For Federal Government Contractors and Recipients, navigating the complexities of government contracts, grants and cooperative agreements requires a specialized understanding of the regulations. Small businesses and organizations new to the business can also face budgetary constraints or competing priorities that do not allow them to hire full-time in-house compliance experts or contract specialists. We understand that a company’s technical focus is paramount, but this does not mean that compliance requirements should be overlooked. Thankfully, Akiri is ready to handle your compliance concerns for you, without imposing a hindrance to technical activities.

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Our team possesses deep experience in this arena, including fluency in the myriad regulations from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and its supplements (DFARs, DOSAR, etc.) and the 2 CFR 200 and agency supplements. Our team has managed a variety of mechanisms including firm-fixed-price (FFP), Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Cost-Plus-Award-Fee (CPAF), Time-and-Materials (T&M), as well as Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA), Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts (IDIQ), and grants and cooperative agreements. We have worked with for-profits, non-profits, small businesses, and international firms.

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Compliance is Akiri’s bread and butter, and is the foundation on which the company was founded. Our founder boasts 20+ years handling tricky compliance issues for dozens of federal government contractors, recipients, subcontractors and subrecipients, and our team members all have 10+ years of experience. We welcome the unique challenge that each issue presents.

 

Our goal is to find ways to say “yes” to your project’s aspirations as much as possible, to find creative and outside-the-box solutions to project issues, and to ensure project operations do not stall. No two compliance issues are the same, and we approach each issue with nuance, insight, and discernment to offer a bespoke solution to your compliance needs.

 

We are proud to say that our compliance services are unmatched in the federal government space, and our customers happily return year after year.

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Curious to learn how we can support your compliance needs? Take our Prospective Client Questionnaire and we will devise a plan that works for you.

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Contracts and Grants Compliance FAQS

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Q: When should a small business hire an external FAR compliance consultant?

A: Most firms seek external support during four critical inflection points:

1. Just Starting Out: When you are trying to break into government contracts, you will need someone who knows the regulations and who can advise you what to do to make sure your organization is operationally and financially prepared to compete, win, and manage a contract.

2. The Move to Cost-Plus: When transitioning from Fixed-Price to Cost-Reimbursement contracts, which requires a DCAA-compliant accounting system.

3. The "Surge" Phase: When a company wins multiple awards or a large IDIQ and their internal staff is overwhelmed.

4. Audit Readiness: Prior to a formal DCAA or agency audit, a consultant can perform a "mock audit" to identify and fix gaps in timekeeping, indirect rate pools, or labor charging.

 

Q: Can Akiri Consulting act as a fractional "In-House" Compliance Officer?

A: Yes! We specialize in providing senior-level compliance and pricing expertise on a fractional basis. This allows growing contractors to access high-level strategy, such as NICRA negotiations or subcontractor management, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive hire, ensuring your overhead remains competitive while your compliance is bulletproof.

 

Q: How do you support Prime contractors in managing their subcontractors' compliance?

A: Prime contractors are legally responsible for their "lower-tier" partners. Akiri helps Primes develop robust Subcontractor Management Plans, ensures proper flow-down of FAR clauses, and conducts risk assessments of subcontractors to prevent non-compliance issues that could jeopardize the Prime’s standing with the government.

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Q: When is a "Single Audit" required under 2 CFR 200, and how should we prepare?

A: A Single Audit (formerly the A-133 audit) is required for any non-federal entity that expends $1,000,000 or more in federal awards during its fiscal year. Preparation should begin months in advance by ensuring your Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) is accurate, your internal controls are documented, and your general ledger clearly segregates federal funds from other revenue. Akiri provides "mock audits" to identify and remediate gaps before your formal CPA firm arrives.

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Q: What are the biggest risks of non-compliance with the 2024 Uniform Guidance updates?

A: The 2024 revisions to 2 CFR 200 introduced a number of changes, including but not limited to higher thresholds for equipment (from $5,000 to $10,000) and the de minimis indirect rate (from 10% to 15%), and increased focus on risk-based subrecipient monitoring and cybersecurity requirements. Failing to update your written policies or neglecting to conduct a formal risk assessment for your subrecipients can lead to significant audit findings, questioned costs, and potential repayment of funds.

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Q: Can we use a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) for both grants and contracts?

A: Generally, yes. A NICRA established with your "Cognizant Agency" (such as USAID, HHS, or the Dept. of Labor) is designed to be used across all federal awards. However, navigating the differences between FAR Part 31 (for contracts) and 2 CFR 200 Subpart E (for grants) during the rate negotiation process is complex. Akiri helps organizations structure their indirect cost pools to be compliant with both, maximizing cost recovery while maintaining audit readiness.

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Q: How do you support international NGOs with USAID and State Department grant compliance?

A: International partners often struggle with the "Standard Provisions" that flow down from USAID and the Department of State. We assist these organizations in establishing compliant financial systems, drafting local procurement and subrecipient manuals that meet U.S. standards, and navigating the complexities of "Source and Nationality" to ensure all project-related purchases are allowable and authorized.

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