Defense Tech BaseUse this page to decode a solicitation or award record.
Start with the contract tracker, first government contract guide, SBIR/STTR awards, Phase III guide, or CMMC provider guide if you need to put a term in context.
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Find and qualify opportunities
The notices, identifiers, and buying signals you will see before a contract is awarded.
Solicitation
A government request for offers or quotations. Read its instructions, evaluation criteria, and contract terms before deciding whether to respond.
Sources sought
A notice asking potential suppliers to describe their capabilities. It helps an agency assess the market; it is not itself a contract award or necessarily a request for a priced proposal.
Request for information (RFI)
A market-research request for information about possible approaches or suppliers. A response can help shape a later requirement, but does not guarantee a solicitation.
Request for proposal (RFP)
A solicitation asking for a proposal that the agency can evaluate against stated factors. The response may require technical, management, and price material.
Request for quotation (RFQ)
A request for a price and other quotation details, often under simplified procedures. A quotation is generally not a binding offer until the parties form a contract through an order and acceptance.
SAM.gov
The federal site for entity registration and procurement opportunities. A company can obtain a Unique Entity ID there; a UEI alone is not the same as full registration to bid.
Unique Entity ID (UEI)
The identifier assigned to an entity in SAM.gov. Verify the legal name and registration status separately when preparing to pursue an award.
NAICS code
A North American Industry Classification System code that describes an industry. Solicitations use a NAICS code to identify the applicable small-business size standard.
Product or Service Code (PSC)
A code describing what the government buys, such as a product family or service. It is useful when searching award data for similar work.
Small-business set-aside
A procurement reserved for eligible small businesses under the applicable program and size rules. Check the exact set-aside and NAICS code in the solicitation.
Capability statement
A short company overview used to introduce your capabilities, relevant work, differentiators, and contact details to government buyers or prime contractors. Tailor it to the opportunity instead of sending a generic brochure.
Procurement forecast
An agency's forward-looking list of planned purchases. A forecast can help with early outreach, but plans change and it is not a solicitation or a promise to buy.
Broad agency announcement (BAA)
A competitive announcement, commonly used for basic or applied research, that invites technical and cost proposals against a broad topic. Read the announcement for its submission process and evaluation rules.
Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)
A solicitation approach used by some defense organizations to find and evaluate innovative commercial solutions, often using an Other Transaction authority. The specific CSO sets the rules and whether a prototype agreement is possible.
Solicitation amendment
An official change to a solicitation, such as a revised requirement, deadline, or response instruction. Check every amendment and acknowledge it as directed before submitting.
Questions and answers (Q&A)
Clarifications or responses published for a solicitation. They can change how requirements are understood; follow the solicitation's channel and deadline for submitting questions.
CAGE code
A Commercial and Government Entity identifier assigned to a specific business location. U.S. entities generally receive a CAGE code through SAM.gov registration; verify the code and legal entity details before bidding.
Small-business size standard
The SBA limit, usually based on employee count or average receipts, used to decide whether a company qualifies as small for a particular NAICS code. Check the solicitation's code and the current SBA standard.
8(a) Business Development program
An SBA program for eligible small businesses that provides business-development support and access to certain competitive and sole-source contracting opportunities. Certification creates eligibility; it does not guarantee awards.
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
An SBA-certified small business that meets the program's ownership and control rules for service-disabled veterans. Certification can make the firm eligible for specified set-asides and sole-source awards.
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
An SBA-certified small business meeting the program's ownership and control requirements. WOSB set-asides apply to eligible industries identified by NAICS code; certification alone does not create an award.
HUBZone
A small-business contracting program tied to a firm's location, ownership, and employee-residency requirements. Certification can qualify a company for HUBZone set-asides and other program benefits.
SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
An SBA program that pairs an eligible small-business protégé with an experienced mentor for approved business-development assistance. A qualifying mentor-protégé joint venture may pursue certain small-business contracts under program rules.
Contracts and buying vehicles
Who signs, what kind of agreement is used, and how work is ordered.
Prime contractor
A company holding a direct contract with the government. It may perform work itself and buy part of that work from subcontractors.
Subcontractor
A supplier contracted by a prime or another subcontractor to perform part of the government contract. Its customer is normally that contractor, not the federal agency.
Contracting officer
The government official with authority to enter into, administer, or terminate a contract and make related decisions. A technical user cannot substitute for that authority.
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
The government-wide rules for most federal executive-agency acquisitions by contract. A solicitation's clauses and acquisition method determine which provisions matter to a bid.
Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS)
The Defense Department's supplement to the FAR. Defense solicitations and contracts can include DFARS clauses on topics such as cybersecurity and technical-data rights.
Commercial product or service
A product or service meeting the FAR's commercial definitions. Part 12 supplies tailored acquisition policies, but the specific solicitation still controls what the buyer requires.
Other transaction (OT/OTA)
An agreement made under separate statutory authority rather than a standard FAR procurement contract. Defense buyers may use prototype OTs, with possible follow-on production paths when the legal conditions are met.
IDIQ contract
An indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract that sets a framework and minimum and maximum ordering limits while the government places orders for particular work over time.
