48 C.F.R. § 9904.406-50 – Techniques for application.

(a) The cost of an indirect function which exists for only a part of a cost accounting period may be allocated on the basis of data for that part of the cost accounting period if the cost is:
1. (1) Material in amount,
2. (2) Accumulated in a separate indirect cost pool, and
3. (3) Allocated on the basis of an appropriate direct measure of the activity or output of the function during that part of the period.
(b) The practices required by 9904.406-40(b) of this Standard shall include appropriate practices for deferrals, accruals, and other adjustments to be used in identifying the cost accounting periods among which any types of expense and any types of adjustment to expense are distributed. If an expense, such as taxes, insurance or employee leave, is identified with a fixed, recurring, annual period which is different from the contractor's cost accounting period, the Standard permits continued use of that different period. Such expenses shall be distributed to cost accounting periods in accordance with the contractor's established practices for accruals, deferrals, and other adjustments.
(c) Indirect cost allocation rates, based on estimates, which are used for the purpose of expediting the closing of contracts which are terminated or completed prior to the end of a cost accounting period need not be those finally determined or negotiated for that cost accounting period. They shall, however, be developed to represent a full cost accounting period, except as provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(d) A contractor may, upon mutual agreement with the Government, use as his cost accounting period a fixed annual period other than his fiscal year, if the use of such a period is an established practice of the contractor and is consistently used for managing and controlling the business, and appropriate accruals, deferrals or other adjustments are made with respect to such annual periods.
(e) The contracting parties may agree to use an annual period which does not coincide precisely with the cost accounting period for developing the data used in establishing an allocation base: Provided,
1. (1) The practice is necessary to obtain significant administrative convenience,
2. (2) The practice is consistently followed by the contractor,
3. (3) The annual period used is representative of the activity of the cost accounting period for which the indirect costs to be allocated are accumulated, and
4. (4) The practice can reasonably be estimated to provide a distribution to cost objectives of the cost accounting period not materially different from that which otherwise would be obtained.
(f) When a transitional cost accounting period is required under the provisions of 9904.406-40(a)(3), the contractor may select any one of the following:
1. (1) The period, less than a year in length, extending from the end of his previous cost accounting period to the beginning of his next regular cost accounting period,
2. (2) A period in excess of a year, but not longer than 15 months, obtained by combining the period described in paragraph (f)(1) of this subsection with the previous cost accounting period, or
3. (3) A period in excess of a year, but not longer than 15 months, obtained by combining the period described in paragraph (f)(1) of this subsection with the next regular cost accounting period.
  A change in the contractor's cost accounting period is a change in accounting practices for which an adjustment in the contract price may be required in accordance with paragraph (a)(4) (ii) or (iii) of the contract clause set out at 9903.201-4(a).