CDFM-A Module 4 study plan

Map the full budget formulation timeline from agency request through OMB review to congressional action, writing out each milestone with its statutory or regulatory driver.

Distinguish appropriations types (annual, multi-year, no-year), colors of money, and the purpose-time-amount tests, and classify 15 sample funding scenarios correctly.

Explain the difference between budget authority and outlays and compute outlay estimates from obligational authority using spend-out rates.

Identify the key budget justification documents and the data elements each must contain.

Build a mock program budget from a given workload and cost-factor set, showing price and program changes separately.

Apply inflation and pay-raise factors to a prior-year baseline and reconcile the delta to the requested amount.

Explain the cost estimating methods (analogy, parametric, engineering, actuals) and select the defensible method for three stated scenarios.

Calculate unit cost and cost per output for a simple production or service program.

Trace an obligation from commitment through obligation, expenditure, and outlay, and label each stage on a sample transaction log.

Apply the bona fide needs rule and the time rules for obligation and upward adjustment to 10 dated fact patterns.

Distinguish administrative and statutory subdivisions of funds and identify which officials may control each.

Explain the Antideficiency Act prohibitions and the reporting path for a violation.

Design a funds-control process flow that prevents overobligation, including review points, edit checks, and escalation triggers.

Draft a sample fund certification and explain the certifying official's personal accountability.

Identify the components of internal control under the applicable standards framework and map each to a budget execution example.

List the documentation an auditor would request to test obligation validity and prepare a mock response package.

Classify 20 transactions into the correct proprietary and budgetary account categories, including asset, liability, revenue, and expenditure accounts.

Explain the purpose of budgetary accounts and how they maintain consistency with the budget execution reports.

Prepare a simplified statement of budgetary resources from a set of obligation and authority data.

Distinguish the reporting requirements and audiences for interim, annual, and consolidated financial statements.

Compare the principal contract types (firm-fixed-price, fixed-price incentive, cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials) on risk allocation and cost risk to each party.

Explain the funding rules for contract financing, including when a limitation of cost or limitation of funds clause applies and what the contractor must be told.

Distinguish contract financing payments from invoice payments for goods accepted and describe the approval chain for each.

Identify the key cost allowability tests and apply them to five sample cost items.

Explain the purpose and mechanics of progress payments versus performance-based payments.

Walk through the acquisition funding lifecycle from requirement validation through obligation closeout, noting where funds control and audit exposure peak.

Explain the treatment of unexpended balances at cancellation and the steps to close out a completed contract financially.

Build a risk register for an acquisition program covering funding, internal control, and audit-readiness risks with mitigations.

Describe how improper payment detection and payment integrity reviews apply to contract payments.

Complete a timed 60-question cumulative practice set across all six domains and score at least 75%.

Re-teach the three weakest areas from the practice set using a one-page summary each, without notes.

Reconcile the budget formulation, execution, accounting, and acquisition threads into a single end-to-end narrative.

Build a personal formula and rule cheat sheet limited to two pages.