2024 Government Contractors Conference

Vitaliy Dukhnych

FINANCIAL LIAISON ADVISOR

Instructor Name, Organization: Vitaliy Dukhnych, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Financial Liaison Advisor (FLA)

Brief Bio: Mr. Vitaliy Dukhnych is the Operations Audit Liaison Financial Liaison Advisor for DCAA, headquartered at Fort Belvoir, VA. Mr. Dukhnych has been with the agency since 2018 and currently acts as the agency’s financial liaison, offering education, guidance and support to buying command in the Department of Defense.

Mr. Dukhnych graduated from City University of New York – College of Staten Island with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Finance and Economics

Steven L. Shamlian 

Steve Shamlian is the founder of Government Contract Compliance Management, LLC, a firm dedicated to providing high-level Government contract accounting and pricing services to mid-market and emerging Government contractors. Steve has over 30 years of experience serving Government contractors of all sizes, in a wide variety of industries. Steve ‘s experience has come from his work in Government (DCAA), industry and consulting. 

Steve Shamlian’s experience has shown him that small and mid-market government contractors need high quality compliance function services that are cost-effective for their operations. Government Contract Compliance Management, LLC was created to provide cost effective contract compliance internal controls and DCAA audit support to these organizations on a out-sourced or project basis. 

Steve Shamlian’s experience includes providing government contract compliance services for these and other industries: 

• Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing and Services 

• Engineering and Construction 

• Nuclear Power and Environmental Remediation 

• Vaccine Production 

• IT Services 

• Foreign Aid •

 Contingency Operation Support 

Government Contract Complinace Management, LLC provides the following types of services:

 • Compliance Function Outsourcing 

• Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Audit Preparation and Support 

• Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Compliance, Disclosure Statement Preparation and Maintenance, Cost Impacts 

• Management System Documentation and Assessment 

• Design and Support of Complex Government Cost Accounting Systems 

• Cost Allocation Consulting

 • Cost Allowability (FAR Part 31) 

• Internal Controls System Design and Assessment 

• Contract Compliance 

• Ethics and Business Conduct 

• Internal Auditing and Investigations 

• Employee Training 

• Truth In Negotiations Act (TINA) Compliance and Pricing Support 

• Termination Submissions 

Paul H. Calabrese

Biography

As a Principal in the firm’s Outsourced Accounting & Advisory Services group, Mr. Calabrese brings a successful track record of working with both nonprofit organizations and government contractors.

Mr. Calabrese has hands-on experience with the Uniform Guidance for Federal grants recipients including nonprofits, universities, hospitals, and state/local/tribal units of governments. His background and skill-set includes grant cost accounting, sub-recipient monitoring, preparation of over 100 indirect rates/NICRA for several Federal agencies, development of policies and procedures, medical management systems invoicing to state Medicaid agencies, and development of a toolkit for unit cost rates for Ryan White HIV AIDS HRSA awards. He has also developed grant and financial statement dashboards and performed outsourced CFO duties, annual budgets, cash flow projections, grant draws and budget monitoring.

His remarkable career includes positions with the Air Force Audit Agency, Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), and three government contractors, in addition to 20+ years in public accounting. Mr. Calabrese’s extensive experience with the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and CAS disclosure statements, Federal Acquisition Regulation Cost Principals (FAR), and the Uniform Guidance for federal grants, positions him as a sought-after resource and consultant for all facets of federal government contract and grant cost accounting.

Mr. Calabrese has prepared over 40 incurred cost submissions for DOD and USAID. He has also provided indirect rate development, advance agreements, forward pricing reviews, fixed price, T&M and CPFF/CPAF/CPIF cost proposals, defective pricing, billing systems, contract close-outs, compensation, contract brief preparation, voucher reviews, provisional billing rates, SF 1408 audits and prep,  and preparation and reviews of DOD business systems for Accounting, Estimating, and Contractor Purchasing System Reviews. His experience also includes interfacing with DCAA and USAID with respect to audit resolution of questioned cost and findings. Paul has worked with law firms and litigation support on contract Request for Equitable Adjustments, Termination for Convenience, Delay Claims on the Quantum portion of the Settlement Proposal.

Mr. Calabrese is a prolific speaker on Uniform Guidance topics, making frequent presentations at seminars and conferences for GWSCPA, MACPA, IMA, NGMA as well as video webinars for BPN-ACPEN and webinars for GRF. Topics include indirect cost and rates per the UG, indirect rate development, pre- and post-award standards, overview of the 55 cost principals, time reporting, developing unit cost rates R/W, sub-recipient monitoring, building a nonprofit annual budget, procurement standards, annual budgeting and dashboards, grant budgets and monitoring, and Government Shutdown/Anti-Deficiency Act.

