# Appendix B---Glossary

Acquisition Action Request (AAR)

A formal and official request, in either electronic or hard-copy form,
from a requiring entity to an acquisition office for the procurement of
supplies or services or for the modification of a request submitted
previously.

Acquisition

"Acquisition" means the acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of
supplies or services (including construction) by and for the use of the
Federal Government through purchase or lease, whether the supplies or
services are already in existence or must be created, developed,
demonstrated, and evaluated. Acquisition begins at the point when agency
needs are established and includes the description of requirements to
satisfy agency needs, solicitation and selection of sources, award of
contracts, contract financing, contract performance, contract
administration, and those technical and management functions directly
related to the process of fulfilling agency needs by contract.

Acquisition Document

Any document captured or generated by the system which supports the
processing of acquisition events (e.g., AARs, solicitations, contracts,
solicitation amendments, contract modifications, etc.).

Acquisition Systems

Automated systems providing the functions, processes, and activities
that Federal agencies use to acquire products and services, capable of
operating in an agency computing environment and facilitating the
automated exchange of information between the related agency and the IAE
systems. The acquisition system functions include requirement
definition, acquisition planning, contract administration, synopsis and
solicitation, source selection & evaluation, and award. See the
Acquisition System Requirements document for detailed descriptions of
the functions, processes, and activities.

Agency

Any department, agency, commission, authority, administration, board, or
other independent establishment in the executive branch of the
government, including any corporation wholly or partly owned by the
United States that is an independent instrumentality of the United
States, not including the municipal government of the District of
Columbia.

Agency-Assigned

Data or supporting document information provided by the agency, such as
AAR number or contract number (see System Generated).

Agency Code

See Federal organization codes.

Agency Location Code (ALC)

Identifies the accounting office within an agency that reports
disbursements and collections to Treasury.

Application Program Interface (API)

A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software
applications.

Automatically

System processing of transactions, table updates, and other activity
without manual intervention by the user. In these cases, the system
takes action based on specified conditions or relationships.

Award Date

Date the contract becomes effective, synonymous with "effective date."
If there is no entry for award date or effective date, then the award
date defaults to the DATE SIGNED. Examples:

-   Standard Form (SF) 26, Award/Contract: award date is EFFECTIVE DATE.
    If the EFFECTIVE DATE has no entry, then DATE SIGNED is the award
    date.

-   SF-1447, Solicitation/Contract: award date is AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE.
    If the AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE has no entry, then DATE SIGNED is the
    award date.

-   SF-33 Solicitation/Offer/Award: award date is AWARD DATE. There is
    no SIGNED DATE field on SF-33.

Bids

See Sealed Bids.

Central Contractor Registration (CCR)

The primary vendor database for the Federal government. The CCR
collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency
missions. See [www.ccr.gov](http://www.ccr.gov/).

Classification Codes

Federal Supply Codes (four digits) and Product Service Codes (four
characters) used to classify supplies and services. The contracting
officer has final authority as to which procurement classification code
is used.

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

A five-position code that uniquely identifies contractors, by physical
location, doing business with the Federal Government, NATO member
nations, and other foreign governments. See
<http://www.dlis.dla.mil/cage_welcome.asp>.

Commitment

The amount of allotment or suballotment administratively reserved in
anticipation of an obligation.

Congressional District

Legislatively defined subdivisions of a state for the purpose of
electing representatives or delegates to the House of Representatives of
the U.S. Congress. A state or equivalent entity may comprise a single
congressional district or similar representational area. This standard
provides the structure of numeric codes for representing congressional
districts and similar areas defined for the various Congresses of the
United States. See <http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd109h.pdf>.

Contract/Order Status

> The status assigned to a contract/order by the system to indicate its
> current state of processing. This status may affect more than one
> document.

-   In preparation

-   Pending approval

-   *Protested and not stayed*

-   *Awarded and active*

-   *Under modification*

-   *Under protest and stayed*: Solicitation and contract status

-   *Partially terminated*

-   *Fully terminated*

-   *Physically complete*

-   *In closeout*

-   *Completed and closed*.

Converted documents

Documents from a previous Acquisition system being converted to the
newly installed Acquisition system.

Core Financial System

Core financial systems provide specific functional capabilities
necessary for managing a general ledger, controlling spending, making
payments, managing receivables, measuring costs, reconciling the
agency's Fund Balance with Treasury, and reporting in the Federal
environment.

