Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of ICF International, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), and have been prepared in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Revenue Recognition

The Company primarily provides services and technology-based solutions for clients that operate in a variety of markets and the solutions may span the entire program life cycle, from initial research and analysis to the design and implementation of solutions. The Company enters into agreements with clients that create enforceable rights and obligations and for which it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration to which it will be entitled as services and solutions are transferred to the client. Except in certain narrowly defined situations, the Company’s agreements with its clients are written and revenue is generally not recognized on oral or implied arrangements. The Company recognizes revenue based on the consideration specified in the agreement and excludes from revenue amounts collected on behalf of third parties. Accordingly, sales and similar taxes which are collected for third parties are excluded from the transaction price. The Company also evaluates whether two or more agreements should be accounted for as one single contract and whether combined or single agreements should be accounted for as more than one performance obligation.

For most contracts, the client requires the Company to perform a number of tasks in providing an integrated output and, hence, each of these contracts are tracked as having only one performance obligation. When contracts are separated into multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the total transaction price to each performance obligation based on the estimated relative standalone selling prices of the promised services underlying each performance obligation. The Company generally provides customized solutions in which the pricing is based on specific negotiations with each client, and, in these cases, the Company uses a cost plus margin approach to estimate the standalone selling price of each performance obligation. It is common for the Company’s long-term contracts to contain award fees, incentive fees or other provisions that can either increase or decrease the transaction price. These variable amounts are generally awarded at the completion of a prescribed measurement period based on the achievement of performance metrics, program milestones or cost targets, and the amount awarded may be subject to client discretion. The Company estimates variable consideration as the most likely amount to which the Company expects to be entitled.

Long-term contracts typically contain billing terms that provide for invoicing once a month and payment on a net 30-day basis. Exceptions to monthly billing terms are to ensure that the Company performs satisfactorily rather than representing a significant financing component. For cost-based contracts, the Company’s performance is evaluated during a contractually stipulated performance period and, while contract costs may be billed on a monthly basis, the Company is generally permitted to bill for incentive or award fees only after the completion of the performance period, which may occur quarterly, semi-annually or annually, and after the client completes the performance assessment. Fixed-price contracts may provide for milestone billings based on the attainment of specific project objectives rather than for billing on a monthly basis. Moreover, contracts may require retentions or hold backs that are paid at the end of the contract to ensure that the Company performs in accordance with requirements. The Company does not assess whether a contract contains a significant financing component if the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between payment by the client and the transfer of promised services to the client will be one year or less.

The Company generally recognizes revenue over time as control is transferred to a client, based on the extent of progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation. The selection of the method used to measure progress requires judgment and is dependent on the contract type selected by the client during contract negotiation and the nature of the services and solutions to be provided.

When a performance obligation is billed using a time-and-materials contract type, the Company uses output progress measures to estimate revenue earned based on hours worked in contract performance at negotiated billing rates. Fixed-price level-of-effort contracts are substantially similar to time-and-materials contracts except that the Company is required to deliver a specified level of effort over a stated period of time. For these contracts, the Company estimates revenue earned using contract hours worked at negotiated bill rates as the Company delivers the contractually required workforce.

For cost-based contracts, the Company recognizes revenue based on contract costs incurred, as the Company becomes contractually entitled to reimbursement of the contract costs, plus a most likely estimate of award or incentive fees earned on those costs even though final determination of fees earned occurs after the contractually-stipulated performance assessment period ends.

For performance obligations requiring the delivery of a service for a fixed price, the Company uses the ratio of actual costs incurred to total estimated costs, provided that costs incurred (an input method) provides a reasonable measure of progress towards the satisfaction of a performance obligation, in order to estimate the portion of total revenue earned. When this method is used, changes in estimated costs to complete these obligations result in adjustments to revenue on a cumulative catch-up basis, which causes the effect of revised estimates for prior periods to be recognized in the current period. Changes in these estimates can routinely occur over contract performance for a variety of reasons, which include: changes in contract scope; changes in contract cost estimates due to unanticipated cost growth or reassessments of risks impacting costs; changes in estimated incentive or award fees; or performing better or worse than previously estimated.

