Revenue Recognition

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue [Abstract]

Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services [Table Text Block]

3. REVENUE RECOGNITION

Contracts

Our revenue is derived from contracts with customers, and we determine the appropriate accounting treatment for each contract at contract inception. Our contracts primarily relate to electrical and mechanical contracting services, technology infrastructure products and services, and electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations. Revenue is earned based upon an agreed fixed price or actual costs incurred plus an agreed upon percentage.

We account for a contract when: (i) it has approval and commitment from both parties, (ii) the rights of the parties are identified, (iii) payment terms are identified, (iv) the contract has commercial substance, and (v) collectability of consideration is probable. We consider the start of a project to be when the above criteria have been met and we have written authorization from the customer to proceed.

Performance Obligations

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied.

We recognize revenue over time for the majority of the services we perform as (i) control continuously transfers to the customer as work progresses at a project location controlled by the customer and (ii) we have the right to bill the customer as costs are incurred. Within our Infrastructure Solutions segment, we often perform work inside our own facilities, where control does not continuously transfer to the customer as work progresses. In such cases, we evaluate whether we have the right to bill the customer as costs are incurred. Such assessment involves an evaluation of contractual termination clauses. Where we have a contractual right to payment for work performed to date, we recognize revenue over time. If we do not have such a right, we recognize revenue upon completion of the contract, when control of the work transfers to the customer.

For fixed price arrangements, we use the percentage of completion method of accounting under which revenue recognized is measured principally by the costs incurred and accrued to date for each contract as a percentage of the estimated total cost for each contract at completion. Contract costs include all direct material, labor and indirect costs related to contract performance. Changes in job performance, job conditions, estimated contract costs and profitability and final contract settlements may result in revisions to costs and income, and the effects of these revisions are recognized in the period in which the revisions are determined. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made in the period in which such losses are determined. This measurement and comparison process requires updates to the estimate of total costs to complete the contract, and these updates may include subjective assessments and judgments.

Variable Consideration

The transaction price for our contracts may include variable consideration, which includes increases to transaction price for approved and unapproved change orders, claims and incentives, and reductions to transaction price for liquidated damages. Change orders, claims and incentives are generally not distinct from the existing contract due to the significant integration service provided in the context of the contract and are accounted for as a modification of the existing contract and performance obligation. We estimate variable consideration for a performance obligation at the probability weighted value we expect to receive (or the most probable amount we expect to incur in the case of liquidated damages, if any), utilizing estimation methods that best predict the amount of consideration to which we will be entitled (or will be incurred in the case of liquidated damages, if any). We include variable consideration in the estimated transaction price to the extent it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur or when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. Our estimates of variable consideration and determination of whether to include estimated amounts in transaction price are based largely on an assessment of our anticipated performance and all information (historical, current and forecasted) that is reasonably available to us. The effect of variable consideration on the transaction price of a performance obligation is recognized as an adjustment to revenue on a cumulative catch-up basis. To the extent unapproved change orders and claims reflected in transaction price (or excluded from transaction price in the case of liquidated damages) are not resolved in our favor, or to the extent incentives reflected in transaction price are not earned, there could be reductions in, or reversals of, previously recognized revenue.

Costs of Obtaining a Contract

In certain of our operations, we incur commission costs related to entering into a contract that we only incurred because of that contract. When this occurs, we capitalize that cost and amortize it over the expected term of the contract. At March 31, 2020, we had capitalized commission costs of $59.

We generally do not incur significant incremental costs related to obtaining or fulfilling a contract prior to the start of a project. When significant pre-contract costs are incurred, they will be capitalized and amortized on a percentage of completion basis over the life of the contract.

