The McKelvey Group offers a complete training portfolio that provides critical skills for individuals and businesses. Customized and standard courses are available to help you and your business achieve full potential.
We offer both private and public courses, both in-person or virtually. Private courses are designed and tailored for your team, covering the key topics and areas of interest that are important to your company. Public courses are offered to an open audience and cover our standard course agendas. Regardless of which format, all our corporate training courses engage participants in learning real-life best practices, resulting in actual working tools you can apply to your business.
As a NASBA CPE Sponsor, most courses qualify for CPE credit.
The McKelvey Group is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual course for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org
"I have worked in Fed Gov Contracting for over 30 years and have taken many Continuing Ed courses from universities. None bring the insight to Federal Government Contract accounting, proposal pricing, and surviving DCAA audits that The McKelvey Group does. Federal contract accounting is very different from commercial accounting and understanding the constantly changing FAR, DFAR and DCAA regulations is paramount to the success of our company.”
Jacqueline Adams, CFO, Exeter Government Services
“I must say, and will do so simply, the best training I have received in years! I couldn’t stop learning and writing and thinking. I felt everyone in the room was well versed at an equal level that made the course relevant and well worth the time and money.”
Bradford Blevins, President & Sr. Strategy Advisor, gothamCulture LLC
“TMG provided us with highly relevant, professional training to bring our pricing capabilities to a higher level. Our team was engaged throughout the day and able to apply learned principles to our practices! They were incredibly beneficial to our company and provided valuable insights.”
Megan Mattingly, VP Capture & Proposals, 1Source
“At Federal Publications Seminars, it is important for our customers to receive the best industry training available. That is why we have partnered with Matt McKelvey and The McKelvey Group. His experience, teaching style and ability to connect provides our customers with the practical tools, tips and knowledge they can utilize immediately at their organization and throughout their careers.”
Todd Hatherly, Director of Programs & Strategic Relations, Federal Publications Seminars
The Basic Price Proposal (BPP) Workshop is designed to give participants the basic skills necessary to create comprehensive and competitive pricing bids for Government contracts. This is an introductory course which focuses on basic skills and strategies necessary to compete in the government sphere.
Participants in this seminar will discuss all aspects of a response to a Government Request for Proposal (RFP). Hands-on means the participant will review a sample Time and Materials (T&M) RFP, discuss labor rate development, see how to apply indirect rates, review what will go in the narrative, and prepare the audit file.
Most introductory seminars focus solely on the basic structural mechanics of building a price proposal, omitting discussions on important factors that are frequently encountered during the pricing process. This seminar goes beyond the basic pricing steps to give those new to Government pricing a wider understanding of the entire proposal process as well as post award contract performance. Participants who complete the seminar will not only gain the knowledge needed to build basic price models, but also an understanding of some of the critical issues to consider beyond simply responding to the RFP.
Responding to a Government RFP requires a significant amount of time and resources. Even if your company has the best solution for the Government, simple mistakes in pricing a proposal can cost your company the win. Or your company could win the contract, but find after award that it is losing money because of mistakes made in the pricing response. Becoming an expert at responding to Government procurements takes many years. However, this course can give you the foundation to reduce the learning curve dramatically.
The course follows a typical proposal from the moment the Government puts out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to submission, and proceeds to discuss some additional topics after submission. At the completion of the course, participants will gain an understanding of the pricing process and the fundamental skills required to successfully price government proposals. Participants can expect to learn not only the basic procedures, but also some of the common pitfalls encountered during pricing of contracts.
* Course participants can earn credits in Accounting (Govt.), Auditing (Govt.), Business Mgt. and Org., Finance, Management Adv. Services, Specialized Knowledge and Apps fields of study for the BPP Workshop
In this hands-on seminar, participants will actually develop a response to a Government Request for Proposal (RFP). Hands-on means the participant will review a sample Cost-Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) RFP, develop labor rates from multiple sources, incorporate subcontractor proposals, develop indirect rates, create basis of estimates (BOEs), discuss what will go in the narrative, and prepare the audit file. The final product of the course is a completed Government cost model.
Most pricing seminars focus solely on the structural mechanics of building a cost proposal, omitting discussions on important factors that are frequently encountered during the pricing process. This seminar goes beyond these basic pricing steps to give attendees a wider understanding of the entire proposal process as well as post award contract performance. Participants who complete the seminar will not only gain the knowledge needed to build cost models, but also an understanding of some of the critical issues specific to Cost-Plus vehicles.
