Government Contracting Glossary
155 terms and definitions to help you understand federal procurement terminology.
AA12 terms
AbilityOne
Program for employing people who are blind or have severe disabilities.
Official sourceActive Registration
A current, non-expired SAM.gov registration that allows bidding on contracts.
Affiliation
Related business entities counted together for size determination.
Official sourceAgency-Level Protest
Bid protest filed directly with the contracting agency rather than GAO or COFC.
Official sourceAllowable Cost
Cost that can be charged to or reimbursed under a government contract.
Official sourceAmendment
Official change to a solicitation issued by the contracting officer.
ANC(Alaska Native Corporation)
Alaska Native Corporation eligible for special contracting preferences.
ATO(Authority to Operate)
Authority to Operate is formal authorization for an IT system to process government data.
Official sourceAuthorized Representative
Person designated to manage a company's SAM.gov registration.
Award
The government's acceptance of a proposal and creation of a binding contract.
Official sourceAward Fee
Additional compensation paid to contractors based on performance evaluation.
Official sourceAward Without Discussions
Contract award based on initial proposals without negotiations when solicitation permits.
Official source