Center for Government Contracting to conduct four finance research studies

George Mason University's Center for Government Contracting is set to conduct four studies related to the Pentagon's effort to evaluate finance and pricing.

George Mason was one of three universities awarded blanket purchase agreements late last year for studies of this issue. The Pentagon's focus on assessing contract finance and pricing follows its withdrawal in 2018 of a controversial proposal to reduce contractor progress payments.

The Center for Government Contracting said today it was awarded more than $1 million for the studies.

"Mason will examine free cash flow in the defense sector, the impact of cash flow by contract type and financing, financing and its impact on small businesses, and government accounting system requirements as a barrier to the commercial sector’s willingness to do business with the Federal Government," the center said. "These studies will contribute to the first comprehensive analysis of the department's finance policies in over thirty years."

The research is set to begin this month and last a total of eight months.