Responding to a Government RFP requires a significant amount of time and resources. Even if your company has the best solution for the Government, simple mistakes in pricing a proposal can cost your company the win. Or your company could win the contract but find after award that it is losing money because of mistakes made in the pricing response. Becoming an expert at responding to Government procurements takes many years. However, this course can give you the foundation to reduce the learning curve dramatically.
The course follows a typical cost proposal from the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to submission, focusing on the unique aspects of this contract type. In addition, the course provides insight to indirect rate development, subcontractor strategies, and other mid-level analysis.
The two-day workshop will feature a series of lectures, each followed by individual reinforcement exercises. Participants will need to be familiar with Microsoft Word and have a solid base with Microsoft Excel.
* Course participants can earn up to 16 CPE credits in Accounting (Govt.), Auditing (Govt.), Business Mgt. and Org., Finance, Management Adv. Services, Specialized Knowledge and Apps fields of study for the ICPP Workshop.
The Advanced Cost/Price Proposal Strategies Seminar will provide the direct links between cost accounting structure, proposal strategy, and proposal pricing. Learn proposal development techniques and strategies that improve your ability to price to win Government proposals.
If you have the basics of preparing cost/price proposals under your belt and you are ready to develop the skills most cost/price proposal writers develop only through years of hands-on experience, TMG’s Advanced Cost/Price Proposal Strategies Seminar takes you to the next level.
This seminar focuses on providing hands-on experience with those activities designed to improve overall win probability, many of which are completed well before the RFP arrives. The objectives of this seminar, from a Cost/Price perspective, include the following:
This workshop will give you tools and techniques that dramatically improve price proposal quality, integrate the cost/price volume with other volumes, improve overall win probability, and ensure cost management and control during contract performance.
Capture Managers, Business Development Managers, and those involved with B&P activity in an organization are those whose primary responsibility is marketing products or services to the federal government. These individuals are responsible for developing win themes and discriminators and integrating them into a well-crafted proposal that increases overall win probability. As an integral part of this overall effort, the pricing function must support the marketing function and work with these individuals to determine overall pricing strategy. Sr. level pricing experts within an organization must also weigh in on the bid/no bid decision and often times must educate other organizational elements as to why particular strategies may or may not be appropriate in any given circumstance. Protecting the organization from audit or performance risk begins with those assigned the responsibility of pricing proposals. If this is your role in your organization, then this seminar is for you.
This Workshop introduces participants to the critical relationship between cost accounting structure and proposal pricing strategy. It begins with an overview the Cost Accounting Standards, critical Federal Acquisition Regulation concepts, and the DCAA definition of Adequate Accounting Systems for performing federal contracts. With this understanding, participants are able to understand the criticality of integrating cost accounting methodologies with proposal pricing strategies and techniques.
Federal regulations require that contractors maintain consistency between estimating, accumulating, and reporting costs on federal contracts. Further, contractor accounting systems must be deemed adequate by cognizant audit agencies. Therefore, estimating and pricing contract proposals requires that offerors develop costs based upon current accounting practices and cost accounting structure. The workshop gives you insight into cost accounting and pricing strategy best practices that, when coupled with a management proposal and outstanding relevant experience and past performance, will increase overall win probability and help ensure compliance with cost management and control objectives during contract performance.
* Course participants can earn up to 8 CPE credits in Accounting (Govt.), Auditing (Govt.), Business Mgt. and Org., Finance, Management Adv. Services, Specialized Knowledge and Apps fields of study for the ACPP Workshop.
Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Audits are a fact of life for Federal Government contractors. Being prepared in advance of an audit greatly increases the likelihood of a successful audit outcome. This workshop will guide participants through multiple DCAA audits – including pre-award, accounting system, purchasing system, and estimating system.
Creating the systems for your company which will pass DCAA scrutiny requires a full appreciation of the entire audit process. This workshop will provide not only the basic steps required, but also anecdotal examples to help you to be prepared for what to expect.
All Federal Contractors eventually must endure and pass a DCAA audit. Federal RFPs increasingly request/ require a company’s DCAA Audit status, especially for accounting and purchasing systems. No company wants to miss an opportunity to respond to an RFP because they have not passed an audit. And without proper preparation and processes in place, an audit can be disruptive and difficult. This workshop will provide a detailed overview of the entire process, from pre-audit preparation through post-audit initiatives. Participants will learn how to:
* Conference participants can earn up to 8 CPE credits in Accounting (Govt.), Auditing (Govt.), Business Mgt. and Org., Finance, Management Adv. Services, Specialized Knowledge and Apps fields of study for the DCAA Audit Workshop.
