for SF 1408
Accounting system standards seem to always bubble up in conversation with government contractors. Whether we're talking about meeting agency regulations, audits, or discussing timekeeping best practices, accounting is at the heart of every government contractor's...
Defining SCA Requirements and Compliance Best Practices
Government contracting is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country; an assortment of laws and acts accompany every single project. An important and frequently misunderstood set of regulations are those laid out by the Service Contract Act (SCA),...
Accounting Challenges Facing Government Contractors – Part 2
In the previous blog, we looked at primary challenges government contractors face when addressing internal accounting requirements and compliance. In Part 2, we want to cover the spectrum of duties for government contracting accounting teams and a few best practices....
Contract Proposal Best Practices
A lot happens between the Request for Proposal (RFP) and the submission of contract proposals. For seasoned government contractors, the process is always time-consuming, complex, and intricate, even more so for companies new to the industry. To help remedy the dense...
Accounting Challenges Facing Government Contractors – Part 1
Business accounting on its own has a variety of complexities, but accounting for government contractors puts a whole new meaning to the role of business accounting. Government contractors are not only under the dominion of regular accounting practices, but their...
DCAA Timekeeping Regulations and Best Practices – Part 2
In Part 1, we discussed the primary rules and regulations for timekeeping compliance. In this portion of the series, we'll be going over written policies and the benefits of opting for an electronic time-tracking system as opposed to timecards. Also, we'll cover the...
Bids Made Easy With Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Government Contractors
Government contractors don't operate their business in the same way that other B2B companies do. Their infrastructure is different, their operations are different, and most importantly, the sales cycle for government contractors are very different from those in more...
DCAA Timekeeping Regulations and Best Practices – Part 1
When it comes to timekeeping, the DCAA doesn't joke around and for good cause. Government contracting is a unique industry in which, at the end of the day, it's the taxpayer's money that goes to these projects. In the government contracting sector, timekeeping has the...
Ten Ways Microsoft Talent Can Benefit Your Business – Part 2
In the previous blog on Talent, we went over the basics of Talent and the benefits of using the Attract feature during the hiring process. In Part 2, we'll be covering numbers 5 through 10 on how Talent can benefit your business — specifically, onboarding and new hire...
Seven Tips to Prepare for Your First DCAA Audit
As a new government contractor, you might be preparing for your first DCAA compliance audit. If so, you're likely getting your various business units to run through programs, recheck financial/accounting software, and make sure everything is prepared for when the...
Ten Ways Microsoft Talent Can Benefit Your Business – Part 1
Since 2002, Microsoft has been developing and improving various business products for enterprise management planning (ERP), an operation of theirs that started when Microsoft acquired the accounting application suite, Navision A/S, and released Axapta 3.0. Over the...