Category Capabilities

Capabilities

The Columbia Group’s Cyber Division has a team of DoD 8140 certified professionals available to help your organization identify and manage cybersecurity risk.

Areas of expertise include:

• Risk Management Framework (RMF)
• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
• Vulnerability scanning and remediation
• Network monitoring
• Detection and response (EDR, NDR, XDR)
• Continuous monitoring
• Threat analysis
• Security orchestration and automated response (SOAR)

Risk Assessments and Audits

We perform risk assessments based on penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and social engineering to identify your organization’s risk exposure using the latest industry-standard tools. We recommend mitigation steps and assist with implementation of security controls to reduce exposure by providing real-time monitoring and protection for your networks and applications.

Assessment and Authorization Support

TCG helps you navigate the Assessment & Authorization (A&A) process. We utilize DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIG) checklists to review your system or network security controls, and develop and maintain security documentation needed for your organization.

We have experience with:

• Obtaining Authority to Operate (ATO) using RMF
• Creating and maintaining your Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) in eMASS
• Developing documentation such as:
  • RMF control policies and procedures
  • Incident response, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans

Cyber Operations and Network Monitoring

TCG designs networks to optimize performance without sacrificing security by recommending VPNs, firewalls, and intrusion detection and prevention systems. We can also recommend Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems that monitor your network to identify and respond to threats in real-time.

Key Areas of Financial Support

The Columbia Group supports program offices throughout the budget and executions phases. Our knowledge of the full spectrum of budget and financial execution phases allows us to provide this complete support.

Domestic and FMS Commitment Obligation & Expenditure Processing

The Columbia Group provides financial management and accounting support personnel who have expertise in government accounting systems, regulations, and environments throughout the Execution phase. We understand various financial systems, including transaction-level processing, and their impacts on overall execution monitoring and reporting and on financial statements. The company has also proven its ability to assist on Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) policy development and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) policy review with consideration of financial implications. In addition to its knowledge of budget and accounting operating procedures and directives, The Columbia Group’s Financial Management team has mastery of the rules governing the various appropriations used by the Navy such as RDT&E, SCN, OPN, WPN and O&MN. The team also has extensive experience with STARS, PRISMS, Autodoc, SABRES SCRT, FIMS, COBRA, CRS, and others.

Budgeting & Execution

The Columbia Group develops business and financial plans, and uses all forms of technical tasking documents, procurement processes and documents, budget exhibits, budget tracking systems, and standard accounting databases. The Columbia Group’s Financial Team has experience in assisting in budget generation as well as various budget reviews and data calls.

The Columbia Group supports program managers and budget financial managers in developing their required funding documents such as Procurement Requests (PRs) and Work Requests (WRs), facilitating delivery order awards and tracking expenditures against financial controls.

The Columbia Group’s Financial Management team has mastery of the rules governing the various appropriations used by the Navy such as RDT&E, SCN, OPN, WPN and O&MN. The team also has extensive experience with STARS, PRISMS, Autodoc, SCRT, COBRA, CRS, and others. We also provide assistance in the review of Federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Key areas of Budgeting and Execution support The Columbia Group provides include:

• Research, analysis, and preparation of draft planning and execution documentation, including statements of work, procurement descriptions, and other funding documentation
• Preparation of funding documents
• Budget formulation including assistance with Program Objective Memorandum (POM) preparation
• Budget justification
• Reclamas/issues papers to request restoration of funds
• Identification, prioritization, and allocation of end of year funding
• Responding to Congressional inquiries
• Preparation of Congressional notebooks
• Preparation of allotments Below Threshold Reprogramming (BTR) authority

Cost Estimating

The Columbia Group provides cost estimating and risk analysis support to the United States Coast Guard utilizing various techniques including Analog, Parametric, Engineering Build-Up, and Extrapolation from Actuals. These techniques provide summary estimates of labor hours, labor costs, and material costs for waterfront activities, as well as labor hours and costs for production engineering and management activities. These techniques also produce estimates of cost risk based on assessments of technical and production complexities, as well as expected engineering, construction, schedule, and management performance issues. Estimate scopes range from individual component level up to complete ship and class construction costs.

