Senior Subcontract Cost Analyst
Geosyntec Consultants · Aiken, South Carolina
About the Role
Overview
Longenecker & Associates (L&A), a Geosyntec Company, is a trusted partner enabling critical missions across the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex for more than 35 years. We contribute to DOE’s nuclear security and environmental remediation enterprise by providing the highest-caliber staff and experts. We are seeking a motivated Senior Subcontract Cost Analyst contribute to our mission supporting our work at Savannah River National Lab in Aiken, SC.
Geosyntec is an innovative, international engineering and consulting firm serving private and public-sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Our engineers, scientists, technical and project employees serve our clients from offices across the world. Ranked by ENR as one of the top environmental engineering design firms, Geosyntec is internationally known for its technical leadership, broad experience, and exceptional client service.
We invest in our people. Each employee is unique, and your career at Geosyntec will be too. We offer competitive pay and benefits, and well-being programs to support you and your family.
To Learn More Visit: http://www.geosyntec.com/careers/.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior Subcontract Cost Analyst serves as the technical subject matter expert responsible for conducting comprehensive cost and price analyses on high-dollar, complex, sole-source, and cost-reimbursement subcontracts. This role supports major acquisitions and technology partnerships within the National Laboratory including commercial uranium enrichment, specialized nuclear fuel cycle initiatives, and capital equipment contracts involving specialized suppliers such as domestic and international commercial nuclear fuel and feedstock manufacturing and commercial entities.
The incumbent evaluates proposal basis of estimates (BOEs) and conducts rigorous, element-by-element cost evaluations scrutinizing direct labor, direct materials, subcontracting costs, equipment, and complex indirect rate structures (fringe benefits, overhead, and General & Administrative [G&A] expenses). The position ensures strict adherence to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15, Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) Part 915, FAR Part 31 Cost Principles, and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS).
In-Depth Cost Element Analysis (FAR 15.404-1)
- Direct Labor Evaluation: Analyze proposed labor hours, staffing mix, skill categories, and historical basis of estimates (BOEs). Verify proposed labor rates against payroll records, Forward Pricing Rate Agreements (FPRAs), Department of Labor wage determinations, or independent salary benchmarking databases.
- Material & Equipment Verification: Scrutinize bills of materials (BOMs), commercial quotes, historical purchase orders, scrap/yield factors, and competitive pricing for specialized nuclear, mechanical, and instrumentation components.
- Indirect Rate & Allocation Analysis: Evaluate the composition and mathematical mechanics of proposed indirect expense pools and allocation bases. Audit fringe benefit packages, engineering/manufacturing overhead, material handling pools, and G&A expenses for compliance with FAR 31.203 and CAS 403/410/418.
- Cost Accounting & Unallowable Cost Auditing: Screen proposals to identify and eliminate unallowable costs as defined under FAR 31.205 and DEAR 970.3102 (e.g., promotional marketing, foreign corporate restructuring, unallowable travel, and non-statutory lobbying).
- Profit/Fee Analysis: Calculate structured fee/profit recommendations using the DEAR 915.404-4-70 Weighted Guidelines method for cost-reimbursement and sole-source actions.
- Specialized Multi-Entity & International Cost Scrutiny
- Intercompany & Affiliation Transfers: Examine intra-company transfers and corporate allocation keys between domestic operating entities and overseas parent/sister affiliates to ensure costs reflect actual, allowable, and allocable expenses without duplicative fee layering or pyramiding of overheads.
- Currency & Escalation Analysis: Evaluate multi-year economic price adjustments, inflation escalation indices, and foreign exchange exposure mechanisms in proposals involving foreign-sourced equipment or services.
- Regulatory Compliance & Negotiations Support
- Truth in Negotiations (TINA / Certified Cost or Pricing Data): Determine adequacy of certified cost or pricing data under FAR 15.403-4. Identify defective pricing risks and validate commercial exemptions or waivers where applicable.
- Pre-Negotiation Objectives (PNO): Author comprehensive, defensible Pre-Negotiation Cost Objectives (PNCO) and Price Negotiation Memorandums (PNM) detailing questioned costs, unallowable expenses, and recommended negotiation positions.
- Negotiations Participation: Serve as principal cost advisor alongside the Subcontract Administrator / Contracting Officer during fact-finding sessions, supplier audits, and formal price negotiations with vendor executive management.
- Post-Award Audits & Monitoring: Review and evaluate provisional billing rates, annual incurred cost submissions, change order proposals (Requests for Equitable Adjustment [REAs]), and final subcontract closeout rate reconciliations.
Education and Licensure
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
Skills, Experience and Qualifications
Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications
- Minimum of 8 years of direct federal contract/subcontract cost and price analysis experience (or 6 years with an advanced degree).
- Regulatory Expertise: Demonstrated proficiency in FAR Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation), FAR Part 31 (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures), DEAR Parts 915 and 970, and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS).
- Cost-Reimbursement Proficiency: Deep operational experience evaluating cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF), cost-plus-incentive-fee (CPIF), time-and-materials (T&M), and large sole-source firm-fixed-price (FFP) actions requiring certified cost or pricing data.
- Due to federal contract security requirements, candidates must be able to successfully pass a federal background investigation to secure and maintain DOE Q security clearance if required.
- Due to federal contract security requirements, this position requires U.S. Citizenship.
- Successful candidates will be able to perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation. This job posting reflects management’s assignment of essential functions and the descriptions listed do not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
- Health & Safety training, medical monitoring, and client-driven drug and background testing.
- Please note that marijuana remains a Schedule III controlled substance under Federal Law. Federal contractors must follow Federal drug-free workplace rules, which prohibit marijuana use, even if medical or recreational use is permitted under State Law.
Preferred Qualifications and Location Details
- Nuclear / Lab Experience: Direct prior experience working within the DOE/NNSA National Laboratory complex (M&O contractors), commercial nuclear energy supply chains, or defense prime contractors.
- Audit & Rate Negotiation Background: Prior experience interfacing with or working for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), or DOE Cognizant Audit Authority.
- Certifications: Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst (CCEA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Project Management Professional (PMP).
- Foreign Affiliate Experience: Familiarity with transfer pricing concepts, international commercial accounting alignments (IFRS to U.S. GAAP), and DOE 10 CFR Part 810 / export control cost elements.
As an L&A employee, you will be eligible for a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package including healthcare (medical and dental), 401K plan, and paid time off. We believe in investing in our employees beyond compensation and as an L&A employee, you will have access to in-house training, career pathing, mentoring, award programs, tuition reimbursement and much more.
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