Government contracting glossary.
Direct definitions for the terms you see in federal opportunity records.
8(a) Business Development Program
A Small Business Administration program that supports eligible socially and economically disadvantaged small-business owners in federal contracting.
Read definition → DefinitionAmendment
An official change to a solicitation or notice that may revise requirements, attachments, questions and answers, or the response deadline.
Read definition → DefinitionHUBZone
A Small Business Administration contracting program for certified firms that meet current Historically Underutilized Business Zone requirements.
Read definition → DefinitionNAICS
The North American Industry Classification System: codes used to classify business establishments and commonly attached to federal opportunity records.
Read definition → DefinitionPSC
A Product Service Code used by the federal government to categorize what is being purchased, often alongside a NAICS code.
Read definition → DefinitionRequest for information (RFI)
A market-research request for information about capabilities, approaches, pricing practices, or industry conditions; usually not a request for an offer.
Read definition → DefinitionResponse deadline
The source-stated date and time by which a requested response must be delivered through the specified submission method.
Read definition → DefinitionSAM.gov
The U.S. government system that includes entity registration, exclusions, contract opportunity notices, and other federal award information.
Read definition → DefinitionSDVOSB
A service-disabled veteran-owned small business category used in federal contracting set-asides and eligibility rules.
Read definition → DefinitionSet-aside
A federal acquisition restriction that limits competition to eligible businesses under a stated small-business program or rule.
Read definition → DefinitionSolicitation
A government request for offers, quotations, or proposals under the instructions and conditions stated in the procurement documents.
Read definition → DefinitionSources sought
A market-research notice used to identify capable vendors and inform an acquisition approach; it is not automatically a solicitation for priced offers.
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