Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO)

A government official to whom any or all of the contract administration functions may be delegated.

Clinger-Cohen Act

A 1996 United States federal law, designed to improve the way the federal government acquires, uses, and disposes information technology (IT). This Act supplements information resources management policies by establishing a comprehensive approach for executive agencies to improve the acquisition and management of their information resources. It directed the development and maintenance of a Federal Enterprise Architecture to maximize the benefits of information technology (IT) within the Government.

Contract Access Fee (CAF)

The CAF is a fee paid by customers to cover GSA's cost of operating the Federal Supply Service Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) program. The fee is a percentage of reported sales under the GWAC contracts. For Alliant GWAC, the CAF is ¾ of one percent (0.0075) applied to the total price/cost for contractor performance as billed to the Government.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

A Government official designated by the Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO) to provide certain assistance to the OCO for that Order. The specific rights and responsibilities of the COR shall be described in writing. A COR has no actual, apparent or implied authority to bind the Government.

Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR)

A Government official designated by the Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO) to provide certain assistance to the OCO for that Order. The specific rights and responsibilities of the COTR shall be described in writing. A COTR has no actual, apparent or implied authority to bind the Government.

Contractor Assisted Visits (CAV)

Assistance provided at the Contractor’s place of business to render assistance with Order reporting, CAF management issues, and other general contract administration functions as deemed appropriate by the Government.

Davis Bacon Act (DBA)

A United States federal law which established the requirement for paying prevailing wages on public works projects. All federal government construction contracts, and most contracts for federally assisted construction over $2,000, must include provisions for paying workers on-site no less than the locally prevailing wages and benefits paid on similar projects.

Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA)

A written letter of authorization designating a duly warranted federal contracting officer, who remains in good standing, as an Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO). To access Alliant GWAC through a Direct Acquisition process, a federal agency must have its contracting officer receive a DPA in order to be designated an Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO).

Department of Defense Enterprise Architecture (DoDEA)

The Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) provides a foundational framework for developing and representing architecture descriptions that ensure a common denominator for understanding, comparing, and integrating architectures across organizational, Joint, and multinational boundaries. It establishes data element definitions, rules, and relationships and a baseline set of products for consistent development of systems, integrated, or federated architectures.

Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)

EPEAT is a system to help purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers desktop and laptop computers, workstations and computer monitors.

Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA)

The U.S. Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) is an initiative of the US Office of Management and Budget that aims to comply with the Clinger-Cohen Act and provide a common methodology for information technology (IT) acquisition in the United States federal government. It is designed to ease sharing of information and resources across federal agencies, reduce costs, and improve citizen services.

Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)

Task order or delivery order contracts for Information Technology (IT) established by one agency for government-wide use. Each GWAC is operated by an executive agent designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to section 5112(e) of the Clinger-Cohen Act.

HUBZone

A United States Small Business Administration (SBA) program for small companies that operate and employ people in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones).

Industrial Operations Analyst (IOA)

An individual authorized to examine records and to conduct Contractor Assistance Visits (CAVs) to the Contractor’s place of business to assist Contractors with Order reporting, CAF management issues, and other general contract administration functions as deemed appropriate and necessary by the Government.

Information Technology (IT)

Any equipment, interconnected system, or subsystem of equipment that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, analysis, evaluation, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. IT may include computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.

Off Ramp

A process through which a Contractor may be removed from the Alliant GWAC due to failure to meet Alliant Contractor performance expectations.

On Ramp

A process through which a Contractor may be added to the Alliant GWAC if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Government.

Open Season

An open solicitation period during which new Contractors may be added to the Alliant GWAC.

Ordering Contract Officer (OCO)

The sole and exclusive Government official with actual authority to take actions which may bind the Government for that Order. Only an authorized user, who is a delegated OCO, may place and administer an Order under the Basic Contract.

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

A description of the Government's requirements in terms of the objective and measurable outputs.

Procuring Contract Officer (PCO)

The sole and exclusive government official with actual authority to award the Basic Contract. After award of the Basic Contract, the PCO may delegate any or all of the contract administration functions, described in FAR 42.302.

Statement of Objectives (SOO)

A description of top-level objectives of an acquisition provided in the request for proposal (RFP) in lieu of a government-written statement of work (SOW). It provides potential offerors the flexibility to develop cost-effective solutions and the opportunity to propose innovative alternatives meeting the objectives.

Statement of Work (SOW)

A document that captures the work activities, deliverables and timeline that a vendor will execute against in performance of work for a customer. Detailed requirements and pricing are usually specified in a Statement Of Work, along with many other terms and conditions.