Blanket purchase agreement (BPA)
An arrangement for recurring purchases under stated terms. A BPA itself does not necessarily mean every anticipated purchase has been ordered.
Task order
An order for services placed under an established contract. Read the order as well as the parent vehicle to understand the actual funded work.
Delivery order
An order for supplies placed under an established contract. The parent contract's maximum is not the amount of every delivery order.
Sole-source award
An award made without full and open competition under an applicable authority and justification. It is a defined acquisition path, not a guarantee that a company will receive work.
Firm-fixed-price contract
A contract with a price that generally does not change based on the contractor's actual costs. The contractor bears more cost risk, so scope, assumptions, and acceptance criteria matter when pricing the work.
Cost-reimbursement contract
A contract that reimburses allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs up to an agreed ceiling, with any fee determined by the contract type. It carries accounting and cost-control requirements that a fixed-price award may not.
Cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF)
A cost-reimbursement contract that pays allowable costs plus a negotiated fixed fee. The fee is set at the outset and generally does not rise with actual cost, so the contractor still needs disciplined cost tracking.
Time-and-materials (T&M) contract
A contract that pays fixed hourly labor rates and actual material costs under stated terms. Because final cost can be uncertain, the agreement includes a ceiling and requires close government oversight.
Contract line item number (CLIN)
A numbered line in a contract or order that identifies a separately priced supply, service, deliverable, or funding element. Match invoices and performance to the applicable CLIN and its terms.
Multiple Award Schedule (MAS)
GSA's long-term governmentwide contract program for commercial products and services. A Schedule contract opens access to certain buyer orders but does not guarantee sales or remove the need to compete for them.
Governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC)
A pre-competed contract vehicle, typically for IT solutions, that agencies across government can use to place orders. Companies generally must win a place on the vehicle or partner with a holder before competing for its task orders.
IDIQ minimum guarantee
The minimum amount or quantity the government commits to order under an indefinite-quantity contract. Compare it with the vehicle's maximum; the ceiling is not the guaranteed business.
Small-business subcontracting plan
A prime contractor's plan for awarding work to small-business subcontractors when a covered contract requires one. A goal in a plan is not itself a purchase order or revenue commitment to a particular supplier.
Limitations on subcontracting
Rules that cap how much work a small-business prime may pass to certain subcontractors on covered set-aside or sole-source awards. Check the clause and how it applies to your contract and similarly situated firms.
Teaming agreement
An agreement between companies to pursue an opportunity together, often with one as the prime and the other as a proposed subcontractor. It does not replace the final subcontract or bind the government to make an award.
Past performance
A buyer's assessment of how a company performed on earlier work, including relevance, quality, schedule, cost, and customer experience. New firms can address limited history with relevant team, personnel, or commercial experience when the solicitation permits.
Read award data
The terms that keep a contract headline from becoming a misleading revenue claim.
Contract award
A government agreement to buy supplies or services from a recipient. The award record identifies the parties and terms; its reported amount should not automatically be read as cash paid to the company.
Obligation
A binding federal commitment of funds for an authorized purpose. It differs from an outlay, which is a payment, and from a vehicle's possible maximum value.
Contract ceiling
The upper limit that may be ordered under a contract or vehicle. It is not a promise that the government will place orders up to that amount.
Contract modification
A written change to an existing contract. Modifications can change scope, dates, or funding, so multiple records may relate to one underlying award.
Option period
An additional contract period the government may choose to exercise under the contract's option terms. An unexercised option is not the same as funded work.
Period of performance
The dates during which contract work is scheduled to be performed. Check the award and any modifications for the period that applies to the work you are examining.
Awarding agency
The agency that makes the award. It may differ from the funding agency that supplies the money.
Funding agency
The agency whose funds support an award. Comparing it with the awarding agency can help identify the actual budget owner.
Outlay
A payment made by the government to liquidate an obligation. Award obligations, contract ceilings, and outlays describe different stages or limits of federal spending.
Deobligation
A reduction or cancellation of previously obligated contract funds, often through a modification. A net award total can change as funds are added or removed over a contract's life.
Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID)
The unique identifier assigned to a federal procurement instrument, such as a contract or order. It helps distinguish the base award from related orders and modifications in government records.
Indefinite-delivery vehicle (IDV)
A parent contract or agreement that allows an agency to place future orders for specified supplies or services. Reported totals for the vehicle and its orders can overlap, so avoid adding them together without checking the data structure.
Contract action
A recorded award event, such as a new award or a modification that changes funding or terms. A single underlying contract may have many actions, so action-level amounts are not always separate contracts.
Base and exercised options
An award-value measure that can include the initial period and options the government has exercised. It differs from a vehicle ceiling that includes unexercised possibilities; inspect the source field before comparing totals.
Innovation funding and transition
The SBIR/STTR vocabulary most likely to matter after an early research award.
SBIR
Small Business Innovation Research: a federal program funding eligible small businesses to conduct research and development tied to agency needs and commercialization potential.
STTR
Small Business Technology Transfer: a related federal program in which the small business formally partners with a research institution.
