Acquisition Executive Board is the primary executive-level body that assists and supports the FAA Acquisition Executive and Joint Resources Council establish, change, communicate, and implement acquisition management policy, practices, procedures, and tools.

Acquisition planning is the process by which all acquisition-related disciplines of an investment program are developed, coordinated, and integrated into a comprehensive plan for executing the program and meeting the stated requirements within the cost and schedule boundaries. Acquisition planning is normally associated with detailed program planning during final investment analysis, but is also important at other times of the lifecycle management process.

Acquisition strategy. The overall concept and approach of an investment program for acquiring a capability to meet the requirements and perform within the boundaries set forth in the Exhibit 300 program baseline. The strategy considers all aspects of a program such as acquisition approach, contracting, logistics, testing, systems engineering, risk management, program management, impact on facilities, human factors, schedules, and cost. The results are documented in attachment 3: Implementation Strategy and Planning of the Exhibit 300 program baseline during final investment analysis.

Affiliate business is a business that controls or has the power to control another business, or a third party that controls or has the power to control another business (contractual relationships must be considered).

Agency/organization program coordinator (AOPC) (also referred as contracting officer's technical representative) means an individual designated by the ordering agency/organization to perform contract administration within the limits of delegated authority. The individual shall have overall responsibility for the purchase/credit card program within their bureau, agency/organization or region and may determine who the approving officials or cardholders will be.

Agreement with a state government, local government, and/or public authority is a written agreement between the FAA and a state or local government or public authority where the FAA agrees to receive from, or exchange supplies or services with, the other party.

Agreements with private parties are written documents executed by the parties, which call for the exchange of services, equipment, personnel, or facilities, or require the payment of funds to the FAA, or confirm mutual aid and assistance and outline the specific responsibilities of each party. The term includes agreements under which the FAA provides services, equipment, personnel, or facilities and obtains reimbursement on a negotiated basis from the other party. The term excludes procurement contracts for real estate, supplies and services.

Agreements with public entities other than Federal agencies are written documents executed by the parties which call for the exchange of services, equipment, personnel, or facilities, or require the payment of funds to the FAA, or confirm mutual aid and assistance and outline the specific responsibilities of each party. The term includes agreements under which the FAA provides services, equipment, personnel, or facilities and obtains reimbursement on a negotiated basis from the other party.

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Any procedure or combination of procedures voluntarily used to resolve issues in controversy without the need to resort to litigation. These procedures may include, but are not limited to, assisted settlement negotiations, conciliation, facilitation, mediation, fact-finding, mini-trials, and arbitration. These procedures may involve the use of neutrals.

Approval. The agreement that an item is complete and suitable for its intended use.

Approving official (AP) means a government employee(s) within the organization who has a number of cardholders under his/her purview and determines that the cardholder's purchases are made within applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.

Architect-engineer services are: (1) professional services of an architectural or engineering nature, as defined by State law, if applicable, which are required to be performed or approved by a person licensed, registered, or certified to provide such services; (2) professional services of an architectural or engineering nature performed by contract that are associated with research, planning, development, design, construction, alteration, or repair of real property; and (3) such other professional services of an architectural or engineering nature, or incidental services, which members of the architectural and engineering professions (and individuals in their employ) may logically or justifiably perform, including studies, investigations, surveying and mapping, tests, evaluations, consultations, comprehensive planning, program management, conceptual designs, plans and specifications, value engineering, construction phase services, soils engineering, drawing reviews, preparation of operating and maintenance manuals, and other related services.

Associate program manager for logistics. An integrated logistics support specialist responsible for ensuring that all NAS integrated logistics support requirements are identified and satisfied for each piece of equipment in the lifecycle management process, RE&D program, and major equipment modification program.

Auctioning techniques is a method of screening vendors using commercial competition techniques, and includes such techniques as indicating to an offeror a cost or price that it must meet to obtain further considerations; advising an offeror of its price standing relative to another offeror; and otherwise furnishing information about other offerors' prices. This may only be used for commercially available products.

Baseline. (1) An agreed-to-description of the attributes of a product, at a point in time, which serves as a basis for defining change; (2) an approved and released document, or a set of documents, each of a specific revision; the purpose of which is to provide a defined basis for managing change; (3) the currently approved and released configuration documentation; or (4) a released set of files consisting of a software version and associated configuration documentation.

Best value. A term used during procurement source selection to describe the solution that is the most advantageous to the FAA, based on the evaluation of price and other factors specified by the FAA. This approach provides the opportunity for trade-offs between price and other specified factors, and does not require that an award be made to either the offeror submitting the highest rated technical solution, or to the offeror submitting the lowest cost/price, although the ultimate award decision may be to either of these offerors.

