What a week in Tampa! We attended the FedPubs Government Contracts Conference in Tampa this past week. The conference was packed with some amazing presenters and sessions, and it was truly great to see our peers and meet many more! Could we create a full sentence only using acronyms?? PROBABLY!!
The conference offered sessions ranging from the basics of government contracts to Incurred Cost Submissions and everything in between. This year’s hot topic was cybersecurity, specifically NIST 800-171, CMMC, and CUI.
We attended sessions on cybersecurity as well as panels with experts in the industry. Perry Keating and Eric Cruius kept us engaged and energized as they walked through the current lay of the land on the NIST 800-171, FAR and DFAR regulations, and the expectations of CMMC and government contracting, and Randy Armknecht broke down how to follow the bouncing ball of CUI.
We had a great experience attending the Understanding CUI as a Contractor panel featuring Alex Major and Jim Goepel. In the Cybersecurity and CMMC Roundtable panel, experts including Alex Major, Jim Goepel, Bill Walter, Eric Cruius, and Randy Armknecht, with Perry Keating as moderator, addressed our questions and shared their insights on the future of CMMC Level 2 Certificates.
Our team also had the opportunity to participate in the FARs and DFARs workshop led by Mike Killham, an experienced Corporate Counsel. Mike broke down the complexities of FAR and DFAR clauses, explaining their relevance to various contract types, selection of contract vehicles, and practical ways to stay current with evolving regulations. He also shared compelling personal stories from his extensive career—drawing from his time representing the government in claims against contractors, as well as his experience advocating for major Government contractors in cases brought against the government.
Additionally, we attended the Managing Government Contract Audits class, taught by Cyndi Dunn, Senior Director at RSM US LLP. Cyndi provided valuable insights into best practices for navigating the audit process and shared proven strategies for effectively addressing and resolving audit findings.
We are inspired by the strategies we’ve gained from these courses and can’t wait to apply the knowledge we gained to elevate our support and service for our customers!