Country Codes

Codes assigned to identify countries. The following are sources of
codes:

-   *GEOnet Name Server (GNS)*: GNS assigns a primary country code, a
    two-character alphabetic code uniquely identifying a geopolitical
    entity (countries, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty).
    GNS also provides the respective country names. No notification
    mechanism is in place for update. The online database is updated
    when necessary. Country codes and names do not change often. See
    <http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html>.

-   *ISO 3166-1*:

-   Alpha-2 country codes and associated short country names are
    available from ISO at no charge for internal use and non-commercial
    purposes. The ISO 3166/MA updates the code lists in all parts of
    ISO 3166. Changes, announced in newsletters, update the currently
    valid standard.

-   *ISO 3166-1*: Alpha-3 country codes are available from ISO for a
    charge.

> See <http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/cd109h.pdf>.

-   *FIPS 10-4, Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty,
    and Their Principal Administrative Divisions*: Geopolitical entity
    code standard intended for use in activities associated with the
    mission of the Department of State and national defense programs. It
    may also be used for Federal interchanges of information with the
    non-Federal sector, including industry, state, local, and other
    governments, and the public at large. Federal agencies that do not
    require FIPS PUB 104-1 for international data interchange and are
    not involved in national defense programs or with the mission of the
    U.S. Department of State may adopt either FIPS PUB 10-4 or FIPS PUB
    104-1. See <http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/fips10-4.html>.

Document Status

The status assigned to a document by the system to indicate its current
processing state:

-   *Approved*: The document has passed all system validations (edits)
    and all required approvals have been applied. The document is
    available for post-approval processing. (For example, once a
    solicitation or synopsis is approved, it may be posted to
    FedBizOpps.)

-   *Assigned*: The system has determined which user to route the
    document to based on parameters and preset rules, such as workload,
    warrant level of user, or value of AAR.

-   *Cancelled*: The user has permanently closed a previously posted
    document (AAR, solicitation, synopsis, award, or order). The system
    will not allow further processing against the document.

-   *Consolidated*: The system has combined multiple acquisition
    documents. (E.g., multiple AARs combined into one document.)

-   *Converted*: The document was processed through an automated or
    manual transfer from a legacy system.

-   *Deleted*: The user has chosen not to process a held or suspended
    document. Deleted documents are marked for purging.

-   *Held*: The user has decided to save (hold) the document and not
    allow the system to process it further. (Note: This status is
    distinguished from suspended by system, in which the system makes
    the determination.)

-   *In preparation*: The document is being prepared. For instance, a
    contract award document is being assembled with all negotiated
    changes applied, or a solicitation is being compiled.

-   *Pending approval*: The document has passed all system validations.
    The system will not process the document until all approvals
    required by the agency's workflow configuration have been applied.
    Not all documents require more than one approval.

-   *Received*: The document has been entered into the system, but has
    not been processed in any way (i.e., no validations have been
    attempted.)

-   *Rejected by system*: The document was sent back to the originating
    system.

-   *Suspended by system (did not pass validations)*: The document has
    failed one or more system validations (edits) and is prevented by
    the system from processing. The document is automatically stored for
    later processing. Suspended documents may be automatically processed
    by the system upon changes to underlying data, such as available
    funds.

-   *Validated*: The document has passed all system validations and is
    ready to be assigned.

Document Type

A document classification used to group similar acquisition
documents---for example, acquisition action requests, solicitations,
purchase orders issued, and contract awards---processed by the system.

eBuy

An electronic system designed to allow Federal buyers to request
information, find sources, and prepare requests for quotations (RFQs)
and requests for proposals (RFPs), online, for services and products
offered through GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. Federal
buyers can obtain quotes or proposals for services, large quantity
purchases, big ticket items, and purchases with complex requirements.

eOffer/eMod

A web-based application that allows vendors to prepare and submit their
schedule offers and contract modification requests electronically.

***Federal organization codes***

A four-character identifier for each organization; also call Agency
codes. The set of identifiers defines a standard data element. The first
two characters form a component data element that is identical to the
two-digit numerical code used in the Federal budgetary process to
identify major Federal organizations. This component, designated as the
Treasury Agency Symbol (TAS), is maintained by the Census Bureau (DOC).

Federal Supply Classification (FSC)

Four-digit supply classification code codes assigned by DLIS (DoD) which
identifies commodity areas. The first two digits identify groups, and
the next two digits identify class of commodity within the group. For
example, the 75 in FSC 7530 denotes office supplies and devices, and the
30 denotes stationary and paper products.

