Ten Reasons to Implement a DCAA Compliant ERP Solution for Government Contractors

Page Summary

A DCAA compliant ERP platform like OneLynk™ is designed to revolutionize government contracting operations, offering streamlined workflows, compliance support, and real-time data analytics. It eliminates manual processes, enhances mobility, and provides cost-effective scalability, making it a game-changer for GovCon firms aiming for efficiency, profitability, and competitive pricing.

Government Contracting Market

Government Contracting (GovCon) firms face a common set of challenges. They must implement processes and systems to recruit, manage, support, and retain a top-notch workforce while excelling in financial, operational, contract, program, and project management disciplines as they meet complex regulatory requirements mandated on the contracts that they are awarded. Far too many firms address these challenges by implementing a patchwork of manual processes and point solutions. The widespread use of spreadsheets and stand-alone applications, such as QuickBooks or Paychex, is inadequate as a fully functional business operating platform for GovCon firms. The result is they introduce inefficiencies into the environment which increases indirect costs thereby increasing indirect rates and ultimately end pricing. This inflated price negatively impacts the ability to win new contracts in a low cost technically acceptable (LPTA) competitive environment. To control indirect costs, government contractors require a DCAA compliant ERP platform that provides digital business transactions. They need a platform that empowers their leaders and employees throughout the organization(s) to operate within a framework of integrated digital workflows guided by policies that shape organizational behavior across all business functions. A DCAA compliant ERP platform captures and uses data in near real-time as employees perform daily business operations. Back-office analysis, reporting, and decision-making become routine activities that channel organizational resources and energy toward business objectives. A DCAA compliant ERP platform allows leaders to implement their mandates via collaboration and digital workflows to create a competitive advantage through cost controls while steering the organization to profitability.

OneLynk: The Next Generation GovCon ERP System

Improve visibility and maintain full control with role-based access, org-based workflow, document
management and automated approvals for transactions. OneLynk provides internal control structures and
supporting documents in one place to support auditability and compliance management! 

What makes this possible? The cloud, mobility, digital transactions, automated workflows, document management, and data analytics can be combined within the unique structure of a DCAA compliant ERP platform. The practice of managing by spreadsheets and using disparate applications for accounting, payroll, human resources, and project management inhibits your ability to reduce indirect costs thereby preventing you from creating lower wrap rates required to be competitive. Until recently, only large businesses could afford to invest in a DCAA compliant ERP solution.

With AtWork's OneLynk, it is now possible for GovCon firms to afford a sophisticated SaaS platform that transforms their operations, enables them to scale efficiently, and places them among the most competitive contractors. In the market, OneLynk is a radical departure from the guesswork faced by business leaders who worry about the profitability of their pricing, their compliance with laws and regulations, their ability to deliver, and the impact of market changes on their business.

OneLynk is a DCAA compliant ERP solution developed from the ground up as a multi-tenant SaaS platform for GovCon firms. It provides a comprehensive suite of integrated tools that streamline "back office" functions performed by all government contractors. These include accounting, workforce management, timekeeping, expense management, procurement, order management, contract and project management, and business analytics. A flexible subscription model allows organizations to pay for what they need when they need it. OneLynk's key differentiator is leveraging the SaaS platform to allow GovCon firms to significantly reduce the effort and time required to achieve DCAA compliance, CMMC, and ISO certification.

Do you need a DCAA compliant ERP? As GovCon firms your success will center around two things: (1) winning more contracts, and (2) building capabilities to deliver on your promises. Maintaining competitive pricing and indirect rates are significant factors in accomplishing these major objectives. OneLynk allows growing GovCon firms the opportunity to make modest investments by implementing a comprehensive back-office system rather than hiring more back-office staff. OneLynk generates the positive result loop of less hiring, more automation, less manual administration, and more customer-facing productivity. This results in efficient growth and increased profitability powered by an ERP system with extensive data analytics capabilities.

Why OneLynk - Ten Reasons? OneLynk has all the features available in a DCAA compliant ERP solution such as workflow, collaboration, document management, security and compliance capabilities, and business analytics all combined with a suite of business applications to provide essential "back office" functions. It was built using a mobile-first strategy requiring only a browser to access the platform. The pricing model provides GovCon firms of all sizes a very affordable on-ramp. Here are ten reasons why OneLynk offers all the benefits of a DCAA compliant ERP platform.