Budget impact assessment. The process of assessing the budget impact of each alternative solution developed in the investment analysis phase against all existing programs in the FAA's financial baseline for the same years. Standard criteria are used to determine the priority of the candidate program in relation to all others. If the amount of funding available for the years in question is insufficient, offsets from lower priority programs are identified. A budget impact assessment is also performed when considering program baseline changes for existing programs that involve an increase in the cost baseline and the need to reallocate resources.

Business case analysis report summarizes the analytical and quantitative information developed during investment analysis in the search for the best means for satisfying mission need. It is the primary information document supporting the initial investment decision.

Cancellation is the termination of the total requirements of all remaining program years of a multi-year contract. Cancellation results when the contracting officer notifies the contractor of nonavailability of funds for contract performance for any subsequent program year, or fails to notify the contractor that funds are available for performance of the succeeding program year requirement.

Cancellation ceiling is the maximum amount that the FAA will pay the contractor which the contractor would have recovered as a part of the unit price, had the contract been completed. The amount, which is actually paid to the contractor upon settlement for unrecovered costs (which can only be equal to or less than the ceiling), is referred to as the cancellation charge. This ceiling generally includes only nonrecurring costs.

Capability maturity model (CMM). A descriptive model of the stages through which organizations progress as they define, implement, evolve, and improve their processes. This model serves as a guide for selecting process improvement strategies by facilitating the determination of the current process capabilities and the identification of issues most critical to quality and process improvement within a particular domain, such as software engineering, software acquisition, or systems engineering.

Capability maturity model-based evaluation. An appraisal made by a trained team of professionals, using an established method to (1) identify contractors qualified to perform certain tasks, or (2) monitor the state of the processes used on an existing effort.

Capability shortfalls, within the context of mission analysis, refers to the difference between the projected demand for services and ability to meet that demand with the current capability.

Capital Investment Team (CIT). A team of senior-level staff and managers from ATO-Finance, ATO-Operations Planning, the FAA’s Office of Financial Services, and management representatives of non-ATO offices when their programs are being reviewed; responsible for supporting the ATO Chief Financial Officer, the ATO-Executive Committee and the Joint Resources Council in reviewing investment programs, establishing and maintaining year-round prioritization of all ongoing and proposed investment programs, performing budget impact assessments for new proposed investment programs, preparing annual budget submissions, and preparing reprogramming of funds recommendations.

Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC). The process used by FAA management to identify, select, control, and evaluate proposed capital investments. The CPIC process encompasses all stages of capital management including planning, budgeting, procurement, deployment, and assessment. Within the FAA, the Acquisition Management System is the CPIC process.

Cardholder means the individual government employee with the organization who is a warranted contracting officer or to whom a written delegation of procurement authority has been issued by the cognizant Chief of the Contraction Office or designee granting the use of the purchase and credit transactions made within the established billing period.
Card issuing bank (CIB) means the bank which issues cards to cardholders and submits monthly statements to the cardholders, approving officials, and finance offices detailing amounts of purchases and credits made by cardholders.

Claim, as used herein, means a contract dispute.

Classified information. Official information or material that requires protection in the interest of national security and is classified for such purpose by appropriate classification authority in accordance with the provisions of Executive Orders 12958 "Classified National Security Information", 12968 "Access to Classified Information", and 12829 "National Industrial Security Program".

Commercial component means any component that is a commercial item. The term component means any item supplied to the Federal government as part of an end item or of another component. See Commercial Item.

Commercial item can mean any of the following: [Note: For purposes of this document, the term "commercial item" is interchangeable with the terms "commercially available", "commercial component(s)", "commercial product(s)", and "commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)"]:

(A) Any item, other than real property, that is of a type customarily used by the general public or by nongovernmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes and that has been sold, leased, licensed to the general public; or has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the general public.

(B) Any item that evolved from an item described in paragraph (A) through advances in technology or performance and that is not yet available in the commercial marketplace, but will be available in the commercial marketplace in time to satisfy the delivery requirements under a government solicitation.

(C) Any item that would satisfy a criterion expressed in paragraphs (A) (B) of this definition, but for-(i) modifications of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace; or (ii) modifications of a type not customarily available in the commercial marketplace made to meet Federal government requirements.

(D) Any combination of items meeting the requirements of paragraphs (A), (B), (C), or (E) of this definition that are of a type customarily combined and sold in combination to the general public.

