XML 33 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Basis of Presentation and Revenue Recognition
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Basis of Presentation and Revenue Recognition [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Revenue Recognition
1.Basis of Presentation and Revenue Recognition

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by GSE Systems, Inc. (the "Company" or "GSE") without independent audit.  In the opinion of the Company's management, all adjustments and reclassifications of a normal and recurring nature necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented have been made.  Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") have been condensed or omitted.  The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily an indication of the results for the full year.  These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2015.  Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current presentation.

The Company has two reportable segments as follows:

·
Performance Improvement Solutions
Our Performance Improvement Solutions business segment encompasses all of the solution-oriented technologies and services traditionally associated with GSE which focus on both our client's people and their plants and operations. This segment includes various simulation, training and engineering products and services delivered across the breadth of industries we serve. Our simulation solutions include platforms ranging from (1) the non-specific plant systems of our EnVision product line used to teach fundamental processes to newly hired employees, to (2) custom plant-specific simulators used to train plant operators, to (3) engineering-grade simulation solutions used to help clients verify and validate control systems prior to new plant construction or modification of existing plants, to (4) engineering-grade simulation solutions used for human factors engineering. Training applications include turnkey and custom training services and 3D visualization training products to make training more effective. Our engineering services include plant design, automation and control systems design, functional safety and compliance analysis, and engineering consultations.

·
Staff Augmentation
Staff Augmentation services provide specialized workforce solutions primarily to the nuclear industry. These employees work at our clients' facilities under client direction. Examples of staff augmentation positions include instructors, procedure writers, work management specialists, planners, outage execution specialists, corrective action and self-assessment specialists, and training material developers. This business is managed through our Hyperspring LLC subsidiary. The business model, management focus, margins and other factors clearly separate this business line from the rest of the GSE product and service portfolio. Hyperspring has been providing these services since 2005.
Financial information about the two business segments are provided in Note 15 of the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements as well as reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  The Company's most significant estimates relate to revenue recognition, product warranties, capitalization of software development costs, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets acquired, contingent consideration issued in business acquisitions, and the recoverability of deferred tax assets.  Actual results could differ from these estimates and those differences could be material.

Revenue Recognition on Long-Term Contracts
The Company recognizes revenue through (1) fixed price contracts on the sale of uniquely designed systems containing hardware, software and other materials as well as (2) time and material contracts primarily through staff augmentation support and service agreements.
In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), our Performance Improvement Solutions segment accounts for revenue under fixed-price contracts using the percentage-of-completion method. This methodology recognizes revenue and earnings as work progresses on the contract and is based on an estimate of the revenue and earnings earned to date, less amounts recognized in prior periods. The Company bases its estimate of the degree of completion of the contract by reviewing the relationship of costs incurred to date to the expected total costs that will be incurred on the project. Estimated contract earnings are reviewed and revised periodically as the work progresses, and the cumulative effect of any change in estimate is recognized in the period in which the change is identified. Estimated losses are charged against earnings in the period such losses are identified. The Company recognizes revenue arising from contract claims either as income or as an offset against a potential loss only when the amount of the claim can be estimated reliably and realization is probable and there is a legal basis of the claim.
Uncertainties inherent in the performance of contracts include labor availability and productivity, material costs, change order scope and pricing, software modification and customer acceptance issues. The reliability of these cost estimates is critical to the Company's revenue recognition as a significant change in the estimates can cause the Company's revenue and related margins to change significantly from the amounts estimated in the early stages of the project.
As the Company recognizes revenue under the percentage-of-completion method, it provides an accrual for estimated future warranty costs based on historical and projected claims experience. The Company's long-term contracts generally provide for a one-year warranty on parts, labor and any bug fixes as it relates to software embedded in the systems.
The Company's system design contracts do not normally provide for "post customer support service" (PCS) in terms of software upgrades, software enhancements or telephone support. In order to obtain PCS, the customers normally must purchase a separate contract. Such PCS arrangements are generally for a one-year period renewable annually and include customer support, unspecified software upgrades, and maintenance releases. The Company recognizes revenue from these contracts ratably over the life of the agreements.
Revenue from the sale of software licenses which do not require significant modifications or customization for the Company's modeling tools are recognized when the license agreement is signed, the license fee is fixed and determinable, delivery has occurred, and collection is considered probable.
We evaluate our contracts for multiple deliverables under ASC 605-25 Revenue Recognition-Multiple Element Arrangements, and when appropriate, separate the contracts into separate units of accounting for revenue recognition. Contracts with multiple element arrangements typically include, but are not limited to, components such as training, licenses, and PCS, as described above, embedded in the agreement. When a contract contains multiple deliverables, the Company allocates revenue to each deliverable based on its relative selling price which is determined based on its vendor specific objective evidence ("VSOE") if available, third party evidence ("TPE") if VSOE is not available, or estimated selling price if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. Amounts allocated to training and support services are based on VSOE and revenue is deferred until the services have been performed. Amounts allocated to software licenses are also based on VSOE. Revenue related to software licenses is recognized once the license has been delivered.
The Company recognizes revenue under time and materials contracts primarily from staff augmentation and certain consulting agreements. Revenue on time and material contracts is recognized as services are rendered and performed. Under a typical time-and-materials billing arrangement, customers are billed on a regularly scheduled basis, such as biweekly or monthly. At the end of each accounting period, revenue is estimated and accrued for services performed since the last billing cycle. These unbilled amounts are billed the following month.

For the three months ended March 31, 2015 the following customer provided more than 10% of the Company's consolidated revenue:

   
Three Months ended
March 31,
   
2015
 
2014
Tennessee Valley Authority
  
21.0 %
 
0.0 %

Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") is a customer of Hyperspring, LLC, which was acquired on November 14, 2014.