In regards to accounting systems for government contractors please note the following. Deltek GCS or Essentials is no. 1 in my opinion, provided the contractor can afford it and can handle the back office support required. At a minimum an experienced Controller is required. JAMIS is a close second. Both are excellent integrated solutions for government contractors.
A very viable alternative for small business is Procas. I tested it and like it for small business with some accounting resources. Procas is a very good intermediate step for those that cannot afford Deltek. It offers remote capabilities that are lacking in most Quick Books options. It also offers integration that is lacking in Quickbooks . Procas offers the ability to meet government contract accounting system requirements.
For very small business, Quick Books Premier or Enterprise is a common approach. To be compliant, at a minimum, a compliant timekeeping system or approach is needed on the front end. Compliant timekeeping systems include GHG, Spring Ahead, EFAACT, Replicon, Unanet, etc. QuickBooks is a decent accounting system processor. To be compliant and to pass DCAA accounting system audits, an application will need to be added on the back end. Preferable applications include ICAT, Govcon, EFAACT and GovCalc. Manual options for DCAA cost reporting are a last resort and time intensive. I don’t recommend this option as DCAA acceptance is not guaranteed. This acceptance varies from auditor to auditor.
I have reviewed or used all the systems mentioned.
No matter what system is used, adequate policies and procedures is a must. Second, employees must be properly trained on government accounting requirements to succeed. It goes without saying, that success requires proper system set up, policies and procedures and training.
If you have questions about accounting system selection for government contractors please contact me.