(E) Installation services, maintenance services, repair services, training services, and other services if such services are procured for support of an item referred to in paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of this definition, and if the source of such services--(i) offers such services to the general public and the Federal government contemporaneously and under similar terms and conditions; and (ii) offers to use the same work force for providing the Federal government with such services as the source uses for providing such services to the general public.

(F) Services of a type offered and sold competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace based on established catalog or market prices for specific tasks performed under standards commercial terms and conditions. This does not include services that are sold based on hourly rates without an established catalog or market price for specific service performed.

(G) Any item, combination of items, or service referred to in paragraphs (A) through (F), notwithstanding the fact that the item, combination of items, or service is transferred between or among separate divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of a contract; or

(H) An item, determined by the procuring agency to have been developed exclusively at private expense and sold in substantial quantities, on a competitive basis, to multiple state and local governments.

Commercial-off-the-shelf is a product or service that has been developed for sale, lease or license to the general public and is currently available at a fair market value. See Commercial Item.

Commercial product means a product in regular production that is sold in substantial quantities to the general public and/or industry at established catalog or market prices. See Commercial Item.

Commercially available refers to products, commodities, equipment, material, or services available in existing commercial markets in which sources compete primarily on the basis of established catalog/market prices or for which specific costs/prices established within the industry have been determined to be fair and reasonable. See Commercial Item.

Commonality refers to the use of identical parts, components, subsystems or systems to achieve economies in development and manufacture.

Communications, when referring to contracting, means any oral or written communication between the FAA and an offeror that involves information essential for understanding and evaluating an offeror's submittal(s), and/or determining the acceptability of an offeror's submittal(s).

Computer resources support. The facilities, hardware, system support software, software/hardware development and support tools (e.g. compilers, PROM burners), documentation, and personnel needed to operate and support embedded computer systems. These items represent the resources required for the operational support engineering functions and do not include administrative computer resources.

Configuration.(1) The performance, functional, and physical attributes of an existing or planned product, or a combination of products; or (2) one of a series of sequentially created variations of a product.

Configuration audit. Product configuration verification accomplished by inspecting documents, products, and records; and reviewing procedures, processes, and systems of operation to verify that the product has achieved its required attributes (performance requirements and functional constraints), and the product's design is accurately documented. Sometimes divided into separate functional and physical configuration audits.

Configuration change management.(1) A systematic process which ensures that changes to released configuration documentation are properly identified, documented, evaluated for impact, approved by an appropriate level of authority, incorporated, and verified. (2) The configuration management activity concerning the systematic proposal justification, evaluation, coordination and disposition of proposed changes, and the implementation of all approved and released changes into (a) the applicable configurations of a product, (b) associated product information, and (c) supporting and interfacing products and their associated product information.

Configuration documentation. Technical documentation, the primary purpose of which is to identify and define a product's performance, functional, and physical attributes.

Configuration Identification. (1) The systematic process of selecting the product attributes, organizing associated information about the attributes, and stating the attributes; (2) unique identifiers for a product and its configuration documents; or (3) the configuration management activity which encompasses selecting configuration documents; assigning and applying unique identifiers to a product, its components, and associated documents; and maintaining document revision relationships to product configurations.

Configuration management. A management process for establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional, and physical attributers with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.

Configuration status accounting. The configuration management activity concerning capture and storage of, and access to, configuration information needed to mange products and product information effectively.

Configuration verification. The action verifying that the product has achieved its required attributes (performance requirements and functional constraints) and the product's design is accurately documented.

Contract is a legal instrument used to acquire products and services for the direct benefit or use by the FAA.

Contract. As used herein denotes the document (for example, contract, memorandum of agreement or understanding, purchase order) used to implement an agreement between a customer (buyer) and a seller (supplier).

Contract dispute as used herein, means a written request seeking as a matter of right, the payment of money in a sum certain, the adjustment or interpretation of contract terms, or other relief arising under or relating to the contract. A claim arising under a contract unlike a claim relating to that contract, is a claim that can be resolved under a contract clause that provides for the relief sought by the claimant. The term does not include a request for payment of an invoice, voucher, or similar routine payments expressly authorized under the terms of the contract, which have not been rejected by the contracting officer. The term includes a termination for convenience settlement proposal and request for equitable adjustment, but does not include cost proposals seeking definitization of a letter contract or other undefinitized contract action.

Contractor. The party(ies) receiving a direct procurement contract from the FAA and who is responsible for performance of the contract requirements.

