Government Contracting Glossary
Key terms and acronyms used in federal government contracting. Understanding this terminology is essential for navigating the acquisition process.
Showing 36 of 36 terms
SAM
System for Award Management. The official U.S. government system where entities register to do business with the federal government. Registration in SAM is required before receiving any federal contract or grant.
NAICS
North American Industry Classification System. A standardized system used to classify business establishments by industry. Federal solicitations specify NAICS codes to identify the type of work and applicable small business size standards.
CPARS
Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System. The government's system for evaluating contractor performance on federal contracts. Past performance ratings in CPARS are a key evaluation factor in future source selections.
FAR
Federal Acquisition Regulation. The primary set of rules governing the federal government's acquisition process. The FAR establishes uniform policies and procedures for acquisition by all executive agencies.
DFARS
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. Additional acquisition regulations specific to the Department of Defense that supplement the FAR with DoD-specific requirements and clauses.
PWS
Performance Work Statement. A document that describes the required results or outcomes of a contract in measurable, performance-based terms rather than prescribing how the work should be done.
SOW
Statement of Work. A document that describes the specific tasks, deliverables, and timelines that a contractor must perform under a contract. More prescriptive than a PWS.
IDIQ
Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity. A contract type that provides for an indefinite quantity of supplies or services during a fixed period. Task orders or delivery orders are issued against the IDIQ contract.
LPTA
Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. A source selection method where the government awards to the lowest-priced offeror whose proposal meets all technical requirements. Price is the determining factor among acceptable proposals.
CLIN
Contract Line Item Number. A specific item or service identified separately in a contract for pricing, delivery, and tracking purposes. Each CLIN has its own description, quantity, unit price, and total amount.
COR
Contracting Officer's Representative. A government employee designated by the Contracting Officer to monitor contractor performance, inspect deliverables, and serve as the day-to-day technical point of contact.
CO
Contracting Officer. The government official with the authority to enter into, administer, and terminate contracts. The CO is the only person who can legally bind the government or authorize contract changes.
GFE/GFP
Government-Furnished Equipment/Property. Equipment or property provided by the government to the contractor for use in performing a contract. The contractor is responsible for maintaining and returning GFE/GFP.
FFP
Firm-Fixed-Price. A contract type where the price is not subject to adjustment based on the contractor's actual costs. The contractor bears full cost risk and receives the agreed price regardless of actual expenses.
CPFF
Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee. A cost-reimbursement contract type where the government reimburses allowable costs plus a fixed fee (profit) that does not vary with actual costs incurred.
T&M
Time-and-Materials. A contract type where payment is based on direct labor hours at specified rates plus actual cost of materials. Used when the scope of work cannot be precisely defined in advance.
RFP
Request for Proposal. A formal solicitation document issued by the government requesting proposals from potential contractors. An RFP typically includes requirements, evaluation criteria, and instructions for proposal submission.
RFQ
Request for Quotation. A solicitation used to obtain price quotes for commercial items or services. Generally simpler than an RFP and used for less complex acquisitions.
RFI
Request for Information. A market research tool used by the government to gather information about capabilities, technologies, or approaches before issuing a formal solicitation. Responses to an RFI are not binding.
CAGE Code
Commercial and Government Entity Code. A five-character identifier assigned to entities that do business with the federal government. Required for registration in SAM and used throughout the contracting process.
UEI
Unique Entity Identifier. The official identifier for entities doing business with the federal government, replacing the DUNS number. Assigned through SAM.gov registration.
8(a)
8(a) Business Development Program. An SBA program for small disadvantaged businesses that provides access to sole-source and competitive set-aside contracts, mentoring, and business development assistance for a nine-year period.
HUBZone
Historically Underutilized Business Zone. An SBA program that provides contracting preferences to small businesses located in designated economically distressed areas to stimulate economic development.
SDVOSB
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. A designation for small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, providing access to set-aside contracts and sole-source awards.
WOSB
Women-Owned Small Business. A federal contracting program that restricts competition for certain contracts to businesses owned and controlled by women, helping to increase federal contracting opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
GSA Schedule
General Services Administration Schedule (also called Multiple Award Schedule or MAS). Pre-negotiated government-wide contracts that allow federal agencies to purchase commercial products and services at volume discount pricing.
GWAC
Government-Wide Acquisition Contract. A multi-agency indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for information technology, allowing any federal agency to place orders. Examples include Alliant 2 and 8(a) STARS III.
OCI
Organizational Conflict of Interest. A situation where a contractor's existing or past relationships create an unfair competitive advantage or impair objectivity in performing government work.
DCAA
Defense Contract Audit Agency. The DoD agency responsible for auditing contractor accounting systems, incurred costs, and pricing proposals to ensure compliance with government cost accounting requirements.
CAS
Cost Accounting Standards. A set of standards issued by the CAS Board that govern how costs are measured, assigned, and allocated on government contracts. Applicable to negotiated contracts above certain thresholds.
SDB
Small Disadvantaged Business. A small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged. SDB status provides evaluation preferences in some procurements.
Mod
Contract Modification. A written change to an existing contract. Modifications can be unilateral (issued by the CO without contractor agreement) or bilateral (requiring agreement from both parties).
NTE
Not-to-Exceed. A ceiling price on a contract or task order that the contractor cannot exceed without prior authorization from the Contracting Officer. Common in T&M and cost-type contracts.
PoP
Period of Performance. The time frame during which a contractor is authorized to perform work under a contract. Includes the base period and any option periods that the government may exercise.
QASP
Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. A government document that defines how the government will monitor and evaluate contractor performance against the requirements in the PWS or SOW.
SCA
Service Contract Act (McNamara-O'Hara). A federal law requiring contractors performing service contracts over $2,500 to pay prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits to service employees.