Education and Certifications

• B.S. in Business Administration (concentration in Accounting), George Mason University

Professional Affiliations

• Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
• Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA)
• Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA), Fellow and Past Chair,  Not For Profit Committee
• National Grants Management Association (NGMA)

Cy leads PilieroMazza‘s Government Contracts Group, serving as Chair of the

Firm’s largest practice group. He counsels clients on a broad range of

government contracting matters before government agencies and federal

courts, which includes overall regulatory compliance with the Small Business

Administration’s (SBA) small business programs. Cy represents small and

mid-sized government contractors looking to structure compliant teaming, joint

venture, and mentor-protégé agreements. He also handles the prosecution

and defense of small-business size and status protests; appeals before the

SBA and the Office of Hearings and Appeals; as well as bid protests before

the Government Accountability Office, the Court of Federal Claims, and the

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Cy’s work for federal contractors includes the preparation, negotiation, and

prosecution of Contract Dispute Act claims, requests for equitable adjustment,

termination for convenience settlements, and defense of suspensions and

debarments. He also works with clients on the preparation of Organizational

Conflict of Interest (OCI) mitigation plans and related OCI concerns, as well as

intellectual property licensing, copyright, and data rights issues under the

Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation

Supplement.

Working closely with PilieroMazza’s Business & Transactions Group, Cy

assists federal contractors to structure mergers and acquisitions, corporate

restructurings, and partner buyouts to ensure these transactions meet the

client’s objectives and are compliant with federal procurement laws and

regulations. Transactions typically range from small transactions to single

acquisitions valued at $100 Million.

Cy also counsels clients on certain International Traffic in Arms Regulations

compliance issues and the preparation of technical assistance agreements

and/or manufacturing licensing agreements for the export of defense articles

and data.

Susanna Chon, CPA, CFE

Biography

With 15 years of professional experience, Ms. Chon specializes in providing review and audit services for small to mid-market government contractors. Her clients provide various goods and services to the government including (but not limited to) software development, environmental assessment and remediation services, deployment of large-scale enterprise applications, biotechnology production and manufacturing services, and other various consulting services to the U.S. government and its agencies.

Ms. Chon manages engagements from planning through quality control review while managing project deadlines and budgets. Her in-depth knowledge of client business processes and transactions combined with her expertise in auditing standards and techniques, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and her familiarity with various accounting reports (mostly commonly QuickBooks, Unanet, Deltek Costpoint, and JAMIS), allow Ms. Chon to expertly design and execute audit engagement plans. In addition to managing client engagements, she regularly presents results and findings to management and the Board of Directors, including best practices and recommendations for improvement.

Education and Certifications

B.S. in Accounting, University of Maryland, College Park

Professional Affiliations

• The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
• Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA)
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• Asian American Youth Leadership Empowerment and Development, Board Member

Melissa Musser, CPA, CIA, CITP, CISA

Biography

Ms. Musser is a recognized authority in the field of risk advisory services. She leads GRF’s dynamic risk advisory department, ensuring clients receive strategic guidance and tailored solutions to effectively identifying opportunities and manage risks. Her expertise encompasses establishing and maintaining Internal Audit Departments, optimizing internal controls, strategic planning, compliance, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), and cybersecurity programs.

Ms. Musser is a highly sought-after public speaker, sharing her insights and knowledge on enterprise risk management, internal audit, cybersecurity, and governance at various industry conferences and events. Her engaging presentations and ability to simplify complex concepts have made her a trusted resource for professionals seeking guidance on risk-related matters.

She is a distinguished recipient of the 2018 AICPA Information Management and Technology Assurance (IMTA) Standing Ovation award. She was also recognized as an Excellence in Innovation award honoree in Consulting® Magazine’s 2022 Women Leaders in Technology awards. She recently served as the president of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Additionally, Melissa is the founding partner of the NC State ERM Initiative’s Annual Events focused on Enterprise Risk Management for Nonprofit Organizations.

Ms. Musser brings a diverse range of experience, including public accounting and internal audit management roles for global SEC companies and academia. Throughout her career, Ms. Musser has successfully guided numerous organizations in strengthening their organizational posture. Her commitment to staying ahead of emerging trends and technologies ensures that clients receive cutting-edge solutions tailored to their needs.

Ms. Musser is a proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and has a passion for being of service to the Deaf and Nonprofit community at large. Ms. Musser has sat on numerous nonprofit boards throughout her career and actively volunteers.

Education and Certifications

• B.S. in Professional Accounting, University of Akron
• B.S. in  Accounting Information Systems, University of Akron
• Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Certificate, University of Akron
• Fundamentals of ESG Certificate, AICPA
• Licensed CPA in Maryland
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
• Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

Professional Affiliations

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), CITP Task Force
• Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA)
• Information System Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
• Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Washington, DC Chapter, Board of Directors, Immediate Past President, and Past Vice President of Programming

Tom Daley focuses his practice on assisting companies who do business with federal, state, and local governments with litigation matters, investigations, environmental matters, grants, and regulatory counselling and compliance issues.

