DCAA Timesheets | What You Need to Know

When it comes to submitting paperwork and proposals for federal contracts, there are many obstacles to overcome and requirements to follow. One of the most intense requirements is DCAA timesheets, which take up three pages in the DCAA manual. Do you know what’s required?

The Importance of Timekeeping

Why is timekeeping so important to the DCAA? It’s primarily because there is no outside documentation for a system of checks and balances. Each individual employee has oversight for his or her own DCAA timesheets. So the DCAA has set up some strict guidelines:

• Segregation of roles. The tasks of timekeeping and payroll accounting should be separated.
• Employees must be consistently made aware of DCAA timesheet controls. This can occur through training, meetings, and signage.
• The company should have guidelines as they relate to timekeeping. They should be outlined in a manual and clearly state that the employee is responsible for recording time worked and assign those hours to specific projects as appropriate.
• All hours worked should be recorded, even if they were unpaid hours. This creates more accurate records for labor rate computations.

Supervisors cannot record employees’ hours—unless they are out of work for a prolonged amount of time. To provide compliant DCAA timesheets, the company must convey to employees that it is their responsibility to complete their own timesheets.

You DCAA Timesheets Will Be Checked

It should be noted that DCAA auditors periodically perform onsite inspections of work areas and interview employees. They do this to track the validity of DCAA timesheets. If discrepancies are spotted, it could mean more than just losing the contract. Manipulated DCAA timesheets may result in criminal charges being filed. These charges may be against the employee, the supervisor, the managers, and the company.

As you can see, correctly tracked DCAA timesheets are an extremely important component of the DCAA contract-approval process. If you are unsure about what to do, Techeon will work with you to choose an appropriate timekeeping system to help your company remain compliant. Contact us to learn more.