Dunbar Consulting Inc. (DCI) CEO, Co-Founder and Director Terri Dunbar recently joined government contracting experts for the latest installment of the DCAA Ready webinar series, Bid & Proposal: Building Rates That Win Contracts.

Hosted by WiseCost CEO Alfonso Aguilera, the session brought together Terri, Brian Wendroff, CPA, Managing Partner of Wendroff & Associates, and Paul Calabrese, Principal at GRF CPAs & Advisors and a former senior DCAA auditor, for a practical discussion about building hourly rates that government contractors can compete with, sustain, and support.

Terri brought the business owner and growth perspective to her conversation with Calabrese, focusing on the decisions contractors face when pursuing new work.

“As a business owner, I want to win the work. I want to provide solutions to the clients, but I also need to make sure I can afford to deliver it,” Terri said as she opened the interview.

From there, Terri and Calabrese explored the questions behind the numbers:

• • What does a growing contractor need to have in place before putting a rate on paper?
  • What are you really signing up for when you lower a rate to win a bid?
  • Can a rate become too low to be credible?
  • And what should a business owner check before submitting the next proposal?

The conversation reflects an important reality for government contractors: pursuing new opportunities is only one part of growth. Building a sustainable GovCon business also requires understanding the financial and operational implications of the work you’re pursuing — and making informed decisions before the contract is won.

Watch: Building Rates That Win Contracts

Watch the full DCAA Ready Session 04 below for practical guidance on building hourly rates that are competitive, sustainable, and supportable, including Terri’s conversation with former senior DCAA auditor Paul Calabrese.

Continue Exploring DCAA Readiness and GovCon Pricing

For more practical guidance related to the topics discussed in the session:

• 3 Things to Check Before You Submit Your Next GovCon Bid from WiseCost looks more closely at pre-bid considerations, including current indirect rates, competitive intelligence, and teaming strategy.
• How to Build Government Contract Rates from WiseCost provides a deeper look at the rate-building concepts covered during the webinar.
• Inside a DCAA Audit: What a Former Auditor Says Contractors Should Know from Wendroff & Associates shares additional insights from Paul Calabrese about what government contractors can expect during a DCAA audit and how they can prepare.

Partnering to Support the GovCon Community

Dunbar Consulting Inc. (DCI) is proud to partner with WiseCost, STATION DC (SDC), Wendroff & Associates, and Mission Cultivate on the DCAA Ready series, bringing practical expertise and perspectives from across the GovCon community to help government contractors strengthen their businesses and prepare for sustainable growth.