Government Contracting Glossary
155 terms and definitions to help you understand federal procurement terminology.
SS25 terms
SAM Entity
A registered business or organization in the System for Award Management.
Official sourceSAM.gov(System for Award Management)
System for Award Management - the official federal government system for contractor registration.
Official sourceSAT(Simplified Acquisition Threshold)
Simplified Acquisition Threshold - $250,000 ceiling for simplified procedures.
SBA Verification
Official SBA review and approval of certain small business certifications.
SDVOSB(Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business)
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.
Official sourceSection 508
Federal law requiring electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Official sourceSection L
Instructions to Offerors - how to prepare and submit your proposal.
Section M
Evaluation Factors - how proposals will be evaluated and scored.
Self-Certification
Declaring small business status without third-party verification.
Set-Aside
Contract reserved exclusively for specific small business categories.
Show Cause
Notice requiring contractor to explain why contract shouldn't be terminated.
Simplified Acquisition
Streamlined procurement for purchases under $250,000.
Size Standard
SBA threshold for qualifying as small business in an industry.
Official sourceSmall Business
Business meeting SBA size standards for its industry.
Small Disadvantaged Business(SDB)
Small business owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Sole Source
Contract awarded without competition to a single contractor.
Official sourceSolicitation
Formal government request for contractors to submit offers.
SOO(Statement of Objectives)
Statement of Objectives - high-level outcomes without detailed requirements.
Sources Sought
Notice asking potential contractors to identify themselves for an upcoming requirement.
SOW(Statement of Work)
Statement of Work - detailed description of tasks and deliverables.
Stay of Performance
Suspension of contract performance when a timely protest is filed.
Official sourceSubcontract
Contract between prime contractor and another contractor.
Suspension
Temporary exclusion of a contractor from government contracting pending investigation.
Official sourceSynopsis
Public notice of a planned or current procurement opportunity.
System Security Plan
Document describing security controls implemented to protect an information system.
Official source