Fed Talks is a series of audio episodes featuring current issues in government contracting, offering thoughtful, bite-sized insights with rotating guests from inside and outside Baker Tilly.

On the fourth installment of our Fed Talks miniseries edition: Beers with Brent, we discuss Independent Public Accountants (IPAs) with Baker Tilly partner Brent Calhoon and special guest Nicole Owren-Wiest, a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP. Questions addressed include:

• What are IPAs and how are they utilized in the government contractor space?
• How have government contractors reacted to the use of IPAs?
• How do we expect IPAs to be utilized more going forward?

This Week’s Beer: Loose Cannon IPA

Connect with us to hear more from our Government Contractor Advisory Team.

About the Host

Derek Boyd, CPA, Director

Derek consults with numerous government contractors to design and build compliant cost accounting and business systems in accordance with FAR, CAS, and DFARS requirements and industry best practices. Derek has supported contractors in both a consultative and internal capacity for over a dozen years, working directly with contractors and their government stakeholders.

About the Guests

Brent Calhoon, CPA, Partner

Brent specializes in the complexities and nuances of the Cost Accounting Standards, FAR Part 31 and 2 CFR 200 Cost Principles, the Truth in Negotiations Act, contract terminations, Requests for Equitable Adjustments, Claims, and contractor business systems.  Brent works with his clients to avoid or address DCAA audit findings and negotiate reasonable resolutions or settlements.  He also works with outside counsel to investigate and resolve allegations of wrongdoing arising under the False Claims Act.

Nicole Owren-Wiest, Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP

Nicole advises contractors of all sizes across numerous industry segments, including many of the top defense government contractors. Nicole has extensive experience helping companies navigate the government's complex cost and pricing rules—including the FAR Part 31 cost principles, the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), commercial item and pricing rules, and Truthful Cost or Pricing Data (f/k/a TINA) requirements—and assisting clients to mitigate compliance risk by working with them to develop strategies, policies, procedures, systems, and internal controls to comply with these special rules.

About the Producer

Andrew Graziano, Senior Consultant

Andrew has been with Baker Tilly for over 2 years and has spent that time working with government contractors on a wide variety of compliance matters.  In particular, Andrew has experience with incurred cost proposals, indirect rate modeling, price proposal preparation, cost impact analysis, and commercial sales practice disclosures. In his spare time, he produces and edits this Fed Talks podcast.

Music Credit
Artist: Chael
Song: Sparks
https://www.free-stock-music.com/artist.chael.html

Next Episode -- CMMC: Will Perfection be the Enemy of Procurement?