Controversy or concern. A material disagreement between the FAA and an offeror that could result in a protest.

Core policy refers to the official governing policy of the Acquisition Management System. It consists of all Sections and Appendixes A-E of this document. All other acquisition information not contained within this policy document is in the form of guidance, processes, references, and other acquisition aids, used by the lifecycle management workforce with discretion and in a manner that makes sense for individual programs. All of this information, including core policy, is considered to be the entire Acquisition Management System. This information may be found within the FAA Acquisition System Toolset on the Internet.

Cost is the contractor's expenses of contract performance, either estimated or actual.

Cost and pricing data refers to all facts that, at the time of the price agreement, the seller and buyer would reasonably expect to affect price negotiations. Cost or pricing data require certification. Cost or pricing data are factual, not judgmental data, and are therefore verifiable. While these data do not indicate the accuracy of the prospective contractor's judgment about estimated future costs or projections, they do include the data utilized to form the basis for that judgment. Cost or pricing data are more than historical accounting data; they are all the facts that can be reasonably expected to contribute to the soundness of estimates of future costs and to the validity of determinations of costs already incurred.

Critical operational issue. A key operational effectiveness or suitability issue that must be examined in operational test and evaluation to determine a product's capability to perform its mission.

Customer. External users of FAA products or services, such as airlines and the flying public. See User.

Data. Recorded information of any nature (including administrative, managerial, financial, and technical), regardless of medium or characteristics.

Demand, as used in the context of mission analysis, is the current or projected demand for FAA products, services, and capacity, based on input from diverse sources such as the aviation community, Enterprise Architecture, long-range planners, and operators and maintainers of the NAS and other FAA support systems.

Design to cost is a concept that establishes cost elements as management goals to best balance between lifecycle cost, acceptable performance, and schedule. Under this concept, cost is a design constraint during the design, development, and production phases, and a management discipline throughout the system lifecycle.

Direct-work maintenance staffing. The direct person-hours required to operate, maintain, and support a product for the duration of its lifecycle.

Disapproval. Conclusion by the appropriate authority that an item submitted for approval is either not complete or is not suitable or its intended use.

Discriminating criteria/key discriminators, used in procurement context, are those factors expected to be especially important, significant, and critical in the ultimate source selection decision.

Dispute as used herein, means a Contract Dispute or Claim.

Dispute resolution officer is a licensed legal practitioner who is a member of the Office of Dispute Resolution, and who has authority to conduct proceedings, which, if agreed to by the parties and concurred in by the FAA Administrator, result in binding decisions on the parties.

Dominant business is a controlling or major influence in a market in which a number of businesses are primarily engaged. Factors such as business volume; number of employees; financial resources; competitiveness; ownership or control of materials, processes, patents, and license agreements; facilities; sales territory; and nature of the business must be considered.

Economically disadvantaged individuals means disadvantaged individuals whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system is impaired due to diminished opportunities to obtain capital and credit as compared to others in the same line of business who are not disadvantaged.

End Product:  A system, service, facility, or operational change that is intended for delivery to a customer or end user.

Enterprise Architecture defines the operational and technical framework for all capital assets of the FAA. It describes the agency’s current and target architectures, as well as the transition strategy for moving from the current to the target architecture. The enterprise architecture has three segments: the NAS architecture, the NAS regulatory architecture, and the non-NAS architecture. The non-NAS segment uses the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF). The operational view is split between the business process, application, and data views. The systems view in the FEAF is specified in the technical view.

Enterprise Architecture Products include the operational view family (business rule) and systems view family (engineering). Operational view family components represent a set of graphical and textual products that describe the changes in tasks and activities, operational elements, and information exchanges required to accomplish NAS service delivery or ATO business processes. The business process and application views present this information in the FEAF with the data architecture providing the terms used to describe information exchanges between processes. System view family components represent a set of graphical and textual products that describe systems and interfaces that directly or indirectly support, communicate, or facilitate NAS service delivery or ATO business processes. In the FEAF, interfaces between applications are described in the application view. Also in the FEAF, there is a logical description of systems, but not a physical or geographic description in the enterprise architecture. 

Evolutionary product development is the process of establishing a product designed to evolve over time, as opposed to the need for wholesale replacement, to satisfy requirements. The objective is to accommodate rapid insertion of new technology and upgrades, rather than invest in entirely new products.

Exhibit 300 program baseline establishes the performance and benefits requirements to be achieved by an investment program, as well as the cost and schedule boundaries within which the program is authorized to perform. The Exhibit 300 program baseline is a formal document approved by the Joint Resources Council at the final investment decision, and in effect, is a contract between the FAA and the service organization.

