5302.101 Definitions

"Acquisition Category (ACAT)" means the category of a Defense acquisition program. See DoDI

5000.85, Appendix 3A .

“Air Force Contracting Central (AFCC)” means the SAF/AQC SharePoint site collection at

https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/AFCC/SitePages/Home.aspx that serves as the one-stop shop resource for

the DAF contracting community. (Please note: this link requires CAC and is not available to all

users.)

“AFICC” means the Air Force Installation Contracting Center which is a Primary Subordinate Unit

aligned to the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC).

“AFPEO/CM – Services” means service acquisitions under the executive management and

oversight of Air Force Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support (AFPEO/CM) (see

DAFI 63-138, Acquisition of Services).

“Agency Head” (see “Head of the Agency”)

“ASAF(A)” means the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (SAF/AQ).

“ASAF(SA&I)” means Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration

(SAF/SQ).

“Bridge Action” means a non-competitive action requiring a justification to include, but not limited

to, a formal justification and approval (FAR 6.3 or 13.5), limited sources justification (FAR 8.4), and

exception to fair opportunity (FAR 16.5), to retain the current or similar product or services as a

result of delay in the negotiation and award of a follow-on contract. Extension of services executed

in accordance with FAR 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, is not considered a bridge action,

regardless of whether or not it was negotiated and included in the original contract, unless or until

the total six (6) month extension allowed is exceeded.

“Center” means subordinate organizations to AFMC responsible for the “cradle-to-grave” oversight

for aircraft, electronic systems, missiles and munitions, and discovery, development, and integration

of warfighting technologies in air, space and cyber for the U.S. Air and Space Forces.

"Chief of the Contracting Office (COCO)" means the contracting official one level below the SCO

or their deputies, unless specifically prohibited, or as designated by, the SCO.

“Cognizant HCA Workflow” means—

SAF.AQ.SAF-AQC.Workflow@us.af.mil for DAS(C) or ADAS(C);

smc.pkc.workflow@us.af.mil for Director of Contracting, Space Systems Command (SSC);

osd.pentagon.ousd-r-e.mbx.sda@mail.mil for Director, Space Development Agency (SDA); and

SpRCO.DAF.Org@us.af.mil for Director of Contracting, Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SpRCO).

“DAS(C)” means the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting) (SAF/AQC). The authority granted to

DAS(C) may also be exercised by the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting) (ADAS(C).
“Direct Reporting Unit (DRU)” means a subdivision of the Air Force, directly subordinate to the

Chief of Staff, US Air Force or a subdivision of the Space Force directly subordinate to the Chief of

Space Operations. A DRU performs a mission that does not fit into any of the MAJCOMs or

FLDCOMs (see AFI 38-101).

“Enterprise” means an acquisition solution that supports multiple organizations and for which a

structured process of analyzing spending, agency needs and market dynamics is followed in order to

define government requirements and acquisition options, and to find ways to improve category

performance by reducing or redirecting demand, improving supplier performance, developing new

partners/suppliers, and optimizing purchasing channels. Enterprise acquisitions may employ existing

multi-agency or Government-wide solutions, or new solutions executed by a DAF contracting unit

that are aligned with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Category Management

Leadership Council (CMLC) Spend Under Management (SUM) Tier 1 criteria (see OMB M-19-13).

“Field Command (FLDCOM)” means a subdivision of the Space Force that is assigned a specific

mission focus of the Space Force. FLDCOMs are directly subordinate to the Chief of Space

Operations.

“Field Operating Agency (FOA)” means a subdivision of the Air Force, directly subordinate to a

HQ USAF functional manager. A FOA performs field activities beyond the scope of any of the major

commands (see AFI 38-101).

"Head of the Agency" means, unless the terms of a statute or delegation indicate that an action

must be done by the Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF) or the Under Secretary of the Air Force

(USecAF),—

ASAF(A) for non-space systems and programs, including product support, for the Department of the

Air Force, pursuant to HAF MD 1-10 ; and

ASAF(SA&I) for space systems and programs for the Department of the Air Force, pursuant to HAF

MD 1-17.

“Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA)” means—

DAS(C) and ADAS(C) for the Department of the Air Force (except SSC, SDA and SpRCO), pursuant

to HAF MD-10 ;

Director of Contracting, SSC for SSC, pursuant to SAF/SQ Designation;

Director, SDA for SDA, pursuant to SAF/SQ Designation; and

Director of Contracting, SpRCO for SpRCO, pursuant to SAF/SQ Designation.

"Installation Commander" means an individual who functions in a command position and is

responsible for a base or other Department of the Air Force installation having a base contracting

office.

“Major Command (MAJCOM)” means a major subdivision of the Air Force that is assigned a major

part of the Air Force mission. A MAJCOM is directly subordinate to Headquarters US Air Force (see

AFI 38-101 ).

“Mandatory Procedures (MP)” means a companion resource to the DAFFARS that—
(1) Contains mandatory internal AF procedures. The DAFFARS will direct compliance with

mandatory procedures using imperative language such as “Follow the procedures at...” or similar

directive language;

(2) Contains non-mandatory internal AF procedures and guidance and supplemental information to

be used at the discretion of the contracting officer. The DAFFARS will point to non-mandatory

procedures, guidance, and information using permissive language such as “The contracting officer

may use...” or “Additional information is available at...” or other similar language;

(3) Is numbered similarly to the DAFFARS, except that each MP numerical designation is preceded

by the letters “MP”; and

(4) Is available electronically as part of the DAFFARS document set on Acquisition.gov.

“Operational” means those contracting actions taken to meet the needs of installation

commanders, DRUs, deployed commanders, and resident, tenant, and supported units. Operational

contracting may be accomplished by contracting squadrons, operational contracting offices,

contracting divisions, or another organization entity designed to meet local needs.

