Mary Karen Wills is an expert in the field of government contract accounting, administration, and compliance.

She has over 30 years of experience providing consulting and financial advisory services to companies and organizations that range from middle market to the Fortune 100 to international NGOs. Ms. Wills has in-depth experience with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), 2 CFR 200, and other federal government procurement regulations.

Ms. Wills’ expertise includes working with companies in virtually every industry, including professional services, aerospace, defense, higher education, health insurance, manufacturing, information technology, telecommunications, professional services, construction and engineering, high tech, biotech, and not-for-profit and NGO industries, all of which receive federal contracts. She specializes in advising commercial companies on how to adapt practices to conform to the complex government contracting regulated environment.

Ms. Wills leads the Government Contracting practice area for BRG. Ms. Wills is responsible for overseeing the Government Contracting practice area’s business development activities, maintaining client relationships, serving as an expert on client matters, executing projects successfully, attracting and retaining employees, and achieving targeted goals.

Ms. Wills has experience with all forms of government contract acquisition matters, from competitive procurements to commercial item exemptions, as well as General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule and other government-wide acquisition vehicles. She has expertise advising companies obtaining and undergoing audits of GSA Schedules, and defending in asserted price-reduction matters. She provides advice throughout the entire life cycle of government contracts, and provides expert analysis on a myriad of complex government contract accounting and contract administration related matters.

Ms. Wills has extensive experience working with companies that have been suspended or debarred from federal government contracting activities. Her work entails advising companies in designing compliance programs and corporate integrity agreements to mitigate identified government contracting issues.

Ms. Wills has worked with companies on due diligence assignments, complex transaction structuring, and post-acquisition integration. She is an expert at advising organizations as they restructure for competitive purposes, including the strategic, organizational, cost accounting, and other regulatory impacts associated with mergers and acquisitions.

Ms. Wills has directed special investigations, fraud investigations, qui tam/whistleblower allegation investigations, and other litigation consulting assignments. She has assisted companies as they prepare and present voluntary disclosures, whereby results and findings were presented in connection with settlement negotiations. She has testified as an expert witness on varied matters. Ms. Wills has been admitted under protective orders before the Government Accountability Office and the Court of Federal Claims for bid protest matters.

Specifically, Ms. Wills has extensive experience in the following areas:

  • Indirect rate and NICRA development and rate restructuring
  • Cost Accounting Standards Board Disclosure Statement preparation
  • CAS cost impact preparation and compliance
  • Cost accounting system development and risk assessment
  • Contract administration and compliance
  • Claims preparation, including change orders, requests for equitable adjustment, terminations
  • Compliance assessments and business system/ICAPS assessments
  • Commercial pricing and GSA Schedule
  • Earned Value Management System reviews
  • FARS, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and Agency FARS Supplement regulatory expert
  • Internal audit reviews and risk assessments
  • Internal investigations
  • Qui tam, whistleblower, and fraud investigations and litigation
  • Material management and accounting system reviews
  • Purchasing system reviews
  • Estimating system reviews and Truth in Negotiations Act compliance
  • Bid protests, including cost realism reviews

Employment History

Argy, Wiltse & Robinson, P.C.
Director, Leader of Business Consulting Group

Beers & Cutler PLLC (now Baker Tilly)
Director, Leader of Business Consulting Practice

Arthur Andersen, Washington, D.C.
Partner, Director of Government Contracts Group

Professional Affiliations

Certified Public Accountant: Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Virginia Society of CPAs

Greater Washington Society of CPAs

National Defense Industrial Association

Professional Services Council

Institute of Management Accountants

National Contract Management Association

Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants

Community/Civic Involvement

Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital
Board member

Counterpart International
Board member

Areas of Expertise

Education

University of Virginia
B.S., Commerce, Accounting