FAA disputes resolution system is a process established within the FAA for resolving protests of FAA screening information request and contract awards, as well as contract disputes.

FAA Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition is an independent organization within the FAA, reporting to the FAA Chief Counsel, which is staffed with an appropriate number of dispute resolution officers.

Fee is compensation paid to a consultant for professional services rendered.

Firm, as defined for architect-engineering services, is any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity permitted by law to practice the professions of architecture or engineering.

Firmware. The combination of a hardware device and computer instructions or computer data that reside as read-only software "burned into" the hardware device; various types of firmware include devices whose software code is erasable/re-programmable to some degree.

First-Level Technical Support. This work comprises maintenance of the National Airspace System infrastructure and includes certifying equipment and performing periodic maintenance, restoration, troubleshooting, and corrective activities.

Functional baseline is the initially approved documentation describing a system's or item's functional, interoperability, and interface characteristics, and the verification required to demonstrate the achievement of those characteristics.

Generic processes. Flowcharts and supporting information, including descriptions, approving officials, references, templates, and other aids that describe each event of a phase of the lifecycle management process. Generic processes are provided to service organizations for guidance to assist in the complex planning, product development, procurement, production, testing, delivery, and implementation activities of this important phase of the lifecycle management process. Generic processes are an integral part of FAST.

Hardware products. Made of material and their components (mechanical, electrical, electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic). Computer software and technical documentation are excluded.

Historically black colleges and universities. Institutions determined by the U.S. Secretary of Education to meet the requirements of 34 CFR 608.2 and listed therein.

Human factors are a multi-disciplinary effort to generate and apply human performance information to acquire safe, efficient, and effective operational systems.

Implementation strategy and planning is the detailed planning document for all aspects of program implementation. It integrates the planning requirements of several previous FAA planning documents including the program master plan, the integrated logistics support plan, the test and evaluation master plan, the program implementation plan, the human factors plan, and the procurement plan. It is recorded in attachment 3 of the Exhibit 300 program baseline.

In-service decision is the decision to accept a product or service for operational use during the solution implementation phase of the lifecycle management process. This decision allows deployment activities, such as installing products at each site and certifying them for operational use, to start.

In-service management phase of the lifecycle management process, is that period of time after a product or service begins operational use, and continues for as long as the product is in use.

Indian means any person who is a member of any Indian tribe, band, group, pueblo, or community which is recognized by the Federal Government as eligible for services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 1452(c) and any "Native" as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601).

Indian organization means any governing body of any Indian tribe or entity established or recognized by the governing body of an Indian tribe for the purposes of 25 U.S.C., chapter 17.

Indian-owned economic enterprise means any Indian-owned (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) commercial, industrial, or business activity established or organized for the purpose of profit, provided that Indian ownership shall constitute not less than 51 percent of the enterprise.

Indian tribe means any Indian tribe, band, group, pueblo, or community, including native villages and native groups (including corporations organized by Kenai, Juneau, Sitka and Kodiak) as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized by the Federal Government as eligible for services from BIA in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 1452 (c).

Information other than cost or pricing data is any type of information that is not required to be certified, that is necessary to determine price reasonableness or cost realism. This includes pricing, sales, or cost information, and cost or pricing data for which certification is determined inapplicable after submission.

Integrated logistics support is the functional discipline that plans, establishes, and maintains a full lifecycle support system for FAA products and services. This applies to the sustainment and disposal of fielded products and services as well as new investment programs. The objective is the required level of service to the end user at optimal lifecycle cost to the FAA. The logistics manager is the service-team member who plans, establishes, and maintains an integrated product support package for the lifecycle of FAA products and services. 

Integrated requirements team. An Integrated Requirements Team is made up of different subject-matter experts from various disciplines to address air traffic system requirements and FAA goals and objectives in a disciplined forum setting. These teams are intended to provide horizontal integration across organizational lines, continuity of requirements throughout the mission and investment analysis phases, and stability of requirements throughout the lifecycle.

Interagency agreement is a written agreement between the FAA and another Federal agency where the FAA agrees to receive from, or exchange supplies or services with, the other agency, and FAA funds are obligated.

Interested party. An interested party is one who: 

(1)  Prior to the close of a solicitation, is an actual or prospective participant in the procurement, excluding prospective subcontractors; or

(2) After the close of a solicitation, is an actual participant who would be next in line for award under the solicitations scheme if the protest is successful. An actual participant who is not in line for award under the solicitations scheme is ineligible to protest unless that party's complaint alleges specific improper actions or inactions by the agency that caused the party to be other than in line for award. Proposed subcontractors are not eligible to protest.

