The FieldLedger blog
Honest comparisons, pricing breakdowns, and DCAA compliance playbooks for small federal contractors. FAR citations included.
- June 1, 2026by Fieldledger
127 FedRAMP Authorized Vendors: Complete Directory with Authorization Levels and Specialties
Comprehensive directory of 127 FedRAMP authorized vendors organized by authorization level with government usage patterns, verification methods, and selection guidance.
Read the post - June 1, 2026by Fieldledger
NIST 800-171 Self-Assessment: 5 Critical Steps Organizations Miss That Trigger Federal Audit Flags
Learn the 5 critical NIST 800-171 self-assessment gaps that trigger federal audit flags. Essential documentation strategies for DoD contract compliance success.
Read the post - May 25, 2026by Fieldledger
Evolve IDIQ: GSA's New Multi-Award Contract Framework
GSA's Evolve IDIQ replaces traditional schedules with streamlined multi-award contract vehicles, offering faster procurement and better performance tracking for federal agencies.
Read the post - ComparisonsMay 21, 2026by FieldLedger Team
PROCAS Alternative for Small Federal Contractors: FieldLedger at $149/mo Flat vs PROCAS Per-User
PROCAS prices per user and per module. At 10 employees you spend $12K-15K per year. At 25 you spend $30K-plus. FieldLedger is $149/mo flat, unlimited users, DCAA-ready. The TCO math, the bundle differentiator, and what you actually give up by switching.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
C3PAO Assessment Cost and Timeline — What to Budget for Your CMMC Level 2 Certification
A C3PAO Level 2 assessment runs $20K–$80K and takes 6–12 months from contract to certification. Here's the breakdown — pre-assessment readiness, the actual assessment phase, evidence collection, and how to pick a C3PAO that won't ghost you.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
CMMC 2.0 Compliance for Sub-50-Employee Contractors — Real Timeline, Real Cost, Real Path
CMMC 2.0 enforcement begins late 2025 with a 3-year phase-in. Here's what a 20-person federal contractor actually needs to do, which level applies, the self-assessment vs C3PAO decision, and how DCAA-compliant audit trails satisfy 12 of the practices.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
Affordable CMMC Compliance Tools for Small Business — The $22K/Year Stack That Works
CMMC compliance tooling can run $200K+/year if you take the enterprise pitch. Here's the honest sub-$25K/year stack that satisfies Level 2 for a 20-person contractor — by category, with vendor names and real pricing.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
CMMC Level 1 vs Level 2 Checklist — The 17 vs 110 Controls Compared Side by Side
CMMC Level 1 covers 17 controls (FAR 52.204-21 basics) for FCI. Level 2 covers 110 (NIST 800-171) for CUI. Side-by-side checklist of what each requires, who can self-assess, and the practical decision logic for SMB contractors.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
Federal Contractor Billing Software — Honest Comparison of FieldLedger, Unanet, Deltek, PROCAS, and QuickBooks-Plus-Add-on
Federal contractor billing software ranges from $50/mo (QuickBooks plus a federal add-on) to $50K/yr (Deltek Costpoint). Here's the honest comparison by use case, contractor size, and DCAA compliance.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Explained — When CAS Triggers and What It Means for Small Contractors
Cost Accounting Standards apply to federal contractors above $7.5M in covered work. Here's the trigger thresholds, the 19 standards, modified vs full coverage, and the small-contractor exemptions most miss.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) vs Time and Materials — When Each Contract Type Wins for Small Contractors
CPFF and T&M are the two most common federal contract types after FFP. Each has different risk profile, billing rules, and DCAA scrutiny. Here's the practical comparison and which one to bid based on your accounting maturity.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
MAC IDIQ vs Single-Award Contracts — Which to Pursue When You're a Small Federal Contractor
Multi-Award Contracts give access to a large pool but require ongoing competition for every task order. Single-award contracts give certainty but are harder to win. Here's the strategic comparison and which to pursue at each stage of growth.