1. OneLynk offers a compelling ROI of less than one year!

Digital transactions, powerful data validation, streamlined onboarding processes, and automated approvals will improve your operations, resulting in a quick payback on your investment in less than one year. 20+ integrated user-friendly modules provide an affordable and comprehensive suite of business applications for government contractors. We call this just-in-time technology!

2. OneLynk was built specifically to address the unique needs of government contractors & compliance (DCAA, CMMC, and ISO)

Our proprietary rate models and "smartsheetz" accelerate your DCAA-compliant accounting system setup via a loaded chart of accounts following the ICE model and cost segregation while also building your indirect cost pools. OneLynk automatically generates standard government invoices, calculates indirect rates, and guides your organization into DCAA and FAR compliance. Built-in security controls to support CMMC/800-171 compliance. The automated e2e workflows support ISO and CMMI certifications. OneLynk was built by government contractors for government contractors.

3. OneLynk digitizes your business and makes it leaner ... eliminating costly manual processes

OneLynk provides a digital roadmap putting your entire enterprise at your fingertips! Digital transactions, workflow, and document management integrated with powerful reports help you run your business better by giving you the insight needed to make informed decisions, stay on top of contract performance, and make sure things are running smoothly.

4. OneLynk was built using a "mobile first" strategy allowing access using Desktop, Mobile, Tablet, or Laptop and helping you stay connected from anywhere any time.

You just need a Browser to stay on top of contract and project performance or operations and make sure things are running smoothly with full access to your data, in real-time, from anywhere. No need for expensive business continuity or disaster recovery solution ... we got you covered.

5. OneLynk is a Single Source of Truth ... Eliminating expensive spreadsheets.

Always have the most up-to-date, accurate data with real-time access to your contracts & projects so you can be sure everyone in your organization is on the same page. Secure access to the documents you need is at your fingertips. Save time analyzing performance by viewing your job cost using BID, ACTUAL, TARGET, and FORECAST indirect rates.

6. OneLynk is Flexible & Scalable

OneLynk supports businesses of all sizes, whether you are just subcontracting, winning your first contract, or already a large-scale enterprise with multiple contracts. You buy the modules you need to support your operations. Pay only for what you need now, and simply add users or functionality as you grow for seamless scalability.

7. OneLynk offers Powerful and Insightful Reporting

Gain actionable insights from dashboards and reports that can cover multiyear contracts, multiple periods, the entire enterprise, or drill down to the finest detail. Report on direct and indirect project costs, and project profitability in real-time.

8. OneLynk is a Secure, SaaS Solution, hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Trust that your data is secure and access it anytime, anywhere. Our SaaS solution is hosted at AWS providing FedRamp Moderate controls. Powerful role-based access allows users to define access based on where the user resides in the organization as well as their role. Users can collaborate in real time from any browser on desktop or mobile devices.

9. Any OneLynk Support request is answered within 24 hours

Our managed services team is here for you and offers training and support whenever you need it. We walk you through setup and implementation to make sure your organization gets the most out of OneLynk right from the start. You'll have access to an extensive library of online documentation including over 25 hours of online videos that provide step-by-step "how-to" instructions.

10. OneLynk offers Increased Transparency

Access all the transaction and operational details of your organization with executive dashboards to gain better insight into financial, people, project, and purchasing processes. Utilize overview reports or drill down to the smallest detail, following audit trails with the date and username-stamped notes.

Learn More About AtWork Systems

AtWork Systems' OneLynk platform, provides an integrated suite of tools that you need to address the accounting and project management requirements for managing government grants and contracts. As the GovCon industry's most DCAA compliant ERP system, OneLynk, was built from the ground up to support project accounting and the ICE Model. GovCon firms of all sizes and maturity levels have adopted OneLynk for managing their workforce, finances, payroll, contract and project management, business intelligence, and more. OneLynk is purpose-built for compliance, supporting ISO, CMMC, CMMI, and other requirements that contractors must follow in addition to DCAA. No matter how mature your operating model is, OneLynk provides you with everything you need to run a profitable and growing GovCon business.

OneLynk provides information that contractors need to prepare accurate and timely job cost reports as well as the incurred cost submissions (ICS). The integrated project and general ledger generate the list of required schedules for the ICS using data directly from the accounting system. Both the general ledger and project ledger have been optimized to support the project accounting and the ICS submission.

A more complete explanation of the accounting requirements can be found in: Basics of Indirect Rates - How to Calculate Them.