Defense, Aerospace & Government Contracting

How to Record FMS Transportation Costs

Accounting for shipping and handling costs for defense articles sold via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Account NameTypeDebit ($)Credit ($)
Direct FMS Shipping ExpenseDebit8,500.00-
Accounts PayableCredit-8,500.00

💡 Accountant's Note

FMS contracts often have specific crating, handling, and transportation requirements that are charged directly to the FMS case rather than through indirect pools.

Practitioner & Systems Framework

💻 ERP Architecture

Linking third-party shipping invoices to the specific FMS contract line item (CLIN).

⚠️ Audit Flags

Verification that FMS shipping costs are not also included in indirect material handling pools (double dipping).

📄 Required Documentation

Bills of Lading, FMS Case Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), and carrier invoices.

Did you find the exact entry you were looking for?

Automate this entry with the JEH Accounting Suite

Stop doing manual entry. Our VBA-powered ERP automatically generates your ledgers, Trial Balance, and Financial Statements.

No Subscriptions. Own your data.

QA

Expert Analysis by Qusai Ahmad

General Accountant Supervisor & IFRS Specialist

Specialized in SAP GUI automation and Middle Eastern tax compliance. Building digital tools for the next generation of finance leaders.

LinkedIn Profile

Discussion & Community Questions

Loading comments...

Leave a comment (No sign-up required)