Government contracting terms & definitions

An official change to a solicitation — deadline, scope, terms, or attachments.

Free government-contracting assistance centers (formerly PTACs) that help businesses pursue public-sector work.

A contract or grant obligation issued to a selected vendor after evaluation.

A simplified acquisition method that establishes "charge accounts" with qualified sources for recurring purchases.

A 5-character identifier for entities doing business with the U.S. government, used primarily for logistics and identification.

GSA’s Contract-Awarded Labor Category tool for researching MAS hourly ceiling rates. Civic AI indexes the same public CALC+ data on Labor Pricing.

The government official with authority to enter into, administer, and terminate contracts.

A pre-established agreement that streamlines purchasing for agencies and vendors.

An individual designated by the contracting officer to manage technical performance on the CO's behalf.

A contract that reimburses allowable incurred costs, often plus a fee.

The federal system agencies use to record and share contractor performance evaluations.

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

Additional acquisition regulations that DoD officials and defense contractors must follow.

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

A WOSB that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women who are considered economically disadvantaged.

The primary set of rules governing how the U.S. federal government buys goods and services.

A contract with a set price regardless of the contractor's actual costs.

An agency's published list of anticipated future procurements.

The system of record for federal contract actions.

The product-coding system related to PSCs, used to group logistically related items of supply.

The independent agency that manages many government-wide vehicles, including the GSA Schedule.

A pre-qualified, multiple-award IDIQ contract, typically for IT products and services.

Program for firms located in (and employing people from) designated historically underutilized business zones.

A contract that provides for an indefinite quantity of supplies or services during a fixed period; work is ordered via task or delivery orders.

A sealed-bid solicitation awarded primarily on price (also called Invitation to Bid / ITB).

The government’s internal estimate of what a requirement should cost. Buyers often use MAS ceiling rates as a conservative benchmark when building IGCEs.

The contractor currently performing the work being solicited.

A named role on a services contract (e.g. Project Manager II) with defined education, experience, and an associated hourly rate.

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

A long-term, government-wide catalog contract (Multiple Award Schedule) for commercial products and services.

A 6-digit code classifying your industry. Federal agencies use NAICS for size standards and set-aside eligibility.

Commodity codes used by most state and local governments instead of NAICS/PSC.

A not-to-exceed hourly rate on a GSA MAS contract — the maximum the vendor may charge under the master schedule. Task-order prices are often lower.

An agency's small-business advocate office that helps small firms find contracting opportunities.

Your documented track record on prior contracts; heavily weighted in proposal evaluations.

An advance notice published before the formal solicitation is released.

The firm holding the contract directly with the government.

A code that describes the specific product or service being purchased by the government.

The window during which vendors can submit questions about a solicitation.

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

Binding statements made during SAM.gov registration about your business size, ownership, and compliance.

A market-research request; not a solicitation, but a chance to influence requirements before they are finalized.

A solicitation requesting detailed proposals, evaluated on factors beyond just price (best value).

A request for pricing on defined goods or services, common for simpler buys and schedule orders.

The System for Award Management — the free federal portal where businesses register to be eligible for federal contracts.

The independent agency that runs size standards, set-aside certifications, and small-business contracting programs.

A small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

A small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans.

An opportunity reserved for a specific category of business, such as small business, 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, or HUBZone.

A GSA Schedule category code that groups related products or services (e.g. IT professional services). Used to filter labor rates and catalog offerings.

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

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

An award made without competition, allowed only in specific circumstances (for example, certain 8(a) awards).

A formal request for offers — typically an RFP, RFQ, IFB, or sources sought notice.

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

A firm performing work under the prime contractor rather than contracting directly with the government.

An individual order for services or supplies placed under an IDIQ or similar base contract.

Payment based on labor hours at fixed rates plus materials at cost.

A 12-character identifier assigned through SAM.gov; replaced the DUNS number in 2022.

The public database of federal spending and contract awards.

A small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women. EDWOSB is the economically disadvantaged variant.