48 CFR § 9904.411-40 - Fundamental requirement.

(a) The contractor shall have, and consistently apply, written statements of accounting policies and practices for accumulating the costs of material and for allocating costs of material to cost objectives.

(b) The cost of units of a category of material may be allocated directly to a cost objective provided the cost objective was specifically identified at the time of purchase or production of the units.

(c) The cost of material which is used solely in performing indirect functions, or is not a significant element of production cost, whether or not incorporated in an end product, may be allocated to an indirect cost pool. When significant, the cost of such indirect material not consumed in a cost accounting period shall be established as an asset at the end of the period.

(d) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subsection, the cost of a category of materials shall be accounted for in material inventory records.

(e) In allocating to cost objectives the costs of a category of material issued from company-owned material inventory, the costing method used shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of 9904.411–50, and shall be used in a manner which results in systematic and rational costing of issues of material to cost objectives. The same costing method shall, within the same business unit, be used for similar categories of materials.