In some fixed price service contracts, the Company performs services of a recurring nature, such as maintenance and other services of a “stand ready” nature. For these contracts, the Company has the right to consideration in an amount that corresponds directly with the value that the client has received. Therefore, the Company records revenue on a straight-line basis to reflect the transfer of control to the client throughout the contract.

Contracts are often modified to reflect changes in contract specifications and requirements, and these changes may create new enforceable rights and obligations. Most modifications are for services that are not distinct from the existing agreement due to the significant integration service that the Company provides. Therefore, most modifications are accounted for as part of an existing performance obligation. The effect of these modifications on transaction price, and the Company’s measure of progress in fulfilling the performance obligation to which it relates, may be recognized as an adjustment to revenue on a cumulative catch-up basis. Revenue from modifications that create new, distinct performance obligations is recognized based on the Company’s progress in fulfilling the requirements of the new obligation.

For contracts in which the estimated cost to perform exceeds the consideration to be received, the Company accrues for the entire estimated loss during the period in which the loss is determined by recording additional direct costs.

The Company recognizes the cost to fulfill contracts as incurred. The Company evaluates incremental costs of obtaining a contract and, if they are recoverable from the client and relate to a specific future contract, they are deferred and recognized over contract performance or the estimated life of the customer relationship if renewals are expected. The Company expenses these costs when incurred if the amortization period is one year or less.

Unfulfilled performance obligations represent amounts expected to be earned on contracts and do not include the value of negotiated, unexercised contract options, which are classified as marketing offers. Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity and similar arrangements provide a framework for the client to issue specific tasks, delivery or purchase orders in the future and these arrangements are considered marketing offers until a specific order is executed.

Revenue recognition entails the use of significant judgment, including, but not limited to, the following: evaluating agreements in terms of the number and nature of performance obligations, determining the appropriate method for measuring progress to satisfaction of obligations, and preparing estimates in terms of the amount of progress that the Company has made. Most of the Company’s revenue is recognized over time and for many fixed-price contracts, in particular, the Company estimates the proportion of total revenue earned using the ratio of contract costs incurred to total estimated contract costs, which requires the Company to prepare estimates as work progresses of contract cost left to be incurred. Moreover, some of the Company’s contracts include variable consideration, which requires the Company to estimate the most likely amounts that will be earned over the respective performance periods. For these obligations, changes in estimates result in cumulative catch-up adjustments and may have a significant impact on earnings during a given period.

The Company’s operating cycle for long-term contracts may be greater than one year and is measured by the average time intervening between the inception and the completion of those contracts. Contract-related assets and liabilities, as highlighted below, are classified as current assets and current liabilities. Significant balance sheet accounts related to the revenue recognition cycle are as follows:

Contract receivables, net – This account includes amounts billed or billable under contract terms. The amounts due are stated at their net realizable value. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to provide for the estimated amount of receivables that will not be collected. The Company considers a number of factors in its estimate of the allowance, including knowledge of a client’s financial condition, its historical collection experience, and other factors relevant to assessing the collectability of the receivables.

Contract assets – This account includes unbilled amounts typically resulting from revenue recognized on long-term contracts when the amount of revenue recognized exceeds the amounts billed. It also includes contract retainages until the Company has met the contract-stipulated requirements for payment. Contract assets are reported in a net position on a contract by contract basis each period even though individual contracts may contain multiple performance obligations. On a contract by contract basis, amounts do not exceed their net realizable value.