Disaggregation of Revenue

We disaggregate our revenue from contracts with customers by activity and contract type, as these categories reflect how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. Our consolidated 2020 and 2019 revenue was derived from the following service activities. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. See details in the following tables:

	Three Months Ended March 31,				Six Months Ended March 31,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Commercial & Industrial	$	65,960	$	79,975	$	133,703	$	152,558
Communications	95,990		70,437		180,279		139,762
Infrastructure Solutions
Industrial Services	10,724		12,145		21,835		24,368
Custom Power Solutions	18,576		22,305		38,748		39,561
Total Infrastructure Solutions	29,300		34,450		60,583		63,929
Residential
Single-family	58,958		51,492		113,832		101,968
Multi-family and Other	41,069		20,560		78,923		42,539
Total Residential	100,027		72,052		192,755		144,507
Total Revenue	$	291,277	$	256,914	$	567,320	$	500,756

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2020
		Commercial & Industrial		Communications		Infrastructure Solutions		Residential		Total
Fixed-price		$	62,779	$	71,377	$	27,484	$	100,027	$	261,667
Time-and-material			3,181		24,613		1,816		—		29,610
Total revenue		$	65,960	$	95,990	$	29,300	$	100,027	$	291,277
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2019
		Commercial & Industrial		Communications		Infrastructure Solutions		Residential		Total
Fixed-price		$	76,467	$	48,602	$	32,097	$	72,052	$	229,218
Time-and-material			3,508		21,835		2,353		—		27,696
Total revenue		$	79,975	$	70,437	$	34,450	$	72,052	$	256,914
	Six Months Ended March 31, 2020
		Commercial & Industrial		Communications		Infrastructure Solutions		Residential		Total
Fixed-price		$	126,614	$	133,404	$	56,975	$	192,755	$	509,748
Time-and-material			7,089		46,875		3,608		—		57,572
Total revenue		$	133,703	$	180,279	$	60,583	$	192,755	$	567,320
	Six Months Ended March 31, 2019
		Commercial & Industrial		Communications		Infrastructure Solutions		Residential		Total
Fixed-price		$	142,297	$	97,431	$	59,609	$	144,507	$	443,844
Time-and-material			10,261		42,331		4,320		—		56,912
Total revenue		$	152,558	$	139,762	$	63,929	$	144,507	$	500,756

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable include amounts which we have billed or have an unconditional right to bill our customers. As of March 31, 2020, Accounts receivable included $11,545 of unbilled receivables for which we have an unconditional right to bill.

Contract Assets and Liabilities

Project contracts typically provide for a schedule of billings on percentage of completion of specific tasks inherent in the fulfillment of our performance obligation(s). The schedules for such billings usually do not precisely match the schedule on which costs are incurred. As a result, contract revenue recognized in the statement of operations can and usually does differ from amounts that can be billed to the customer at any point during the contract. Amounts by which cumulative contract revenue recognized on a contract as of a given date exceeds cumulative billings and unbilled receivables to the customer under the contract are reflected as a current asset in our balance sheet under the caption “Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings”. Amounts by which cumulative billings to the customer under a contract as of a given date exceed cumulative contract revenue recognized are reflected as a current liability in our balance sheet under the caption “Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings”.

The net asset (liability) position for contracts in process consisted of the following:

	March 31,		September 30,
	2020		2019
Costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts	$	837,980	$	761,401
Less: Billings to date and unbilled accounts receivable		(856,388)		(772,104)
	$	(18,408)	$	(10,703)

The net asset (liability) position for contracts in process included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets was as follows:

	March 31,		September 30,
	2020		2019
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	$	27,478	$	29,860
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings		(45,886)		(40,563)
	$	(18,408)	$	(10,703)

During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, we recognized revenue of $21,473 and $18,114 related to our contract liabilities at January 1, 2020 and 2019, respectively. During the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, we recognized revenue of $26,403 and $24,701 related to our contract liabilities at October 1, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

We did not have any impairment losses recognized on our receivables or contract assets for the three and six months ended March 31, 2020 or 2019.

Remaining Performance Obligations

Remaining performance obligations represent the unrecognized revenue value of our contract commitments. New awards represent the total expected revenue value of new contract commitments undertaken during a given period, as well as additions to the scope of existing contract commitments. Our new performance obligations vary significantly each reporting period based on the timing of our major new contract commitments. At March 31, 2020, we had remaining performance obligations of $468,694. The Company expects to recognize revenue on approximately $427,508 of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months, with the remaining recognized thereafter.

For the three and six months ended March 31, 2020, net revenue recognized from our performance obligations satisfied in previous periods was not material.