Federal Grants Forum

Mia Bautista

Mia Bautista joined Berkeley Research Group in 2014 with experience in government contracts and grants, program and financial management, and process development.  Her industry expertise includes profit, not-for-profit, and NGO clients relative to contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, and global operations. Mia has managed contracts and grants with various types of funders, and managed the associated indirect cost recovery and constraints, and donor restrictions.  She has also led corporate financial analysis, planning, budgeting, and performance management.  Mia has experience triaging complex and high profile problems. Mia has recent consulting experience in program management of multiple disciplines at a $200+ million NGO. Her experience includes developing policies and procedures, associated trainings, and review mechanisms for diverse areas to include: unallowable costs; cost structure; subaward management, timekeeping and labor distribution, work plan management and budgeting; and field office operations. In addition, she consulted on the organizational structure for Operations and Development. She has extensive knowledge of the international development community, as it relates to managing organizations and diverse funding portfolios.  Mia has directed the financial and operations administration of regional offices and managed organizational changes and implications on staff.  She has led desk reviews and site visits to grantees, providing recommendations on findings, capacity building, and training.  Additionally, she has experience in financial system selection and implementation, and procurement system implementation and rollout.

John Prairie

John’s practice includes a broad range of litigation, counseling, and transactional matters for clients that work with federal, state, and local governments. John represents contractors in bid protests; contract claims and disputes; terminations; mergers and acquisitions; False Claims Act matters; and suspension and debarment proceedings. John also counsels contractors on regulatory requirements under government contracts, ethics and compliance issues, and government investigations and audits. John represents a wide array of organizations that do business with the federal government. He represents some of the largest defense contractors in the world in high stakes bid protest and claims litigation. He also regularly assists small and emerging firms, as well as commercial companies with a limited footprint in the government market, with navigating the complex requirements of performing federal contracts. John also advises for-profit and non-profit organizations on federal grants matters.

Dan Durst

Dan Durst is a Manager at Capital Edge Consulting, with over a decade of experience in various accounting and compliance issues related to Federal government contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. Dan’s areas of expertise include Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal awards to non-Federal entities (Uniform Guidance), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Defense Grant and Agreement Regulatory System (DGARS), and USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR). Dan is also well-versed in various levels of audit support including DCAA, Single Audit, and Inspector General audits.

Professional Experience: Dan’s industry experience includes defense, nonprofit, and
public sector. Dan has assisted clients with Indirect Cost Rate Proposal Development, Indirect Rate Structure Assessment, Subrecipient Monitoring Support, Audit Support and Risk Assessment, Audit Findings Remediation, Procurement System Compliance, Internal Controls Assessment, Forensic Investigations, Grants Closeout Support, and other regulatory compliance matters. Dan currently serves on the Thompson Grants Editorial Advisory Board, providing technical guidance and expert content on topics related to compliance with Uniform Guidance.

Prior to joining Capital Edge, Dan was an audit supervisor and lead consultant for Clarke Leiper PLLC, a member of the AICPA’s Government Audit Quality Center. Dan has previously held security clearances with the U.S. Department of Defense, including Secret Clearance. While contracted by the U.S. Department of State Dan conducted audits and analysis at the U.S. Embassies in 19 foreign countries. Dan has supervised and performed several Single Audits under both OMB A-133 and the new Uniform Guidance, Subpart F. Dan has developed several training courses related to Federal grants compliance and is frequently featured as a speaker for Thompson Grants.

Education: Dan attended George Mason University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a minor in Information Technology, he later returned to George Mason University and earned a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.

Professional Affiliations: Dan is a member of the Professional Services Council (PSC), the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and the National Grants Management Association (NGMA).

Ryan Byrd

Ryan Byrd is a Managing Director with BRG in Washington, D.C. and provides consulting services in the field of government contract accounting, administration, and compliance.  He has experience providing consulting, financial advisory, and audit services to companies and organizations that range from middle market to the Fortune 100.  Ryan has in-depth experience with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), the Cost Accounting Standards (“CAS”), Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) Circulars and other Federal government procurement regulations. His expertise includes working with companies in a variety of industries, including professional services, aerospace, defense, manufacturing, information technology, telecommunications, biotech, higher education, health insurance and not-for-profit organizations, all of whom receive Federal funds. He has advised numerous commercial companies how to adapt practices to conform to the unique government contracting regulated environment. Ryan has experience with all forms of government contract acquisition matters, from competitive procurements to commercial item exemptions.  He assists throughout the entire life cycle of government contracts, as well as providing expert advice on a myriad of complex government contract accounting and contract administration related matters.  

Brian Walsh

Brian counsels and represents government contractors and subcontractors, as well as federal and state grant recipients, on a broad range of government contracts matters, including contract claims and disputes, teaming and subcontracting issues, data rights and intellectual property issues, government investigations and audits, and compliance with ethics and procurement integrity laws. He further represents clients in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and has litigated hundreds of protests at these forums. Brian also actively participates in Wiley Rein’s pro bono program and has assisted clients in achieving successful results in a variety of different areas, including parole hearings, divorce and custody matters, and landlord-tenant disputes. Further, Brian is a co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee.