Contract audits

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American Military University *

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415

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Accounting

Date

Apr 3, 2024

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docx

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3

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Joey Grismore Jr November 20, 22 Contract audits DEFM420 I001 Dr. Norton Contract audits are helpful in the pre-, during and post-contract phases for many reasons. Some examples include it protects both parties from unforeseen circumstances, ensures the terms of the contract are fair, verifies the proper documentation is used and accurate as well as reviews the economic position of both parties prior to agreement. Before going into detail, it is important to understand the fundamentals of a contract audit. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) defines a contract audit as a method of evaluating and validating degrees of appropriateness and correctness in the policies, processes and controls of contractors. Another way to describe a contract audit would be a system of checks and balances between contracting parties to ensure quality and accuracy in the methods and documentation used. From these definitions one can conclude that contract audits assist in how business is conducted between parties and is critical if the terms of the contract are to be met. As a contractor, one action that should be completed prior to acquiring any goods is the review of one’s economic position. Similar to how a department store will run a background check which includes a credit inquiry to review if one is financially fit to open a line of credit.
Reviewing and verifying the economic situation of both parties in the pre contract phase is beneficial to avoid unforeseen circumstances. For example, two parties would like to transact business and decide to create a proposal. The proposal is created with terms that satisfy both parties and is reviewed by a contracting authority. The contracting officer performs a contract audit to ensure quality and accuracy of the methods and documentation used. After completing the audit, the contracting officer finds that the contractor is not in an economic position to meet the terms of the proposal. Therefore, the contract is voided until the contractor’s economic position changes, or the terms of the contract must be renegotiated. This illustrates how a contract audit is beneficial in the pre-contract phase. However, consider what could happen if the contract were signed by both parties without having a pre-contract audit. The contractor who is not financially fit to meet the terms of the contract moves forward without understanding the risk. The government expects the contractor to meet the contract terms and has no knowledge of their economic position. As the contractor is completing the contract terms, they realize they will not be able to do so due to financial issues. This puts both parties in a dilemma and would likely cause them to renegotiate the terms of the contractor or void it entirely. Scenarios like these can be avoided by using a contract audit in the pre-contract phase. Karen wants to purchase a new vehicle for the family and decides to plan a trip to the dealership. Her husband Jim goes along with her to provide insight and help choose the best options for the family. They arrive at the dealership, find a nice vehicle for a decent price, and
proceed to finalize the contract. During the contract's signing, Karen decides to have Jim review the document before signing to ensure the details are accurate. Jim notices the purchase price is incorrect and proceeds to the dealer to have the issue resolved. Another reason a contract audit is beneficial is during the contracting process, it verifies the accuracy of the information in the documents used. In the example, Jim is reviewing the contract to verify the information presented is accurate and acceptable. Another way to accomplish this, which proves to be beneficial for both parties, is implementing a contract audit during the contracting process.
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