Having an accounting system which is compliant with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and DCAA/Cognizant Auditor requirements is an absolute must for every company doing business with the Federal Government. But what if you are a small Government contractor who lacks the Finance/Accounting experience to set up your Accounting System for compliance? This webinar is for you.
This webinar walks through the actual setup of the Chart of Accounts, calculations of indirect rates, development of an Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual, and the preparation for an Accounting System Audit. By the end of this 3.5 hour seminar, you will have the basic structure in place along with the tactical action plan to complete all documentation and preparation.
What used to be a competitive advantage – having an accounting system deemed adequate for Government contracting – is now a basic business requirement. More and more Government Request for Proposals (RFP) are being released with the requirement that contractors have an adequate accounting system BEFORE a proposal is submitted. In addition, Tier I contractors are getting increased pressure from DCAA and Cognizant Audit Agencies to ensure their subcontractors are CAS and FAR compliant. You may soon find that your company is excluded from a key team because of the status of your accounting system.
* Conference participants can earn up to 4 CPE credits in Accounting (Govt.), Auditing (Govt.) fields of study for the DCAA/FAR Compliant Quickbooks Seminar.
An Incurred Cost Submission is required for ALL Federal Government Contractors with at least one of the following:
It does not matter if your company is a Prime contractor or a Subcontractor. It does not matter how small the Contracts/Tasks are. This is an annual requirement. It should be part of your annual accounting close process.
Most contractors find out about Incurred Cost Submissions when their Cognizant Auditor (CA) contacts them asking for status. The CA may ask for information about submissions from five or more years ago. Thus begins a scramble for the contractor to go back in history and handle multiple submissions in a short time frame. Scrambling to complete submissions in a short time frame is a recipe for failure.
This three-hour seminar will help attendees better understand what Incurred Cost Submissions are. Attendees will learn the answers to the following questions:
This hands-on seminar will provide a discussion about the Who, What, Why, and When. But most importantly, attendees will get a walk-through of each component of the submission. This walk-through will provide them with a list of required information, an explanation of what the auditors are looking for, and an appreciation for how to ensure a fully-compliant submission.
* At this time, the Incurred Cost Submissions Seminar does not qualify for CPE Credits
Most pricing courses focus solely on the structural mechanics of building a cost proposal, omitting discussions on important factors that are frequently encountered during the pricing process.
Developing Cost & Price Proposals goes beyond these basic pricing steps to give attendees a wider understanding of the entire proposal process as well as post award contract performance.
Upon completion of the course, attendees will:
Responding to a Government RFP requires a significant amount of time and resources. This course is designed to give participants the foundation necessary to create comprehensive and competitive pricing bids for government contracts. Becoming an expert at responding to government procurements can take many years. This course, however, provides the basis to reduce the learning curve dramatically.
This course is designed for financial and proposal professionals who are looking for an introduction to the process of responding to the Cost/Price requirements in Federal Government Requests for Proposals (RFPs). It is designed to cover the process, information, and skills required to develop these volumes. New Pricers, Contract Managers, Program Managers, and Business Development Professionals will benefit from a greater understanding of the requirements/constraints/opportunities of Cost Volume development.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be taken through the development of a response to an RFP and be able to demonstrate their ability to:
Negotiation skills are an extremely valuable trait to learn in the contracting environment. Whether you support business development, engineering, accounting, pricing, administration or legal, it is important to know how to negotiate and get to a position as a team to win the contract. Negotiations is not just a skill but an asset to understand. It is important to winning the award as such that both sides have a mutual benefit and a good working relationship after the award.
Negotiating Skills for Government Contractors covers the specifics of negotiating contracts and subcontract provisions, prices and claims including:
Participants will learn the when and why to negotiate as well as the basic concepts of negotiations. Participants will also learn what can be negotiated and the key steps to planning – so everyone understands the objectives to the negotiations. We will discuss how to set up role playing and how to prepare for different scenarios during your negotiation process. Also covered will be some of the traps and ‘gotchas’ as well as timing and how that plays a role during the negotiations process.
By the end of this one-day program participants will have a better understanding of the “why,” the “how,” and the “when” of negotiations. Learning objectives include the following:
In addition to our standard course offerings, we provide customized corporate training. Contact us!
has over 25 years of experience in Finance/Accounting, Government Contracting, Business Valuations, Process Optimization, and Training.
has over 20 years of experience in Government Contracting, Proposal Pricing and Cost Volume Development, Budget Analysis, and Management.
has over 40 years of experience in U.S. Government Contractor Costing, Pricing, Finance and Business Management.
has an extensive background in Mergers & Acquisitions, Federal Government Contracts, and Infrastructure Development for growing companies.