SBIR/STTR Phase I
The first phase tests technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of proposed research. It is an early research award, not proof of a deployable product.
SBIR/STTR Phase II
The phase that continues development based on Phase I results and the merit of the proposed follow-on work. It does not by itself establish a paying operational customer.
SBIR/STTR Phase III
Work that derives from, extends, or completes earlier SBIR/STTR work and is funded outside the SBIR/STTR program. It can include development, testing, production, products, or services.
Commercialization
Moving SBIR/STTR-funded research toward practical use and sales in government or private markets. A prototype, buyer, and funding path are separate milestones.
SBIR/STTR data rights
Protections for qualifying technical data and software generated under SBIR/STTR awards. The applicable agreement, markings, and protection period matter; review them before sharing deliverables.
SBIR/STTR topic
The agency's defined research area, problem statement, and submission instructions for a funding opportunity. A strong proposal responds to the specific topic and agency need rather than describing the technology in general.
Direct-to-Phase-II award
An SBIR award path that lets an agency make a Phase II award without a preceding Phase I when statutory and agency conditions are met. It is an exception to the usual phased route, not a general shortcut available in every solicitation.
Technical and Business Assistance (TABA)
Specialized technical or business assistance that an SBIR/STTR agency may provide or fund to help an awardee move research toward commercialization. Availability and request procedures depend on the agency and award.
Transition partner
A government organization, prime contractor, or commercial customer with a concrete need and a plausible path to testing, buying, or adopting a technology. A letter of interest helps, but does not by itself provide a budget or contract.
Prototype Other Transaction
An Other Transaction agreement used to prototype a technology or process for a government purpose. Some prototype OTs may support a follow-on production award when statutory conditions and the agreement's terms are satisfied.
Security and compliance
Information categories, controls, and assessment terms that affect defense work.
Federal Contract Information (FCI)
Nonpublic information provided by or generated for the government under a contract, excluding publicly released and simple transactional information. FAR 52.204-21 sets basic safeguarding requirements when it applies.
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Unclassified information that law, regulation, or government-wide policy requires or permits agencies to safeguard or control. CUI is not the same as classified information.
Covered Defense Information (CDI)
Information covered by DFARS 252.204-7012, including specified controlled technical information and other CUI connected to contract performance. Its handling depends on the clause and the information involved.
CMMC
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification: the Defense Department program for assessing contractor protection of covered information at levels specified by applicable requirements. Check current program status and your contract before planning an assessment.
NIST SP 800-171
NIST's security requirements for protecting CUI in nonfederal systems and organizations. Check the revision and contractual clause that apply to your work.
System Security Plan (SSP)
A document describing a system's boundary, operating environment, and how applicable security requirements are implemented. It should reflect the real system, not a generic template.
Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
A plan for correcting identified security weaknesses, including actions and milestones. Whether an open item is permitted depends on the applicable contract and assessment rules.
C3PAO
A CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization authorized to perform certain official CMMC assessments. A readiness consultant is not automatically a C3PAO.
SPRS
Supplier Performance Risk System, a Defense Department system used for certain contractor assessment information, including NIST SP 800-171 scores where required. A posted score is not itself a CMMC certification.
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
U.S. regulations controlling the manufacture, export, and temporary import of defense articles and related technical data on the U.S. Munitions List. A product's classification and transaction determine which requirements apply.
Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
U.S. Commerce Department regulations governing many commercial and dual-use items, software, and technology. Determine the item's classification, destination, end user, and end use before assuming a license is or is not required.
Joint Certification Program (JCP) and DD Form 2345
The U.S.-Canada program that certifies eligible companies seeking access to certain unclassified, export-controlled military technical data. A DD Form 2345 is part of the process; it is not a blanket export license or access to all controlled data.
Facility clearance (FCL)
A government-granted eligibility for a company to access classified information when sponsored for a classified contract or program. A company cannot simply apply for an FCL on its own without a qualifying government need and sponsorship.
Foreign ownership, control, or influence (FOCI)
A condition in which a foreign interest may affect a company's management or operations in ways relevant to classified work. DCSA reviews FOCI as part of facility-clearance eligibility and may require mitigation measures.
National Industrial Security Program (NISPOM)
The rules in 32 CFR Part 117 for safeguarding classified information released to cleared industry under the National Industrial Security Program. It applies to cleared work and is distinct from CMMC requirements for covered unclassified information.
FedRAMP authorization
A federal risk assessment and authorization program for cloud products and services used by federal agencies. A vendor's FedRAMP status does not automatically satisfy every agency, contract, or Defense Department cloud requirement.
Authority to Operate (ATO)
A formal decision by a designated authorizing official that an information system may operate with identified risks and conditions. It is tied to a system boundary and mission; it is not a general product certification.
Risk Management Framework (RMF)
The process used by the Defense Department and other organizations to categorize systems, select and implement controls, assess risk, authorize operation, and monitor security over time.
DoD Impact Level (IL)
A Defense Department cloud classification that describes the sensitivity of information a cloud environment is approved to handle. Verify the required level and provider authorization for the specific data and contract; a generic cloud certification is not enough.
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