Where a contract has been awarded prior to the filing of a protest, the awardee may be considered an interested party for purposes of participating in the protest proceedings.

Interface. The performance, functional, and physical attributes required to exist at a common boundary.

Interface Control Documentation. Interface control drawing or other documentation that depicts physical, functional, and test interface characteristics between two or more related or co-functioning items.

Interim Payment is a form of contract financing for cost reimbursement contracts where a contractor is paid periodically during the course of a contract for allowable costs it incurs in the performance of the contract.  As interim payments are issued during the course of a contract, they do not include the final payment issued after contract completion.

Intra-agency agreement is a written agreement between the FAA and Office of the Secretary of Transportation or another Department of Transportation operating administration where the requesting organization agrees to provide or exchange supplies or services with the FAA, and FAA funds are obligated.

Investment analysis of the lifecycle management process is conducted to determine the most advantageous solution to an approved mission need. It involves: (1) a market search to determine industry capability, (2) analysis of various alternative approaches for satisfying requirements, (3) and affordability assessment to determine what the FAA can afford, and (4) detailed planning for the alternative selected for implementation.

Investment program. A sponsored, fully funded effort initiated at the investment decision of the lifecycle management process by the Joint Resources Council. An investment program is created at the final investment decision in response to an approved mission need. The goal of an investment program is to field a new capability that satisfies requirements, cost, schedule, and benefits stated in an Exhibit 300 program baseline. Typically an investment program is a separate budgeted line item and may have multiple procurements and several projects, all managed within the single program.

Joint Resources Council is the FAA body responsible for making corporate level decisions.

Learning system is the same as lifecycle management workforce learning system (see below).

Lifecycle. The entire spectrum of activity for an FAA capital asset starting with the identification of need and extending through design, development, production or construction, deployment, operational use, sustaining support, and retirement and disposal.

Lifecycle management process. A depiction of the series of phases and decision points that comprise the lifecycle of FAA products and services.

Lifecycle acquisition management system is a fully coordinated set of policies, processes, and computer-based acquisition tools that guide the lifecycle management workforce through the lifecycle management process from the determination of mission needs to the procurement and lifecycle management of products and services that satisfy those needs.

Lifecycle cost is the total cost to the FAA of acquiring, operating, maintaining, supporting, and disposal of systems or services over their useful life. Lifecycle cost includes total investment costs, development costs, and operational costs and includes all appropriations, RE&D, F&E, and O&M.

Lifecycle management workforce. All individuals who play a role in the lifecycle management process. Service organizations are a major part of the lifecycle management workforce. Also included are those persons associated with strategic planning, mission analysis, investment analysis, users of investment program capabilities and products, and various other functional discipline support organizations.

Line of business. An informal term used to characterize the major organizations of the FAA, headed by the Chief Operating Officer (ATO) or the Associate or Assistant Administrator (non-ATO), having major roles and responsibilities in the Lifecycle Acquisition Management System. They are: Air Traffic Organization, Aviation Safety, Airports, Commercial Space Transportation, and Civil Aviation Security. See Appendix A for Line of Business roles and responsibilities.

Maintenance planning. The process is conducted to determine, evolve, and establish hardware and software maintenance concepts and requirements for the lifecycle of a product.

Maintenance support facility. The permanent or semi-permanent real property assets required to support a product. Maintenance support facility management includes conducting studies to define types of facilities or facility improvements, locations, space needs, environmental requirements, real estate requirements and equipment.

Market survey is used in two different contexts in AMS. In terms of the procurement and contracting process, it refers to any method used to survey industry to obtain information and comments and to determine competition, capabilities, and estimate costs. In terms of the lifecycle management process, market surveys are an integral part of investment analysis. After initial requirements are established, market surveys are used as a basis for identifying all potential material and nonmaterial solutions to mission need.

Memorandum of agreement (MOA) is a written document executed by the parties, which creates a legally binding commitment and may require the obligation of funds. However, when the FAA will acquire services, equipment, personnel, or facilities from a contractor for the direct benefit or use of the FAA, a procurement contract should be used.

Memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a written document executed by the parties which establishes policies or procedures of mutual concern. It does not require either party to obligate funds and does not create a legally binding commitment.

Merchant category codes (MCC) means the codes established by the bankcard associations or banks to identify different types of businesses. Merchants select the codes best describing their business. Approving officials may limit the types of businesses where the card will be accepted by limiting the MCC available to the cardholder.