Financial Management System

The hardware and software used to facilitate control, monitoring and
reporting of an agency's fiscal resources, including "mixed financial
systems" also used for non-financial management purposes 

Financial System

An information system that has one or more applications used for
collecting, processing, maintaining, transmitting, or reporting data
about financial events; supporting financial planning or budgeting
activities; accumulating and report costs information; or supporting the
preparation of financial statements.

Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs)

Task-order or delivery-order contract for information technology
established by one agency for Government-wide use and authorized by OMB
under which IT orders for information technology (IT) can be placed. The
Economy Act does not apply to orders GWACs.

Graphical User Interface

A program interface that takes advantage of a computer's graphics
capabilities to make the program easier to use.

HUBZone Program (Historically Underutilized Business Zones Program)

Small Business Administration program to provide federal contracting
opportunities for qualified small businesses located in distressed
areas, which should, in the long term provide economic development and
employment growth.

Indicator

A one-character data field, or flag, that shows the presence of the
value or not, on or off, for system logic decision making.

Information System

The organized collection, processing, transmission, and dissemination of
information in accordance with defined procedures, whether automated or
manual. Information systems include non-financial, financial, and mixed
systems.

Integrated System

Related subsystems that enable a user to have one view into the
components or modules in order to access information efficiently and
effectively through electronic means.

JWOD Program

Mandatory source of supply for Federal employees. Named for its enabling
legislation, the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act of 1971, 41 U.S.C. 46-48c, the
JWOD Program is administered by the Committee for Purchase from People
Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. See
[http://www.jwod.gov](http://www.jwod.gov/). Two national, independent
organizations---National Industries for the Blind
(<http://www.nib.org/>) and NISH (<http://www.nish.org/NISH/>)---help
state and private nonprofit agencies participate in the JWOD Program.

Mixed System

Any information system that supports both the financial and
non-financial functions of the Federal Government or components thereof.

Module

A component of an information system that carries out a specific
function or functions and may be used alone or combined with other
components.

NATO Commercial and Governmental Entity (NCAGE) code

Foreign registrants in CCR must have a NATO Commercial and Governmental
Entity (NCAGE) Code assigned. If the organization does not have an NCAGE
assigned, for most countries one can be obtained by connecting to 
[***Form AC135***](http://www.dlis.dla.mil/Forms/Form_AC135.asp) See
CAGE code for definition of Commercial and Governmental Entity Code.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

A six-digit system of classifying industries and industrial activities
codes, including sub-codes, assigned by the U.S. Census Bureau which are
replacing SIC codes. They allow for comparability among the United
States, Canada, and Mexico giving enough flexibility for each country to
recognize activities important to their own respective country. See
www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/.

Obligation

A binding agreement that will result in outlays, immediately or in the
future. Budgetary resources must be available before obligations can be
incurred legally.

Offer

A response to a solicitation that, if accepted, would bind the offeror
to perform the resultant contract. Responses to invitations for bids
(sealed bidding) are offers called "bids" or "sealed bids"; responses to
requests for proposals (negotiation) are offers called "proposals";
responses to requests for quotations are "quotations," not offers.

Online

Accessibility by any computer connected to a network (for example, an
online database).

Open Document Architecture/Open Document Interface Format (ODA/ODIF)

An international standard (ODA) that enables users to exchange texts and
graphics generated on different types of office products. ODIF defines
the ODA format in terms of interchanged data elements

Open Document Management Architecture (ODMA)

Application that provides a standard interface between document
management systems and end-user applications. ODMA is becoming a de
facto desktop application integration standard.

***Organization Structure***

The offices, divisions, branches, etc., established within an entity
based on responsibility assignments, whether functional or program
related.

Origination Date

The date a request was originally established. For instance, if a
request was created in a user's Requisition system and then sent to the
Acquisition system, the date that the requisition was established in the
Requisition system is the origination date.

Product Service Codes (PSCs)

Four character service classification codes defined by GSA which
identify categories of services of what the U.S. Government buys.
Government purchases are categorized as follows:

See <http://www.fpdcapp.gsa.gov/pls/fpdsweb/PscWiz>.

Program

Generally, an organized set of activities directed toward a common
purpose or goal that an agency undertakes or proposes to carry out its
responsibilities. Because the term has many uses in practice, it does
not have a well-defined, standard meaning in the legislative process.
It\
is used to describe an agency's mission, functions, activities,
services, projects, and processes. Generally, an organized set of
activities directed toward a common purpose, or goal, undertaken or
proposed by an agency to carry out its responsibilities. In practice,
however, the term "program" has many uses and thus does not have a
well-defined, standard meaning in the legislative process. The term is
used to describe an agency's mission, programs, functions, activities,
services, projects, and processes.

