[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 48, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 48CFR232.072-3]

[Page 271]
 
            TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
 
                    CHAPTER 2--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
 
PART 232--CONTRACT FINANCING--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 232.072-3  Cash flow forecasts.

    (a) A contractor must be able to sustain a sufficient cash flow to 
perform the contract. When there is doubt regarding the sufficiency of a 
contractor's cash flow, the contracting officer should require the 
contractor to submit a cash flow forecast covering the duration of the 
contract.
    (b) A contractor's inability of refusal to prepare and provide cash 
flow forecasts or to reconcile actual cash flow with previous forecasts 
is a strong indicator of serious managerial deficiencies or potential 
contract cost or performance problems.
    (c) Single or one-time cash flow forecasts are of limited 
forecasting power. As such, they should be limited to preaward survey 
situations. Reliability of cash flow forecasts can be established only 
by comparing a series of previous actual cash flows with the 
corresponding forecasts and examining the causes of any differences.
    (d) Cash flow forecasts must--
    (1) Show the origin and use of all material amounts of cash within 
the entire business unit responsible for contract performance, period by 
period, for the length of the contract (or until the risk of a cash 
crisis ends); and
    (2) Provide an audit trail to the data and assumptions used to 
prepare it.
    (e) Cash flow forecasts can be no more reliable than the assumptions 
on which they are based. Most important of these assumptions are--
    (1) Estimated amounts and timing of purchases and payments for 
materials, parts, components, subassemblies, and services;
    (2) Estimated amounts and timing of payments of purchase or 
production of capital assets, test facilities, and tooling;
    (3) Amounts and timing of fixed cash charges such as debt 
installments, interest, rentals, taxes, and indirect costs;
    (4) Estimated amounts and timing of payments for projected labor, 
both direct and indirect;
    (5) Reasonableness of projected manufacturing and production 
schedules;
    (6) Estimated amounts and timing of billings to customers (including 
progress payments), and customer payments;
    (7) Estimated amounts and timing of cash receipts from lenders or 
other credit sources, and liquidation of loans; and
    (8) Estimated amount and timing of cash receipt from other sources.
    (f) The contracting officer should review the assumptions underlying 
the cash flow forecasts. In determining whether the assumptions are 
reasonable and realistic, the contracting officer should consult with--
    (1) The contractor;
    (2) Government personnel in the areas of finance, engineering, 
production, cost, and price analysis; or
    (3) Prospective supply, subcontract, and loan or credit sources.

[63 FR 11536, Mar. 9, 1998]