Agencies within the Department of War are under significant and increasing pressure to clamp down on wasteful spending and improve financial management. These imperatives, in turn, are driving efforts to modernize IT, accelerate acquisition, and achieve clean financial audit results.
These priorities were at the fore at this year’s Society of Defense Financial Management (SDFM) National Capitol Region Professional Development Institute (NCR PDI), a daylong education event for financial professionals across the DOW. Conversations at the event, held in early March, centered around strengthening financial stewardship, advancing modernization and supporting audit sustainment efforts across the department.
A key theme emerging from the event was the shift toward more adaptive and technology-enabled audit strategies. Discussions highlighted a growing emphasis on reducing manual audit burdens through automation and AI-supported hybrid models, allowing personnel to focus on higher-value mission activities.
A clean financial audit is difficult to achieve. While the U.S. Marine Corps has notched three clean audits over the past three fiscal years, no other defense agency or military branch has accomplished even one during the eight years the department has been mandated to have an independent auditor assess financial performance.
A fast track to acquisition
Federal procurement has become significantly faster and more adaptable as regulations have relaxed, allowing agencies to use more agile processes. Defense leaders are particularly interested in accelerating modernization through faster acquisition pathways.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III authorities are one such pathway. SBIR Phase III enables agencies to rapidly deploy proven technologies through sole-source contracts. CGI’s SBIR-derived solutions and capabilities pertain to process automation.
To learn more about CGI’s SBIR Phase III offerings and how we have made a significant impact on government audit success, as well as financial management and accounting requirements, email us at SBIR@cgifederal.com.
We also look forward to continuing these conversations at the upcoming SDFM DFMI Orlando event, May 27-28, where CGI Federal will participate as an exhibitor and engage with leaders across the defense financial management community.
About this author
Chad Remaly
Director
Chad is a highly accomplished financial management and program budget professional with more than 26 years of experience supporting the United States Marine Corps and federal financial modernization efforts. He brings deep expertise in budget analysis, accounting operations, internal controls, audit readiness, automation, and large‑scale ...
