Glossary of Terms
Explore our comprehensive glossary of key terms and concepts in the government contracting and procurement landscape. From specialized programs and initiatives to contract-related information, agencies/offices, and essential identification codes, this glossary provides concise explanations to enhance your understanding of the intricate world of government contracts.
Programs/Initiatives
Federal contracting and training program for experienced small business owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged. The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Be a small business. 2. Not have previously participated in the 8(a) program. 3. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged. 4. Have a personal net worth of $850 thousand or less, adjusted gross income of $400 thousand or less, and assets totaling $6.5 million or less. 5. Demonstrate good character. 6. Demonstrate the potential for success, such as having been in business for two year
DSBS is a free portal sponsored by the Small Business Administration, used for entering and searching small business sources that want to do business with the Federal Government.
To help provide a level playing field for women business owners, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program. The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Meet all the requirements of the WOSB Federal Contract program. 2. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with a personal net worth less than $850,000. 3. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with $450,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years. 4. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each $6.5 million or less in personal assets.
A program that promotes the adoption of secure cloud services across the federal government by providing a standardized approach to security and risk assessment.
The government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses in historically underutilized business zones. It also gives preferential consideration to those businesses in full and open competition. The criteria for HUBZone certification include the following: 1. Be a small business according to SBA size standards. 2. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an Indian tribe. 3. Have its principal office located in a HUBZone. 4. Have at least 35% of its employees living in a HUBZone.
The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is based at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The national Program Office (NIST MEP) which provides the federal government funding for the MEP National Network™ is located in Gaithersburg, MD. The MEP National Network comprises the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, the MEP Advisory Board, MEP Center boards, and the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence, as well as over 1,450 trusted advisors and experts at approximately 430 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises.
A family of seven separate governmentwide multiple award, IDIQ contracts for program management, management consulting, logistics, engineering, scientific and financial services.
Small Business Development Centers provide counseling and training to small businesses, including working with SBA to develop and provide informational tools to support business start-ups and existing business expansion.
Certification with SBA allows service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) to compete for federal sole-source and set-aside contracts across the federal government.The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in the business’s SAM profile. 2. Have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans. 3. have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA. 4. For those veterans who are permanently and totally disabled and unable to manage the daily business operations of their business, their business may still qualify if their spouse or appointed, permanent caregiver is assisting in that management.
To help provide a level playing field for women business owners, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program. The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Meet all the requirements of the WOSB Federal Contract program. 2. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with a personal net worth less than $850,000. 3. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with $450,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the previous three years. 4. Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each $6.5 million or less in personal assets.
"The Federal Prison Industries program (now operating under the trade name UNICOR) was established in 1934 by an Executive Order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. UNICOR's strategic goals are the following: 1 - Maintain and develop meaningful work and job training opportunities to prepare inmates to become law-abiding citizens. 2 - Ensure the corporation remains financially self-sustaining.3 – Prepare our staff to assume positions of greater responsibility by providing quality training and developmental opportunities."
USAspending is the official open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.
The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling, and resource partner referrals to service members, veterans, National Guard & Reserve members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business.
Certified veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) have opportunities to pursue sole-source and set-aside contracts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under the VA’s Vets First program. The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in the business’s SAM profile. 2. Have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans.
"To help provide a level playing field for women business owners, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program. The criteria for eligibility include the following: 1. Be a small business according to SBA size standards. 2. Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens. 3. Have women manage day-to-day operations who also make long-term decisions"
Dates
The date the action being reported (for prime award transactions or sub-awards) was issued or signed by the Government, or a binding agreement was reached. Because award obligations are tied to action dates, any search for spending data on USAspending will search by this data element rather than by Period of Performance dates.
The fiscal year the task order award or modification was awarded.
Contract Information
TMoney the federal government has promised to pay a recipient. Funding may be awarded to a company, organization, government entity (i.e., state, local, tribal, federal, or foreign), or individual. It may be obligated (promised) in the form of a contract, grant, loan, insurance, direct payment, etc.
An agreement between the federal government and a prime recipient to provide goods and services for a fee.
The name of the GWAC that the task order was awarded against.
The contract number assigned to GWAC industry partners
Payment model for a contract. Each has a different way of accounting for costs, fees, and profits. Contract pricing types include: fixed price redetermination; fixed price level of effort; firm fixed price; fixed price with economic price adjustment; fixed price incentive; fixed price award fee; cost plus award fee; cost no fee; cost sharing; cost plus; fixed fee; cost plus incentive fee; time and materials; labor hours.