"Program Executive Officer (PEO)” (see "PEO (Systems)" and “AFPEO/CM – Services”)

"PEO (Systems)" means acquisitions within a Systems PEO’s portfolio (see AFI 63-101/20-101 and

DoDI 5000.02).

“Quality Assurance Program Coordinator (QAPC)” means the individual selected in accordance

with local procedures to coordinate and manage the Quality Assurance Program.

“Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)” means the document government personnel use

to assess contractor performance (see FAR 46.401, DFARS 246.401, and DFARS 237.172).

“Senior Contracting Official (SCO)” means the contracting official with overall responsibility for

executing its delegated procurement authority for their designated cognizant areas of responsibility

as denoted in the list below, subject to any HCA established limitations. The deputy or technical

director to a SCO may exercise any SCO authority unless restricted in the FAR, as supplemented

(e.g., individual authorized to execute a specific authority must be of a certain minimum grade/rank),

or as specifically limited by the SCO. See AFI 64-105 Contingency Contracting Support, to identify

SCOs for contingency operations.

An expanded list of SCOs including names, contact information, and locations can be found on Air

Force Contracting Central. (Please note: this link requires CAC and is not available to all users.)

SCO Designated Cognizant Area of Responsibility

(Organization Type)

1 AFMC/PK Air Force Material Command1

 (MAJCOM)

2 AFLCMC/PK Air Force Life Cycle Management Center2

 (Center)

3 AFICC/CC Air Force Installation Contracting Center3

 (Center)
4 AFSC/PK Air Force Sustainment Command4

 (Center)

5 AFRCO/PK Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (USAF DRU)

6 AFDW/PK Air Force District of Washington (USAF DRU)

7 AFLCMC/PK Eglin OL Air Force Life Cycle Management Center – OL Eglin

(Operating Location)

8

AFLCMC/PK Hanscom

OL

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center – OL Hanscom

(Operating Location)

9 AFNWC/PK Air Force Nuclear Warfare Center (Center)

10 AFRC/PK Air Force Reserve Command (MAJCOM)

11 AFRL/PK Air Force Research Laboratory (Center)

12 AFSC/PK Hill OL Air Force Sustainment Center – Hill OL (Operating

Location)

13 AFSC/PK Robins OL Air Force Sustainment Center – Robins OL (Operating

Location)

14 AFTC/PK Air Force Test Center (Center), Air Force Operational Test

and Evaluation Center (USAF DRU)

15 Chief, Contracts, SDA Space Development Agency (USSF DRU)

16 Director of Contracting,

SpRCO Space Rapid Capabilities Office 5

 (USSF DRU)

17 SSC/PK Space Systems Command6

 (FLDCOM)

18 AFICC/KF U.S. Air Force Academy, CO (DRU)

19 AFICC/KC Air Combat Command (MAJCOM)

20 AFICC/KG Global Strike Command (MAJCOM)

21 AFICC/KM Air Mobility Command (MAJCOM)
22 AFICC/KO Air Force Special Operations Command (MAJCOM)

23 AFICC/KS Space Operations Command (FLDCOM), Space Training

and Readiness Command (FLDCOM)

24 AFICC/KH Pacific Air Forces (MAJCOM)

25 AFICC/KQ Air Forces Northern7

 (Air Component for Combatant

Command)

26 AFICC/KT Air Force Education and Training Command (MAJCOM)

27 AFICC/KU United States Air Forces in Europe (MAJCOM)

NOTES:

AFMC/PK acts as SCO for any AFMC procuring organization without a SCO designated on the above

table and acts in the absence of an AFMC Center SCO or designee. AFLCMC/PK acts as SCO for any

AFLCMC procuring organization without a SCO designated on the above table and acts in the

absence of a AFLCMC Operating Location SCO or designee. AFICC/CC acts as SCO for any AFICC

procuring organization without a SCO designated on the above table and acts in the absence of a

AFICC Operating Location SCO or designee. AFSC/PK acts as SCO for any AFSC procuring

organization without a SCO designated on the above table and acts in the absence of a AFSC

Operating Location SCO or designee. Director of Contracting, SpRCO performs the functions of the

SCO for SpRCO. SSC/PK performs the functions of the SCO for SSC. AFICC/KQ is designated SCO

for procuring organizations and contracting officers temporarily under the tactical control of Air

Forces Northern within the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility.

“Senior Procurement Executive (SPE)” means ASAF(A), pursuant to HAF MD 1-10. ASAF(SA&I)

discharges assigned duties and authorities of the SPE for DAF space systems and programs,

pursuant to HAF MD 1-17.

“Service Acquisition Executive (SAE)” means—

ASAF(A) for non-space systems and programs, including product support, for the Department of the

Air Force, pursuant to HAF MD 1-10; and

ASAF(SA&I) for space systems and programs for the Department of the Air Force, pursuant to HAF

MD 1-17.

“Services Designated Official (SDO)” means the individual designated to exercise responsibility

for the management and oversight of the acquisition of contract services (see DAFI 63-138,

Acquisition of Services).

“Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP)” means a companion resource to the DAFFARS that

—

(1) Provides fundamental contracting principles and other helpful tools in an informative, innovative,
intuitive, user-friendly manner;

(2) Contains non-mandatory internal procedures and guidance, and supplemental information to be

used at the discretion of the contracting officer;

(3) Is not regulated by policy; rather is a living document shaped by acquisition community input;

and

(4) Is available electronically within the DAF Contracting TTP Team SharePoint site. (Please note:

this link requires CAC and is not available to all users.)

Parent topic: Subpart 5302.1 - DEFINITIONS