Contract liabilities – This account consists of advance payments received and billings in excess of revenue recognized on long-term contracts. Contact liabilities are reported in a net position on a contract by contract basis each period even though individual contracts may contain multiple performance obligations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-02: Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220). In the past, certain transactions were recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income net of applicable taxes. The tax had been calculated based on the tax rates enacted at the time the transaction occurred with no provision, under previous accounting, for adjusting the balance for changes in the enacted tax rate. Due to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”), those historical tax rates used for recording the transactions were higher than the Company’s current enacted rate. The new guidance allows the Company to reclassify these stranded tax effects directly to retained earnings. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein, and early adoption is permitted. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company elected to early adopt the update, which resulted in a one-time cumulative effect adjustment of $0.8 million from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings.

Revenue Recognition

The Company implemented ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. This method requires that the Company apply the requirements of the new standard in the year of adoption to new contracts and those that were not completed as of the adoption date. Management evaluated those contracts not completed as of January 1, 2018 (the adoption date) and concluded that the impact of adopting ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Company. Contract assets and contract liabilities were formerly reported as unbilled accounts receivable and deferred revenue, respectively. The titles have been changed in the table below to be consistent with accounts currently used under the new standard.

	December 31, 2017
	As Reported		As Adopted
Contract receivables, net	$	291,515	$	168,318
Contract assets		—		123,197
Deferred revenue		38,571		—
Contract liabilities		—		38,571
Retained earnings		434,766		434,766

Unfulfilled performance obligations for contracts in process as of the adoption date were $1.1 billion.

Under the modified retrospective method, the Company is required to maintain dual reporting during the year of adoption in order to present revenue under both the previous and new accounting for contracts initiated on or after the date of adoption and for those contracts having remaining obligations as of the adoption date. Revenue timing differences between the two methods resulted primarily from contracts with performance incentives. Under the new accounting, the Company has included in revenue the most likely amount of priced incentives earned as contract work was performed rather than, as under the old accounting, waiting to recognize revenue from incentives until specific quantitative goals were achieved, generally at the end of the measurement period. This timing difference is not expected to result in a material change to the Company’s annual revenue since most incentives have a one-year measurement period, which is aligned with the Company’s fiscal year. Revenue calculated under the old and new methods is as follows:

	Three months ended September 30, 2018				Nine months ended September 30, 2018
	Previous Accounting		New Accounting		Previous Accounting		New Accounting
Revenue	$	331,978	$	332,968	$	957,773	$	960,063

Contract assets		141,391		143,161		141,391		143,161
Contract liabilities		27,009		26,489		27,009		26,489

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This standard revises the accounting for leases and requires lessees to recognize, for all leases with terms of greater than one year, a right-of-use asset and lease liability which depicts the rights and obligations arising from a lease. The standard also requires qualitative and quantitative disclosures designed to provide information regarding the nature, amount and timing of lease expense. For lessees, the new guidance is not expected to significantly change the recognition and measurement of lease expense. This standard is effective for the first interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842), Targeted Improvements permitting the recognition of a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings on the date of adoption. The Company will adopt the standard beginning January 1, 2019. The Company intends to adopt the standard using the alternative transition method. The Company is currently evaluating its leases and designing new processes and controls that will aid in the implementation of and accounting for the new requirements. At this time, the Company cannot fully determine the effect of adopting the standard on the consolidated financial statements. However, the Company currently anticipates that, on adoption, the Company will recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities that will each total from $100 to $200 million. The Company does not expect a material impact from adopting the new standard on the results of operations and cash flows.

Stock Compensation

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718). The standard simplifies the accounting for share-based compensation to non-employees by aligning the guidance with share-based payments to employees. It is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, but does not anticipate a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40). The standard aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is considered a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The standard also requires the entity to expense the capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement over the term of the hosting arrangement and present the expense related to the capitalized implementation costs in the same line item in the statement of income as the fees associated with the hosting arrangement. The standard is effective for interim periods and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 with early adoption permitted. The standard may be implemented using either the retrospective or prospective method. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption and mode of adoption, but does not anticipate that there will be a material impact on the consolidated financial statements as a result of adopting the standard.