A business, organization, or agency that receives funding and/or performs work on a contract. A contractor may be a corporation, small business, university, non-profit, sole proprietor, or other entity. When a company contracts with the U.S. government, it may hire another company to perform part of the work. When this happens, the company that received the award is called the prime contractor. The company hired by the prime is called the sub-contractor.
URL for task order information in the Federal Procurement Data System.
An indefinite delivery contract (IDC) facilitates the delivery of supply and service orders during a set timeframe. This type of contract is awarded to one or more vendors. Definite Quantity Contracts, which are a type of IDC, provide for delivery of a definite quantity of supplies or services for a fixed period, with deliveries to be scheduled at designated locations upon order.
Requirements contracts are for the fulfillment of all purchase requirements of supplies or services for designated government activities during a specified contract period, with deliveries to be scheduled by placing orders with the contractor.
Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) facilitates the delivery of supply and service orders during a set timeframe. This type of contract is awarded to one or more vendors. IDCs include Indefinite Delivery / Definite Quantity Contract; Indefinite Delivery / Requirements Contract; Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract
Vehicle to facilitate the delivery of supply and service orders. IDV Types include: Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA); Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA); Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC); Multi-Agency Contract; Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC); Federal Supply Schedule (FSS)
The modification number assigned to the task order award.
Whether the task order is an original award or modification.
The total amount that could be obligated on a contract. This total includes the base plus options amount.
The predominant contract type used to fulfill the task order award.
A prime award is an agreement that the government makes with a non-federal entity for the purpose of carrying out a federal program. The entities receiving the award are known as prime recipients.
A unique identifier assigned to a federal contract, purchase order, basic ordering agreement, basic agreement, and blanket purchase agreement. It is used to track the contract and any modifications or transactions related to it.
A Product or Service Code (PSC) is a 4-character code that identifies the type of product, service, or research & development (R&D) purchased. While NAICS codes identify the industry most relevant to a contract, PSCs tell you what the contract is specifically purchasing. For example, a contract’s NAICS code might point to the “Industrial Building Construction” industry, while that same contract’s PSC points to “Construct Hospitals and Infirmaries.” There are nearly three times as many PSCs (over 2,900) as there are NAICS codes (just over 1000), which in many cases allows a more granular PSC designation than NAICS code designation for a given contract.
The number of task order awards.
The primary regulation for federal agencies to use when buying supplies and services with funds from Congress.
The estimated value of a task order over the life of that specific award, which includes the value of all options to be exercised and executed over the life of the task order award.
Contract Information
The name of the organization issuing the task order award
"Match Quality" refers to how closely a competitor's goods or services align with the specific needs and requirements of the government agency. It involves evaluating how well a competitor's offerings match or fulfill the criteria, specifications, and objectives set by the agency. The match quality assessment helps the agency determine which competitors are the most suitable and capable of meeting their unique demands. It takes into account factors such as the competitor's capabilities, expertise, past performance, and the extent to which their offerings align with the agency's objectives. Ultimately, match quality helps the government agency identify the best-fit competitors in terms of their ability to deliver the desired goods or services effectively and efficiently.
NAICS stands for the North American Industrial Classification System. This 6-digit code tells you what industry the work falls into. Each contract record has a NAICS code. That means you can look up how much money the U.S. government spent in a specific industry.
The name of the government agency receiving the services being procured.
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) for an awardee or recipient is an alphanumeric code created in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) that is used to uniquely identify specific commercial, nonprofit, or business entities registered to do business with the federal government.
Contract Information
An Established Vendor is any vendor that received a prime federal contract award over the micro-purchase threshold in the selected fiscal year, and is not a New Entrant or a Recent Entrant for that fiscal year.
Indicates whether the GWAC task order was awarded using an exception to fair opportunity
A New Entrant is any vendor that received a prime federal contract award over the micro-purchase threshold in the selected fiscal year for the first time (also referred to as a “first-time entrant”), or after having not received an award in the previous five fiscal years (also referred to as a “reentrant”). The micro-purchase threshold is currently $10,000.
Socially disadvantaged individuals are those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias within American society because of their identities as members of groups and without regard to their individual qualities. The social disadvantage must stem from circumstances beyond their control.
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