Project

A planned undertaking of something to be accomplished or an undertaking
having a finite beginning and finite end. Examples are a construction
project, a research and development project, and a reimbursable project.

Proposals

Offers that are vendor responses to government requests for proposals
(RFPs) for negotiation.

Qualified System

FSIO tests commercially available financial system software products in
order to certify them for federal acquisition. The FSIO testing
generates objective evidence that the system products comply with
mandatory government-wide system requirements. FSIO issues a certificate
of compliance once the COTS package demonstrates its ability to comply
with all mandatory system requirements. Commercially available system
software products that pass are certified by FSIO for Federal agency
acquisition. In this way agencies are limited to acquisition of products
that have been certified through a formal test process.

Quotations

Vendor responses to government requests for quotations (RFQs). These are
not offers.

Requirements

Statements that describe functionality or operating characteristics that
a system is to provide an agency. Every requirement contained in this
document has been prioritized as being either mandatory or value added.
These terms are defined as follows:

-   *Mandatory requirements*. Mandatory requirements describe the
    minimum functionality necessary to establish a system, or are based
    on Federal laws and regulations. Mandatory requirements are those
    against which agency heads evaluate their systems to determine
    substantial compliance with systems requirements under the FFMIA.
    These requirements apply to existing systems in operation and new
    systems planned or under development.

-   *Value-added requirements*. Value-added requirements describe
    features or characteristics and may consist of any combination of
    the following: (1) using state-of-the-art technology, (2) employing
    preferred or best business practices, or (3) meeting the special
    management needs of an individual agency. Value-added, optional, and
    other similar terminology may be used to describe this category of
    requirements. Agencies should consider value-added features when
    judging system options. The need for these value-added features in
    agency systems is left to the discretion of each agency head.

Sealed Bids

Offers that are vendor responses to government invitations for bids
(IFBs); also called "bids."

Simplified Acquisition Procedures

The methods prescribed in FAR Part 13 for making purchases of supplies
or services.

Single, Integrated Financial Management System

A unified set of financial systems and the financial portions of mixed
systems encompassing the software, hardware, personnel, processes
(manual and automated), procedures, controls, and data necessary to
carry out financial management functions, manage agency financial
operations, and report on the agency's financial status to central
agencies, Congress, and the public. Unified means that the systems are
planned for and managed together, operated in an integrated fashion, and
linked together electronically in an efficient and effective manner to
provide agency-wide financial system support necessary to carry out the
agency's mission and support the agency's financial management needs.

Solicitation Status

> The status assigned to a solicitation by the system to indicate its
> current state of processing. This status may affect more than one
> document.

-   In preparation

-   Pending approval

-   Issued and active/open

-   *Closed for receipt of offers/bids*

-   *In evaluation*

-   *In negotiation*

-   *Under amendment*

-   *Under protest and stayed*.

-   *Protested and not stayed*

-   *Withdrawn.*

Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)

An international standard identifying the basic structural elements of a
text document. SGML addresses the structure of a document, not its
format or presentation.

States or State Codes

Two-character abbreviations (defined in USPS Publication 28) used in
mailing addresses to designate U.S. states and possessions.

Surety

An individual or corporation legally liable for the debt, default, or
failure of a principal to satisfy a contractual obligation.

System Date

The actual date a document is processed by the system. This date is
assigned by the computer. Because of its use in system audits, the
system date may not be modified.

System Generated

Document data or identifying information, such as document number, that
is automatically supplied by the system (see Agency Assigned).

System Processing Edits

Edits performed by the system to prevent document processing errors such
as system assurance failures, missing or invalid values in specific
fields, and duplicate documents.

UNIX

A popular multi-user, multi-tasking operating system developed at Bell
labs in the early 1970s.

UNSPSC

Eight character global, multi sector, standard commodity codes defined
by the United Nations which identify products and services.

User ID

A value that contains a relative ID value specifying the user or person
making the change in the record or data within the acquisition system.

U.S. Place Codes

See State, County, and More.

Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM)

An application program interface (API) that allows the exchange of
electronic mail among programs from different vendors. As they release
new products, members of the VIM Consortium are standardizing their
internal networking products on VIM. VIM is designed to work across
desktop platforms on Windows, Macintosh, Disk Operating System (DOS),
and OS/2.

Workflow Management Coalition (WFMC)

A nonprofit international organization of workflow vendors, users,
analysts, and university and research groups. WFMC was founded in August
1993.