Metrics are measurements taken over time that monitor, assess, and communicate vital information about the results of a program or activity. Metrics are generally quantitative, but can be qualitative.

Minority Educational Institutions. Institutions verified by the U.S. Secretary of Education to meet the criteria set forth in 34 CFR 637.4. Also includes Hispanic-serving institutions as defined by 20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(1).

Mission analysis is that part of the lifecycle management process during which continuous analytical activity is performed to evaluate the capacity of FAA assets to satisfy existing and emerging demands for services. It is conducted within the lines of business organizations of the FAA.

Multi-year contracts are contracts covering more than one year but not in excess of five years of requirements. Total contract quantities and annual quantities are planned for a particular level and type of funding as displayed in a current five year development plan. Each program year is annually budgeted and funded and, at the time of award, funds need only to have been appropriated for the first year. The contractor is protected against loss resulting from cancellation by contract provisions, which allows reimbursement of costs included in the cancellation ceiling.

Multi-year funding refers to Congressional authorization and appropriation covering more than one fiscal year. The term should not be confused with two-year or three-year funds which cover only one fiscal year's requirement but permit the Executive Branch more than one year to obligate the funds.

NAS technical documentation. Any set of documents that describe the technical requirements of the National Airspace System.

Neutral means an impartial third party, who serves as a mediator, fact finder, or arbitrator, or otherwise functions to assist the parties to resolve the issues in controversy. A neutral person may be a permanent or temporary officer or employee of the federal government or any other individual who is acceptable to the parties. A neutral person shall have no official, financial, or personal conflict of interest with respect to the issues in controversy, unless such interest is fully disclosed in writing to all parties and all parties agree that the neutral person may serve.

No-year funding refers to Congressional funding that does not require obligation in any specific year or years.

Non-developmental item (NDI) is an item that has been previously developed for use by federal, state, local, or a foreign government and for which no further development is required.

Nonmaterial solution. A solution to an FAA capability shortfall identified during mission or investment analysis that is operationally acceptable to users and can be implemented within approved budgets and baselines. Nonmaterial solutions typically involve regulatory change, process re-engineering, training, procedural change, or transfer of operational assets between sites.

Nonrecurring costs are those production costs which are generally incurred on a one time basis and include such costs as plant or equipment relocation, plant rearrangement, special tooling and special test equipment, pre-production engineering, initial spoilage and rework, and specialized workforce training.

Operational baseline. The approved technical documentation representing installed operational hardware and software.

Operational readiness, refers to the state of a fielded new system in the NAS. This state is achieved after the system is tested by the FAA at a field test site where it is demonstrated that local site personnel have the ability to fully operate and maintain the new system.

Operational suitability. The capability of a product to be satisfactorily integrated and employed for field use, considering such factors as compatibility, reliability, human performance factors, maintenance and logistics support, safety, and training. The term also refers to the actual degree to which the product satisfies these parameters.

Other transaction. Transactions, as referenced in Public Law 104-264, October 9, 1996, which do not fall into the category of procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.

Owners.  Within context of the Air Traffic Organization, owners of the FAA are the President, Congress, flying public, and American taxpayers.

Packaging, handling, storage and transportation. The resources, processes, procedures, design considerations, and methods to ensure that all subsystem, equipment, and support items are preserved, packaged, handled, and transported properly. Included are environmental considerations and equipment preservation requirements for short and long term storage and transportability.

Performance. A quantitative measure characterizing a physical or functional attribute relating to the execution of an operation or function. Performance attributes include quantity (how many or how much), quality (how well), coverage (how much area, how far), timeliness (how responsive, how frequent), and readiness (availability, mission/operational readiness). Performance is an attribute for all systems, people, products and processes including those for development, production, verification, deployment, operations, support, training and disposal. Thus, supportability parameters, manufacturing process variability, reliability and so forth, are all performance measures.

Performance parameters are those mission-critical performance and lifecycle supportability criteria contained in the Program Requirements attachment to the Exhibit 300 program baseline. They represent the sponsoring organization's translation of the capability shortfall in the service-level mission need assessment into critical factors the selected solution must contain in its eventual operational state to satisfy the user's needs.

Personnel security. The standards and procedures utilized to determine and document that the employment or retention in employment of an individual will promote the efficiency of the service and is clearly consistent with the interests of the national security.

Prescreening. The evaluation of case files for impacts on safety, ATC services, and other intangible benefits, as well as cost/benefits implications, to determine if the proposed change should be implemented.