Tom has successfully litigated bid protests before the US Court of Federal Claims and US Government Accountability Office, as well as size protests before the Small Business Administration and Office of Hearings and Appeals.  Tom also represents contractors in contract administration matters and with claims under the Contract Disputes Act.

Tom assists clients in internal investigations, investigations brought by Inspectors General, and Department of Justice investigations.  His work often includes issues involving procurement fraud or misconduct, and he has worked closely with government contractors on actions brought under the False Claims Act.

Tom also advises clients on emerging requirements relating to climate change and sustainable procurement that are becoming increasingly common in the federal procurement process.  He has counseled clients regarding disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions and federal purchasing policies relating to sustainable products and services.

Additionally, Tom helps clients pursue federal funding and grant opportunities related to the clean energy transition, including grants funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (e.g., the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund). He works with clients on, among other things, a range of compliance-related issues that arise during performance of grants, including domestic content requirements (e.g., Build America, Buy America).

Tom is a widely published author who regularly writes and speaks about complex issues within the government contracts field, including bid protests, the False Claims Act, and sustainable procurement matters. His works have been published in leading government contracts publications, including the Public Contract Law Journal, Law360, PubK, and The Procurement Lawyer.

Donald Tomoff, CPA, MBA

Don is the founder of Invenio Advisors LLC, a consulting firm specializing in information management, process improvement, reporting and data analysis, as well as education and training. Don’s experience includes “Big 4” public accounting, senior-level industry finance positions, and consulting. Don’s industry experience includes serving eight years with Jo-Ann Stores as VP, Finance and Treasurer.

Since 2010, Don has focused his efforts with executives and companies on many digital process improvement, data analytics and training initiatives, including developing and implementing mobile information strategies. His efforts are focused on the identification of process improvement opportunities, and leveraging readily available technology tools to drive that change. In addition to consulting, Don speaks at various conferences, including the IMA National Conference in Indianapolis, IN.

For a sample of Don’s instructor style, please see his video on Generative AI and ChatGPT.

Donald Tomoff, CPA, MBA

Don is the founder of Invenio Advisors LLC, a consulting firm specializing in information management, process improvement, reporting and data analysis, as well as education and training. Don’s experience includes “Big 4” public accounting, senior-level industry finance positions, and consulting. Don’s industry experience includes serving eight years with Jo-Ann Stores as VP, Finance and Treasurer.

Since 2010, Don has focused his efforts with executives and companies on many digital process improvement, data analytics and training initiatives, including developing and implementing mobile information strategies. His efforts are focused on the identification of process improvement opportunities, and leveraging readily available technology tools to drive that change. In addition to consulting, Don speaks at various conferences, including the IMA National Conference in Indianapolis, IN.

For a sample of Don’s instructor style, please see his video on Generative AI and ChatGPT.

Azunna Anyanwu is an award winning Technology Executive, Servant Leader, and Problem Solver. He is a trusted advisor who provides strategic technology leadership to organizations and corporate boards.

Azunna has 20+ years of experience across IT operations, cyber security, and business (digital) transformation activities. His domain expertise includes systems implementation/integration, project management, technology strategy, solution architecture, and cyber security.

Azunna leverages agile principles and practices to:

• Get to the heart of client business challenges and deliver solutions that address those challenges.
• Manage, develop and mentor people and teams using a servant leader approach.

Azunna most recently served as the Chief Information Officer at Aprio (by way of merger with Aronson LLC), a Top 25 provider of assurance, tax, and consulting services based in Atlanta, GA. Azunna led Aronson to receive it’s first Accounting Today Best Firms for Technology award in 2021. He has also received industry awards including the 2022 AOTMP IT Management Professional of the Year. His prior roles include serving as the IT Director at Capgemini Government Solutions, Solution Principal at Slalom, and Specialist Leader at Deloitte Consulting.

Azunna is an accomplished writer and blogger whose writings have appeared in digital and print magazines (e.g. Wall Street Journal, CIOReview and CIOApplications). He has also contributed to industry publications such as ACT-IAC. He is an avid blogger on the topics of IT service management, IT operations, cybersecurity, agile project management and business (digital) transformation.

Azunna is a Certified Project Manager (PMP) and Agile Practitioner (PMI-ACP, CSM, CSP, SAFe Program Consultant) who has successfully excelled in various technical roles such as Developer, Development/Technical Lead, Technical/Solution architect, Project Manager, and Agile SME/Coach/Trainer among others. He is a graduate of Harvard College (BA) and John’s Hopkins University (MS) with degrees in computer science and the Quantic School of Business and Technology with an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree.