Every acronym and term used throughout this course.
FAR
Federal Acquisition Regulation — the primary rulebook governing how federal agencies buy goods and services.
CO / KO
Contracting Officer — the only person with legal authority ('warrant') to sign, modify, or terminate a federal contract.
COR
Contracting Officer's Representative — monitors day-to-day contractor performance on behalf of the CO.
SAM.gov
System for Award Management — the free, official U.S. government site for entity registration and contract opportunities.
UEI
Unique Entity ID — the identifier assigned to your business when you register in SAM.gov (replaced DUNS numbers).
CAGE Code
Commercial and Government Entity code — a unique ID assigned to suppliers doing business with the federal government.
NAICS Code
North American Industry Classification System code — classifies your business's industry and determines applicable small-business size standards.
PSC
Product Service Code — classifies the specific product or service being procured (used alongside NAICS).
RFP
Request for Proposal — a solicitation asking vendors to submit a detailed technical and price proposal.
RFQ
Request for Quote — a simplified solicitation, often for commercial items or simplified acquisitions.
IFB
Invitation for Bid — a sealed-bid solicitation type awarded on price to the lowest responsive/responsible bidder.
Sources Sought / RFI
A market research notice used to identify capable vendors before a formal solicitation is released.
IDIQ
Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity — an umbrella contract under which specific task orders are later issued.
GWAC
Government-Wide Acquisition Contract — a pre-competed IDIQ vehicle any federal agency can use to place orders.
BPA
Blanket Purchase Agreement — a simplified ordering agreement, often layered on top of a GSA Schedule.
GSA Schedule / MAS
Multiple Award Schedule — a pre-negotiated, government-wide catalog contract that streamlines future ordering.
FFP
Firm-Fixed-Price — a contract type with one set price regardless of the contractor's actual costs.
CPFF
Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee — a cost-reimbursement contract type where the government pays allowable costs plus a fixed fee.
T&M
Time & Materials — a contract type paid by fixed hourly labor rates plus materials at cost.
CLIN
Contract Line Item Number — a distinct, priced line of supplies, services, or tasks within a contract.
SOW / PWS
Statement of Work / Performance Work Statement — the section describing the actual work required.
Set-Aside
A competition legally restricted to a specific category of small or disadvantaged business.
8(a)
An SBA business development program for socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses, including sole-source authority.
WOSB / EDWOSB
Woman-Owned Small Business / Economically Disadvantaged WOSB — SBA certification for majority woman-owned businesses.
SDVOSB / VOSB
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned / Veteran-Owned Small Business certification.
HUBZone
Historically Underutilized Business Zone program — certification tied to business location and employee residency.
APEX Accelerator
Free, government-funded GovCon counseling centers (formerly called PTACs).
Capability Statement
A one-page marketing document summarizing your company's core competencies, past performance, and differentiators for GovCon audiences.
Compliance Matrix
A spreadsheet mapping every solicitation requirement to where it's addressed in your proposal.
Past Performance
Documented history of prior contract work used by evaluators to assess your likelihood of success.
CPARS
Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System — the official database of past performance ratings on federal contracts.
Debrief
A post-award meeting/document where the agency explains your proposal's strengths and weaknesses.
Protest
A formal challenge to a contract award, filed with the agency, GAO, or Court of Federal Claims.
Prime Contractor
The company holding the direct contract with the government.
Subcontractor
A company performing work under a prime contractor's contract.
Teaming Agreement
A pre-award agreement between a prime and subcontractor to jointly pursue and perform an opportunity if won.
FAC-C
Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting — the standard government-wide certification for 1102 contracting professionals.
DAWIA
Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification — the Department of Defense's acquisition workforce credential.
1102 Series
The federal job classification series covering Contract Specialists and Contracting Officers.
Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT)
The dollar amount below which agencies may use streamlined, less formal purchasing procedures.
Reps & Certs
Representations & Certifications — self-certifications a business makes in SAM.gov about size, ownership, and compliance.