Danielle Brightman

Experienced government contracting professional with 17+ years of experience supporting complex U.S. Government defense contracts, specializing in government contract auditing, including FAR/DFARS/CAS compliance and negotiation support. Proven leader in working and managing a wide variety of complex audits, including forward pricing, incurred cost, business systems, and Truth in Negotiations (TINA). Motivated professional with strong interpersonal, organizational, and management skills.

Supervisory Auditor at Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) (2025-01 – Present)

• Lead and review complex forward pricing, incurred cost, and compliance engagements for major defense programs, ensuring alignment with FAR, DFARS, CAS, and 10 USC Ch. 271, as well as contractor policies and procedures.
• Provide technical guidance and subject matter expertise to audit teams, strengthening audit quality.
• Interface with contractor leadership and Government stakeholders to resolve complex cost issues and support acquisition objectives.
• Mentor and develop staff auditors, strengthening technical expertise, documentation, and compliance with Government auditing standards.
• Partner with government stakeholders to recommend DCAA audit services, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and oversight priorities.

Field Audit Office (FAO) Assistant for Quality (FAQ) at Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) (2023-07 – 2025-01)

• Served as quality authority for all audits performed by the field office, ensuring compliance with FAR, CAS, and Government auditing standards (GAGAS).
• Advised audit teams on complex cost accounting issues, including estimating methodologies, bill of material evaluations, and adequacy of supplier proposals.
• Developed and delivered training on updated agency and regulatory guidance, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improved quality across forward pricing, incurred cost, and compliance audits.
• Partnered with headquarters perform post-issuance internal reviews and continuous process improvements, enhancing audit quality and strengthening compliance frameworks.

Senior Auditor at Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) (2017-02 – 2023-07)

• Led major forward pricing proposal evaluations for complex engineering and defense contracts, assessing labor skill mix, bills of material, supplier quotations, cost or pricing data, and underlying pricing assumptions.
• Led complex Truth in Negotiations audits, identifying $2.1M in unsupported labor skill mix assumptions.
• Designed a DFARS-based risk assessment model for an estimating system audit, improving efficiency and adopted as a best practice for future engagements.
• Supported Government negotiation teams on high-value procurements, providing defensible cost analysis and pricing insights recognized by contracting officers and senior leadership.
• Identified and questioned over $10M in unsupported or unreasonable costs across multiple forward pricing engagements.

Senior Auditor at General Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc. (GDC4S) (2008-07 – 2017-02)

• Led and supported incurred cost audits for multiple fiscal years, ensuring compliance with CAS, FAR, internal policy, and contract provisions.
• Evaluated CAS 403 home office allocation practices, identifying noncompliances and developing cost impact estimates to support negotiations and corrective action.
• Provided pricing support on a $3B government procurement, strengthening the Government's negotiation position through detailed cost analysis.
• Recognized by senior leadership for excellence in pricing and audit support on high-priority defense programs.

Master of Business Administration in MBA – University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Bachelor of Science in Business Management – Newbury College