Government Contracting Glossary: 50+ Terms Explained

Government contracting has its own dense vocabulary, and the acronyms pile up fast. This glossary defines the terms you'll encounter most often, in plain English. Bookmark it and come back whenever a solicitation throws a new abbreviation at you.

TL;DR: Below are 50+ of the most common government contracting terms, grouped by theme. New here? Start with the getting-started guide, then use this page as a reference.

Registration & identifiers

SAM.gov — The System for Award Management; the free federal portal where businesses register to be eligible for federal contracts. See how to register.

UEI (Unique Entity ID) — A 12-character identifier assigned through SAM.gov; replaced the DUNS number in 2022.

CAGE Code — Commercial and Government Entity code; a 5-character identifier for entities doing business with the government.

DUNS Number — The legacy 9-digit identifier formerly used to identify entities; retired in favor of the UEI.

Login.gov — The authentication service used to access SAM.gov and other federal systems.

Codes & classification

NAICS Code — North American Industry Classification System; a 6-digit code classifying your industry. See the NAICS & PSC guide.

PSC Code — Product Service Code; describes the specific product or service being purchased.

FSC — Federal Supply Classification; the product-coding system related to PSCs.

NIGP Code — Commodity codes used by most state and local governments (instead of NAICS/PSC).

Size Standard — The SBA-defined revenue or employee threshold (per NAICS code) that determines whether a business is "small."

Business categories & set-asides

Set-Aside — An opportunity reserved for a specific category of business. See set-asides explained.

Small Business — A firm that meets the SBA size standard for the relevant NAICS code.

8(a) — SBA Business Development program for socially and economically disadvantaged firms; allows sole-source awards.

WOSB / EDWOSB — Women-Owned / Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business.

SDVOSB — Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.

HUBZone — Historically Underutilized Business Zone program for firms located in (and employing people from) designated areas.

SDB — Small Disadvantaged Business.

Solicitations & responses

RFP (Request for Proposal) — A solicitation requesting detailed proposals, evaluated on more than just price.

RFQ (Request for Quote) — A request for pricing on defined goods/services, common for simpler buys.

RFI (Request for Information) — A market-research request; not a solicitation, but a chance to influence requirements.

IFB (Invitation for Bid) — A sealed-bid solicitation awarded primarily on price.

Sources Sought — A notice asking which firms can perform a requirement; used for market research and set-aside decisions.

Amendment — An official change to a solicitation (deadline, scope, or terms).

Q&A Period — The window during which vendors can submit questions about a solicitation.

Award & contract types

Contract Vehicle — A pre-established agreement that streamlines purchasing. See contract vehicles 101.

GSA Schedule (MAS) — A long-term, government-wide catalog contract for commercial products and services.

GWAC — Government-Wide Acquisition Contract, specifically for IT.

IDIQ — Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract; work is ordered via task/delivery orders.

BPA — Blanket Purchase Agreement for recurring purchases.

Task Order / Delivery Order — Individual orders placed under an IDIQ or similar base contract.

Sole Source — An award made without competition, allowed in specific circumstances (e.g., 8(a)).

Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) — A contract with a set price regardless of the contractor's actual costs.

Cost-Reimbursement — A contract that reimburses allowable incurred costs, often plus a fee.

T&M (Time and Materials) — Payment based on labor hours at fixed rates plus materials.

Roles & organizations

CO / KO (Contracting Officer) — The government official with authority to enter into and administer contracts.

COR / COTR — Contracting Officer's Representative; manages technical performance on the CO's behalf.

Prime Contractor — The firm holding the contract directly with the government.

Subcontractor — A firm performing work under the prime contractor.

SBA — Small Business Administration; runs size standards and set-aside certifications.

GSA — General Services Administration; manages many government-wide vehicles.

OSDBU — Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; an agency's small-business advocate.

APEX Accelerator — Free government-contracting assistance centers (formerly PTACs).

Rules & compliance

FAR — Federal Acquisition Regulation; the primary federal procurement rulebook.

DFARS — Defense FAR Supplement; additional rules for DoD acquisitions.

Reps & Certs — Representations and Certifications; binding statements made during registration.

Past Performance — Your documented track record on prior contracts; heavily weighted in evaluations.

Debarment — Exclusion from federal contracting due to misconduct or non-performance.

CPARS — Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System; where past performance is recorded.

Data & discovery

USAspending — The public database of federal spending and contract awards.

FPDS — Federal Procurement Data System; the system of record for federal contract actions.

Forecast — An agency's published list of anticipated future procurements.

Recompete — A contract being re-bid as the current period of performance ends — a prime targeting opportunity.

Incumbent — The contractor currently performing the work being solicited.

Keep learning

Now that the vocabulary makes sense, put it to work: find government contracts to bid on, understand set-asides, and explore live opportunities on CivicContracts.