Reference
GovCon glossary
The language of federal contracting, in plain English. Every term you need to read a solicitation, register your business, and win work.
8(a) Business Development Program (8(a))
An SBA program for small, disadvantaged businesses.
CAGE Code (CAGE)
A 5-character code identifying a facility location, assigned during SAM registration.
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
The primary rulebook governing how the government buys.
Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)
A pre-competed IDIQ that any federal agency can order from.
GSA Schedule (MAS)
A long-term governmentwide contract for commercial products and services.
HUBZone Program (HUBZone)
Set-asides for businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones.
IDIQ Contract (IDIQ)
Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity - an umbrella contract for ordering over time.
NAICS Code (NAICS)
Industry classification codes that describe the work the government is buying.
Product Service Code (PSC)
Codes that describe what is being bought - the product, service, or R&D.
Request for Information (RFI)
A market-research request - no contract is awarded from it.
Request for Proposal (RFP)
A solicitation asking vendors to propose how they'll meet a requirement.
SAM.gov
The U.S. government's official system for entity registration and contract opportunities.
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
Set-asides for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.
Set-Aside
A contract reserved for a specific category of small business.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
The federal agency that supports small businesses and runs set-aside programs.
Small Business Size Standard
The revenue or employee threshold that defines 'small' for a NAICS code.
Sole-Source Contract
A contract awarded without full competition.
Sources Sought Notice
A pre-solicitation notice gauging whether capable (often small) businesses exist.
Task Order
An individual order placed against an IDIQ, GWAC, or Schedule.
Unique Entity ID (UEI)
The 12-character ID that identifies your business to the government.
Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
Small businesses owned and controlled by veterans.
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
Set-asides for women-owned small businesses.
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