Contract Closeout

The Columbia Group provides contract closeout support including accounting and entitlement records validation against contractual documentation such modifications, vendor invoices, treasury registration and comparison between accounting and entitlement systems. Additional efforts include DFARS requirements for closeout, identification of excess funding, and vendor invoicing issues. Closeout efforts have included U.S.-appropriated funding, Foreign Military Sales, and Defense Working Capital Funding.

Data Cleansing

The Columbia Group has provided data cleansing support as part of the conversion to a new accounting system of record cleanup for systemic problems in entitlement and accounting systems, implementation of policy changes that impact the recording of transactions, and reviews for expiring and canceling funding. We have also provided customized data retrieval, research and recommendations for corrective actions, and preparation of reporting metrics to Navy BSOs, program offices and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Manpower Analysis

The Columbia Group has developed and implemented communication strategies for major manpower changes to the United States Marine Corps logistics community. We also conducted a skill gap analysis for the Ground Combat Service Support System program. From our development of Manpower and Training Analyses to our creation of automated tools such as WAMO, COBRA, and QER, The Columbia Group provides the needed level of support in addressing the mission, goals, objectives, or tactical implementation for our customers’ workforce management efforts.

Business Process Re-engineering

The Columbia Group provides financial management and accounting support personnel with expertise in government accounting systems, regulations, and environments throughout the Execution Phase. The Columbia Group understands the various financial systems, including transaction-level processing, and their impacts on overall execution monitoring and reporting and on financial statements. The company has also proven its ability to assist on Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) policy development and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) policy review with consideration of financial implications.

Prior to the transition for NAVSEA-HQ to Navy ERP, The Columbia Group provided planning support including risk mitigation strategy and revisions to business processes to minimize disruption from the accounting system change requirements. Business process changes incorporated the full spectrum of NAVSEA business and metric reporting.

Key Areas of Support

The key areas of Business Process Re-Engineering support The Columbia Group provides include:

Policy Guidance

The Columbia Group has also proven our ability to assist customers with Navy BSO policy development and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) policy review with consideration of financial implications. In addition to our knowledge of budget and accounting operating procedures and directives, TCG utilizes audit opinions, laws and regulations to assist customers with policy changes to increase or meet internal control requirements.

Laws, Regulation & Policy Application

The Columbia Group provides support on daily workload requirements such as contract modifications, financial reporting, and processing of corrective actions in various financial systems (entitlement, accounting, and Treasury) consistent with laws, regulations, and the policies of DOD, Navy, and BSO.  This allows for accurate and auditable information for program offices and BSO leadership to make sound decisions.

Working Groups / IPTs

The Columbia Group has provided support to a wide variety of working groups and IPTs, resulting in system, process, and policy changes to achieve the desired results.  We can support singular aspects such as resolution of pre-validation issues, the end-to-end procurement cycle, or transition to another accounting system. Regardless of the underlying focus of the IPT, The Columbia Group considers knowledge across the various financial systems; impact of laws, regulations, and policies; accounting requirements from various authorities (GAAP, Treasury, DOD FMR, etc.); and knowledge of the organization’s business processes as part of the support and recommendations provided to the IPT.

Reconciliation

The Columbia Group understands the various financial systems, including transaction-level processing, and their impacts on overall execution monitoring and reporting and on financial statements. The company has also proven its ability to assist BSO’s policy development and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) policy review with consideration of financial implications.

The Columbia Group’s financial management team has mastery of the rules governing the various appropriations used by the Navy, such as RDT&E, SCN, OPN, WPN and O&MN. The team also has extensive experience with STARS, PRISMS, Autodoc, SCRT, MISIL, COBRA,CRS, and others.

The Columbia Group supports the Navy in conducting a wide variety of business which requires knowledge of the regulations, accounting systems, and processes associated with transactions for complete budget execution. In order to execute the reconciliation process, we use our knowledge and understanding of: the payment processes of Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Columbus related to the MOCAS and STARS-One Pay entitlement systems; Treasury registration and associated difficulties; and STARS-HCM posting logic and associated deficiencies with reports available. Our continuous efforts to address inflow of new Problem Disbursements and payment/billing rejects, and the root causes of these issues, is the key for meeting goals and requirements.

Audit

The Columbia Group supports Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Columbus audits of contractual documentation and vendor payments to ensure terms and conditions of the contract are maintained. This effort requires utilization of several systems for payment, accounting, reconciliations, and understanding of the appropriate policies and procedures. The policies and procedures involved are based not only on DFAS Columbus instructions, but also the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS).