CPARS Made Simple: Improve Your Government Contract Performance


Before you start your next government contract, you should acquaint yourself with the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System or CPARS. To get started, let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions.

CPARS is a web-enabled application that collects and manages the library of automated Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs). A CPAR assesses a contractor’s performance and provides a record, both positive and negative, on a given contractor during a specific period of time.

white puzzle with one piece out of the puzzle that is labeled "contract". Where that piece fits is a red background with the word "evaluation". The puzzle pieces labeled "Contract" and "Evaluation" visually represent the concept of piecing together contract performance assessments, which aligns well with the theme of CPARS and its importance in government contracting.

Each assessment is based on objective facts and is supported by program and contract management data, such as cost performance reports, customer comments, quality reviews, technical interchange meetings, financial solvency assessments, construction or production management reviews, contractor operations reviews, functional performance evaluations, and earned contract incentives. CPARS is for unclassified use only.

Sometimes it feels like the CPARS reports are based on what is happening on the project at a given moment instead of throughout the entire year. In fact, it often looks like the reports are influenced by the government official’s mood. So what happens then? You may want to present a draft CPAR in advance that highlights all of the company’s accomplishments over the past year. This will set expectations for the assessment that the government will prepare. It will also make official’s job easier.

If the contract or order is above the simplified acquisition threshold, which is established at $300,000 for services or work performed inside the United States or $1 million for work outside the United States, your company will receive a CPAR. A professional can help you better understand the few exemptions. But these evaluations are issued at least annually and contractors will receive a CPARS-generated notification when their report is available for review and ready for comments.

CPARS can be a complicated system to understand, so it’s helpful to have an expert in your corner. To learn more about the system and the process, contact us today.

We welcome the opportunity to put our accounting expertise to work for you. To learn more about how our firm can help advance your success, don’t hesitate to contact Kathy Corcoran at (302) 254-8240.

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