Forget the “juice cleanse” or whatever diet you’re contemplating to get rid of the “Quarantine 15”, Allen Federal is challenging all contractors to conduct a thorough review of their contract files by the 4^th of July.  This could be the single-most important project your company can take to ensure that the only fireworks you see will be the ones you should.  It should go without saying that a complete contract file, including electronic records of e-mails between contracting officers and your company, internal company documents and, of course, all award documents and modifications, should be at the fingertips of your contract manager.  If it didn’t need saying, though, we wouldn’t write about it now.  Many companies think they have a complete contract file, until they discover that records have gone missing and that there is about as much information in the file as you get from your teenager late on Saturday night.  More than one company has found that it’s been operating under assumptions, passed down as oral history, that have little documentation to back them up.  That’s a tough position to be in when the auditor comes knocking.  Federal agencies shouldn’t laugh too hard, either.  Many is the time that the government has had to ask a contractor for contract file documentation they can’t find themselves.  So, now is the time.  Take the Allen Federal Challenge and ensure your contract file is complete!