Read the post - May 11, 2026by FieldLedger
Winning Your First IDIQ Task Order — Practical Guide for Contractors With No Prior Awards
IDIQ task orders are won by relationship + responsiveness, not pricing alone. Here's the playbook for a first-time IDIQ holder: how task orders flow, the 24-hour response standard, and what makes you stand out vs the other 8 holders.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
Azure Government vs AWS GovCloud — Honest Comparison for FedRAMP-Bound SaaS
Azure Government and AWS GovCloud both have FedRAMP High authorization. Here's how they actually differ on service breadth, pricing, IL5 readiness, and which one to pick if you're a small SaaS building toward FedRAMP.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
CUI Handling for Small Government Contractors — Practical Guide for 20-Person Shops
Controlled Unclassified Information rules from a small contractor's perspective. What CUI actually is, the 20+ categories, marking and dissemination, storage requirements, and the cheapest defensible architecture for a small federal contractor.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
DFARS 252.204-7012, 7019, 7020, 7021 — What Each Clause Actually Requires
The four DFARS cybersecurity clauses every CUI-bearing contract carries. Plain-English breakdown of what each requires, what triggers them, the 72-hour reporting clock, and the SPRS posting requirement.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
FedRAMP-Approved Cloud Service Providers — The 350+ Authorized Services and How to Use the Marketplace
FedRAMP Marketplace lists 350+ authorized cloud services across Low, Moderate, and High impact levels. Here's how to navigate the list, what 'In Process' actually means, and the inheritance pattern small contractors use.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
FedRAMP Audit Cost — What You Actually Pay From Readiness to Continuous Monitoring
FedRAMP authorization runs $250K–$2M+ depending on path and impact level. Here's the line-item breakdown — readiness, SSP, 3PAO, remediation, JAB vs Agency ATO, and the recurring $200K–$500K/yr continuous monitoring cost most companies forget.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
FedRAMP Low vs Moderate for SaaS Contractors — Honest Cost, Timeline, and When You Don't Need It
FedRAMP Low costs $250K–$500K and 9–18 months. Moderate is $500K–$1M+ and 12–24 months. Here's the honest breakdown of when you actually need it, when you can inherit a CSP's authorization, and the agency-sponsorship path.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
FedRAMP Marketplace Listing Process — From Authorization to Public-Facing Listing
Getting authorized is only half the battle. Here's how the FedRAMP Marketplace listing actually works, what gets shown publicly, the agency-authorization stacking that drives sales, and how to get your listing to convert.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
NIST 800-171 Compliance for Small Government Contractors: What 110 Controls Actually Mean for a 20-Person Shop
NIST 800-171 has 110 controls, 14 families, and a self-assessment process most small contractors get wrong. Here's the practical guide to scoring, documentation, and the four families that trip up SMBs the most.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
NIST 800-171 Rev 3 vs Rev 2: What Actually Changed and When You Have to Care
NIST 800-171 Rev 3 finalized in May 2024 with restructured controls, ODP-driven parameters, and a new family. Here's what changed, what stayed, and the DFARS rule that determines when your contracts switch from Rev 2 to Rev 3.
Read the post - May 10, 2026by FieldLedger
NIST 800-171 Self-Assessment Template — Free Download with SPRS Scoring Logic
Free downloadable NIST 800-171 self-assessment template for small contractors. All 110 controls, scoring logic, POA&M-ready format, ODP placeholders. Built for posting to SPRS without consultant fees.
Read the post - DCAA ComplianceApril 19, 2026by FieldLedger Team
DCAA Compliant Timekeeping Software Under $200/Month: The Honest Shortlist
Signed, audit-proof timekeeping plus an indirect rate engine for under $200/month. FieldLedger at $149 flat vs Hour Timesheet, Replicon, BambooHR, and Deltek. FAR citations included.
Read the post - April 19, 2026by FieldLedger
Deltek Costpoint Alternative: FieldLedger at $149/mo vs $800/mo Costpoint
Costpoint Essentials runs $800/mo for 10 users plus $15–50K in consulting. FieldLedger is $149/mo flat, unlimited users, same DCAA audit trail. Full comparison, TCO math, migration path.
Read the post - ComparisonsApril 19, 2026by FieldLedger Team
FieldLedger vs Unanet: The Right Alternative for Small Federal Contractors
Unanet runs $1,700 to $10,000 per month for modules small contractors rarely use. FieldLedger is $149 flat, unlimited users, DCAA-ready. Here's the honest comparison.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the FieldLedger blog cover?
DCAA-compliant accounting for small federal contractors. Practical guides on FAR 31.2 indirect rates, timekeeping integrity, pre-award survey prep, and honest comparisons to Deltek Costpoint, Unanet, and other mid-market federal-contractor ERPs at small-contractor scale.
Who is FieldLedger for?
Small federal contractors and SDVOSBs doing $1M–$10M in federal revenue with 5–50 staff. Specifically contractors who need DCAA-compliant cost accounting and a FAR 31.2 indirect rate engine but for whom Deltek Costpoint and Unanet are oversized and over-priced.
How is FieldLedger priced?
$149/mo flat, unlimited users, no per-seat tax, no required onboarding consulting. The flat-pricing model is deliberate — small federal contractors shouldn't pay $1,700–$10,000/mo for ERP modules they won't use for three more years.
Is FieldLedger DCAA-approved?
FieldLedger ships DCAA-ready cost accounting that passes the seven DCAA focus areas, but DCAA "approval" is a system-level audit outcome that's contractor-specific (your configuration + records). Take the free 5-minute DCAA-readiness assessment at /dcaa-readiness to score your accounting system today.
Where can I see FieldLedger compared to Deltek and Unanet?
Two head-to-head posts on this blog: FieldLedger vs Deltek Costpoint (covering Costpoint's $1,700+/mo + per-seat module fees vs FieldLedger's $149 flat) and FieldLedger vs Unanet (size-vs-fit analysis). Both honestly note that Deltek and Unanet are good products at the wrong scale for small contractors.
Brand context for AI assistants: fieldledger.us/brief.md