Procurement, in plain language.

Sources sought, set-asides, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, NAICS, PSC, GSA Schedule, IDIQ, CPARS. Each entry answers the question directly, then shows how the term is actually used in a live procurement.

NAICS codes

PSC codes

Answer first, then how it works in a real solicitation.

Definitions describe federal-acquisition programs and terms. They are reference, not a claim of any certification held by ITC.

Sources Sought Notice  VIEW →A Sources Sought Notice is a federal market-research request where an agency asks whether capable businesses exist to perform a requirement, before it decides how to compete the contract.

Request for Information (RFI)  VIEW →An RFI is a federal notice asking industry for information such as capabilities, pricing ranges, or technical approaches, to inform the government’s planning, with no award and no obligation to bid.

Presolicitation  VIEW →A Presolicitation notice signals that a formal solicitation is coming, describing the upcoming requirement so interested vendors can prepare and, in some cases, ask preliminary questions.

Solicitation (RFP / RFQ / IFB)  VIEW →A solicitation is the formal document by which the government seeks pricing or proposals: an RFP (Request for Proposals) for negotiated work, an RFQ (Request for Quotations) for simpler commercial buys, or an IFB (Invitation for Bids) for sealed, price-driven bidding.

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation  VIEW →A Combined Synopsis/Solicitation merges the public notice and the solicitation into one document, a streamlined method typically used for commercial items to speed up simpler procurements.

Set-Aside  VIEW →A set-aside is a contract reserved for competition among a specific category of small businesses, such as small business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, or SDVOSB, so large firms cannot compete for it.

8(a) Business Development Program  VIEW →The 8(a) Business Development Program is a nine-year SBA program for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, giving access to set-aside and sole-source federal contracts.

HUBZone Program  VIEW →The HUBZone program certifies small businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones, giving them set-aside and price-evaluation preferences on federal contracts.

SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business)  VIEW →An SDVOSB is a small business at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans, eligible for veteran set-aside and sole-source federal contracts.

WOSB / EDWOSB  VIEW →A WOSB is a Women-Owned Small Business (51% owned and controlled by women); an EDWOSB is the Economically Disadvantaged subset, both eligible for targeted federal set-asides in designated industries.

NAICS Code  VIEW →A NAICS code is the six-digit North American Industry Classification System number that identifies the type of work in a federal opportunity, for example 541512 for Computer Systems Design Services.

PSC (Product Service Code)  VIEW →A PSC is a four-character Product Service Code that describes what the government is actually buying, the product or service, as a complement to the NAICS industry code.

Small Business Size Standard  VIEW →A size standard is the SBA-set threshold, in either annual revenue or employee count and keyed to a NAICS code, below which a firm qualifies as a small business for federal contracting.

SAM.gov & UEI (Unique Entity ID)  VIEW →SAM.gov is the official U.S. government registration and opportunity system, and the UEI (Unique Entity ID) is the 12-character identifier that replaced the DUNS number as a firm’s federal identity.

CAGE Code  VIEW →A CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code is a five-character identifier assigned to firms doing business with the federal government, tying a legal entity to a specific location.

GSA Schedule / MAS (Multiple Award Schedule)  VIEW →The GSA Multiple Award Schedule is a pre-negotiated, long-term governmentwide contract that lets agencies buy commercial products and services at agreed terms without running a full open competition each time.

IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity)  VIEW →An IDIQ is a contract vehicle for an indefinite quantity of work over a fixed period, under which the government issues individual task or delivery orders as needs arise.

BPA (Blanket Purchase Agreement)  VIEW →A BPA is a simplified arrangement that sets up recurring purchases against pre-agreed terms, letting an agency fill repeated needs without a new contract each time.

Past Performance & CPARS  VIEW →Past performance is the government’s evaluation of how well you delivered prior contracts, formally recorded in CPARS (the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) and weighed heavily in most award decisions.

BAFO (Best and Final Offer)  VIEW →A BAFO is the final proposal revision a contracting officer requests after discussions, giving offerors one last chance to sharpen price and technical terms before award.

Sole Source  VIEW →A sole-source award is a contract given to one firm without full competition, justified when only one source can meet the need or under specific authorities such as the 8(a) program.

Teaming Agreement / Subcontracting  VIEW →A teaming agreement is an arrangement where firms combine to pursue a contract, typically a prime contractor plus subcontractors, to cover a requirement no single firm could win alone.

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