GovCon Academy · Reference

GovCon Glossary

45+ federal contracting terms defined. Use the letter index to jump to any section.

8

8(a): SBA program for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Provides sole-source contract access up to $4M (goods/services) and $7M (manufacturing).

BAA: Broad Agency Announcement — used for basic and applied research solicitations where specific requirements aren't defined.
BPA: Blanket Purchase Agreement — a simplified acquisition method that establishes a "charge account" with qualified sources, typically from the GSA Schedule.

CAGE Code: Commercial and Government Entity code — a 5-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to suppliers. Required for SAM.gov registration.
CO / KO: Contracting Officer — the government official with legal authority to enter into, administer, and terminate contracts on behalf of an agency.
COR: Contracting Officer's Representative — the technical representative who oversees day-to-day contract performance. Not authorized to change contract terms.
CPARS: Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System — the federal database where agencies record your past performance ratings. Used in future source selections.

DFARS: Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement — DoD-specific clauses added to the FAR that apply to DoD contracts.
DUNS: Data Universal Numbering System — the old 9-digit business identifier. Replaced by the UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) in April 2022.

FAR: Federal Acquisition Regulation — the primary set of rules governing the U.S. federal government's procurement process, codified in Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency — DHS sub-agency responsible for coordinating disaster response. Major source of emergency contracting opportunities.
FFP: Firm-Fixed-Price — the most common contract type. Vendor delivers specified work for a set price regardless of actual costs.

GSA: General Services Administration — manages federal real estate and operates the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), the largest government contracting vehicle.
GWAC: Governmentwide Acquisition Contract — IDIQ contracts any federal agency can use. Examples: SEWP, CIO-SP4, Alliant 2.

HUBZone: Historically Underutilized Business Zone — SBA certification for businesses located in designated economically distressed areas. Provides 3% price evaluation preference.

IDIQ: Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity — a contract with a guaranteed minimum and ceiling maximum. Individual task orders are competed among vehicle holders.
IFB: Invitation for Bid — a sealed-bid solicitation where award goes to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. Used for construction and commodity purchases.
ITQ: Invitation to Qualify — a pre-qualification process agencies use to build a vendor pool before issuing task order competitions.

LPTA: Lowest Price Technically Acceptable — evaluation methodology where award goes to the lowest-priced vendor that meets minimum technical requirements.

MAS: Multiple Award Schedule (GSA) — also called the GSA Schedule. Pre-negotiated contracts for commercial products and services available to all federal agencies.
MATOC: Multiple Award Task Order Contract — a type of IDIQ contract where multiple vendors are selected; individual task orders are then competed among them.

NAICS: North American Industry Classification System — 6-digit codes classifying businesses by industry. Used to determine size standards and opportunity matching.
NDA: Non-Disclosure Agreement — required before access to certain sensitive or classified procurement information.
NRS: National Response System — the coordinated framework for federal response to major disasters. Key source of supply chain contracts.

OASIS: One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services — GSA's professional services IDIQ. OASIS+ Small Business is the current iteration.

Past Performance: Your track record of completing similar contracts. One of the most heavily weighted evaluation criteria in federal source selections.
POP: Period of Performance — the start and end dates during which a contractor must complete the work.
PPE: Personal Protective Equipment — frequently procured by FEMA and HHS during disasters and public health emergencies.
PWS: Performance Work Statement — describes the required outcomes (what), not how the work is done. Gives contractors flexibility in approach.

RFI: Request for Information — a market research tool with no award attached. Agencies use RFIs to understand vendor capabilities and refine requirements.
RFP: Request for Proposals — the most common solicitation type. Vendors submit technical and price proposals; award is based on best value.
RFQ: Request for Quotations — used for simplified acquisitions under $250,000 or for GSA Schedule orders. Less formal than an RFP.

SAM.gov: System for Award Management — the official U.S. government database for vendor registration, certifications, and contract award data. Free registration required.
SBA: Small Business Administration — the federal agency that certifies small businesses and administers set-aside programs (8(a), WOSB, HUBZone).
SDVOSB: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business — SBA certification providing set-aside access for businesses 51%+ owned by service-disabled veterans.
SEMA: State Emergency Management Agency — each state's agency for disaster preparedness and response. Issues contracts independent of FEMA.
SEWP: Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement — NASA-managed GWAC for IT products and services. One of the highest-volume contract vehicles.
SOO: Statement of Objectives — high-level goals document; contractor proposes the approach. More flexible than SOW or PWS.
SOW: Statement of Work — describes specific tasks the contractor must perform, often prescribing how as well as what.
Subcontracting: Performing work as a lower-tier contractor under a prime contractor. Excellent way to build past performance for new market entrants.

T&M: Time & Materials — contract type where the government pays for direct labor hours and materials at agreed rates. Highest risk for the government.
Task Order: An individual order placed against an IDIQ or BPA. The actual competition for specific work; separate from winning the master contract.
Teaming: A formal arrangement where two or more businesses propose together. Allows small businesses to meet experience requirements of large contracts.

UEI: Unique Entity Identifier — the 12-character alphanumeric code that replaced the DUNS number for SAM.gov registration (since April 2022).

WOSB: Women-Owned Small Business — SBA certification providing set-aside access for businesses 51%+ owned and controlled by women.