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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 28, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the Company are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for reporting of interim financial information. Pursuant to such rules and regulations, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position and results of operations of the Company as of the dates and for the periods presented. Accordingly, these statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2019 (the “2019 Form 10-K”). The results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future interim period or for the full 2020 fiscal year.
Performance Obligations
To determine the proper revenue recognition method, we evaluate whether two or more contracts should be combined and accounted for as one single contract and whether the combined or single contract should be accounted for as more than one
performance obligation. The majority of our contracts have a single performance obligation as the promise to transfer the individual goods or services is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contracts and therefore, is not distinct.
The Company’s performance obligations are satisfied as work progresses or at a point in time. Revenue on our cost-reimbursable contracts is recognized over time using direct costs incurred or direct costs incurred to date as compared to the estimated total direct costs for performance obligations because it depicts the transfer of control to the customer. Contract costs include labor, subcontractors’ costs and other direct costs.
Gross revenue from services transferred to customers at a point in time is recognized when the customer obtains control of the asset, which is generally upon delivery and acceptance by the customer of the reports and/or analysis performed.
As of March 28, 2020, the Company had $610,368 of remaining performance obligations, of which $498,457 is expected to be recognized over the next 12 months and the majority of the balance over the next 24 months. Contracts for which work authorizations have been received are included in performance obligations. Most of our government contracts are multi-year contracts for which funding is appropriated on an annual basis, therefore performance obligations include only those amounts that have been funded and authorized and does not reflect the full amounts we may receive over the term of such contracts. In the case of non-government contracts and project awards, performance obligations include future revenue at contract or customary rates, excluding contract renewals or extensions that are at the discretion of the client. For contracts with a not-to-exceed maximum amount, we include revenue from such contracts in performance obligations to the extent of the remaining estimated amount.
Contract Balances
The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in billed receivables, unbilled receivables (contract assets), and billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts (contract liabilities) on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The liability “Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts” represents billings in excess of revenues recognized on these contracts as of the reporting date. This liability is generally classified as current. Revenue recognized that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the fiscal year was $2,767 for the three months ended March 28, 2020.
There have been no material changes, other than those related to the adopted new accounting standards below, in the Company's significant accounting policies described in the audited financial statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2019.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Goodwill and Intangible Assets
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"). This ASU eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test and simplifies how the amount of an impairment loss is determined. The update is effective for public companies in the beginning of fiscal year 2020 and shall be applied on a prospective basis. The Company adopted this ASU at the beginning of fiscal year 2020. The Company has determined there were no changes to its financial statements as a result of the adoption.

Goodwill is the excess of consideration paid for an acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired, including other identifiable intangible assets and liabilities assumed in a business combination. To determine the amount of goodwill resulting from a business combination, the Company performs an assessment to determine the acquisition date fair value of the acquired company’s tangible and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities.
 
Goodwill is required to be evaluated for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the asset may be impaired. An entity has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. These qualitative factors include: macroeconomic and industry conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance and other relevant entity-specific events. If the entity determines that this threshold is met, then the Company may apply a one-step quantitative test and record the amount of goodwill impairment as the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The Company determines fair value through multiple valuation techniques, and weights the results accordingly. NV5 Global is required to make certain
subjective and complex judgments in assessing whether an event of impairment of goodwill has occurred, including assumptions and estimates used to determine the fair value of its reporting units. The Company has elected to perform its annual goodwill impairment review on August 1 of each year. The Company conducts its annual impairment tests on the goodwill using the quantitative method of evaluating goodwill.
Identifiable intangible assets primarily include customer backlog, customer relationships, finite and indefinite-lived trade names, non-compete agreements, and developed technology. Amortizable intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the assets may be impaired. If an indicator of impairment exists, the Company compares the estimated future cash flows of the asset, on an undiscounted basis, to the carrying value of the asset. If the undiscounted cash flows exceed the carrying value, no impairment is indicated. If the undiscounted cash flows do not exceed the carrying value, then impairment, if any, is measured as the difference between fair value and carrying value, with fair value typically based on a discounted cash flow model. There were no indicators, events or changes in circumstances that would indicate intangible assets were impaired during the three months ended March 28, 2020.

On August 1, 2019, the Company conducted its annual impairment tests using the quantitative method of evaluating goodwill. Based on the quantitative analyses the Company determined the fair value of each of the reporting units exceeded its carrying value. Therefore, the goodwill was not impaired and the Company did not recognize an impairment charge relating to goodwill as of August 1, 2019. Furthermore, there were no indicators, events or changes in circumstances that would indicate goodwill was impaired during the period from August 2, 2019 through March 28, 2020.

See Note 7, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, for further information on goodwill and identified intangibles.
Financial Instruments
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) ("ASU 2016-13"). This ASU introduces a new accounting model, the Current Expected Credit Losses model (CECL), which could result in earlier recognition of credit losses and additional disclosures related to credit risk. The CECL model requires the Company to use a forward-looking expected credit loss impairment methodology for the recognition of credit losses for financial instruments at the time the financial asset is originated or acquired. The expected credit losses are adjusted each period for changes in expected lifetime credit losses. This model replaces the multiple existing impairment models in current GAAP, which generally require that a loss be incurred before it is recognized. The new standard also applies to receivables arising from revenue transactions such as contract assets and accounts receivable and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted this ASU at the beginning of fiscal year 2020. The standard was applied prospectively and did not materially impact the consolidated financial statements.