Price equals cost plus any fee or profit involved in the procurement of a product or service.

Primary engineer or principal consultant is a firm which is held responsible for the overall performance of the services, including that which is accomplished by others under separate or special service contracts.

Procurement strategy meeting is a meeting of organizations with vested interests in the contemplated procurement. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a consensus on the planned course of the acquisition and to obtain the necessary approvals to proceed.

Program requirements - A formal attachment to the Exhibit 300 program baseline. It establishes the operational framework and requirements of the line of business with a mission need. It translates mission need into top-level performance, supportability, and benefit requirements that should be satisfied by the final fielded capability. It is prepared in the concept and requirements definition phase of the lifecycle management process.

Product baseline is the initially approved documentation describing all of the necessary functional and physical characteristics of the configuration item and the selected functional and physical characteristics designated for production acceptance testing and tests necessary for support of the configuration item. In addition to this documentation, the product baseline of a configuration item may consist of the actual equipment and software.

Product Team (PT) or Service Team (ST) - A team with a mission, resources, leader, and cross-functional membership, which executes an element of a service organization’s mission.

Program decision-making. In general, resource decision-making in the lifecycle management process is at the corporate level and program decision-making is within service organization.

Protest is a written, timely objection submitted by a protester to an FAA screening information request or contract award.

Protester is a prospective offeror whose direct economic interest would be affected by the award or failure to award an FAA contract, or an actual offeror with a reasonable chance to receive award of an FAA contract.

Real Property is defined as:

(1)  Any interest in land, together with the improvements, structures, and fixtures located thereon (including prefabricated movable structures, such as Butler-type storage warehouses and Quonset huts, and house trailers with or without undercarriages), and appurtenances thereto, under the control of any Federal agency, except-

(a)  The public domain;

(b)  Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national park purposes;

(c)  Minerals in lands or portions of lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain that the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining and mineral leasing laws;

(d)  Lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain but not including lands or portions of lands so withdrawn or reserved that the Secretary of the Interior, with the concurrence of the Administrator of General Services, determines are not suitable for return to the public domain for disposition under the general public land laws because such lands are substantially changed in character by improvements or otherwise; and

(e)  Crops when designated by such agency for disposition by severance and removal from the land.

(2)  Improvements of any kind, structures, and fixtures under the control of any Federal agency when designated by such agency for disposition without the underlying land (including such as may be located on the public domain, on lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain, on lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national park purposes, or on lands that are not owned by the United States) excluding, however, prefabricated movable structures, such as Butler-type storage warehouses and Quonset huts, and house trailers (with or without undercarriages).

(3)  Standing timber and embedded gravel, sand, or stone under the control of any Federal agency, whether designated by such agency for disposition with the land or by severance and removal from the land, excluding timber felled, and gravel, sand, or stone excavated by or for the Government prior to disposition.

Record drawings are drawings submitted by a contractor or subcontractor at any tier to show the construction of a particular structure or work as actually completed under the contract.

Recurring costs are production costs that vary with the quantity being produced, such as labor and materials.

Release. The designation by the originating activity that a document or software version is approved by an appropriate authority and is subject to configuration change management procedures.

Requirements. Conditions or capabilities that must be met or exceeded by a system or component to satisfy agency needs. Requirements form the basis for a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed document.

Resources. As it applies to contractor personnel security refers to FAA resources including a physical plant, information databases including hardware and software, as well as manual records pertaining to agency mission or personnel.

Screening is the process of evaluating offeror submittals to determine either which offerors/products are qualified to meet a specific type of supply or service, which offerors are most likely to receive award, or which offerors provide the best value to the FAA.

Screening decision is the narrowing of the number of offerors participating in the source selection process to only those offerors most likely to receive award.

Screening information request is any request made by the FAA for documentation, information, or offer for the purpose of screening to determine which offeror provides the best value solution for a particular procurement.

Second-Level Engineering Support. This work comprises engineering support of the National Airspace System infrastructure and includes defining system performance standards, developing and publishing procedures, designing system improvements, and providing support to first-level technical support personnel.

Selection decision is the determination to make an award by the source selection official to the offeror providing the best value to the FAA.

Service-disabled veteran-owned small business is a small business concern that is 51% owned and controlled by a service disabled veteran(s).

Service organization. A service organization is any organization that manages investment resources regardless of appropriation to deliver services. It may be a service unit, program office, or directorate, and may be engaged in air traffic services, safety, security, regulation, certification, operations, commercial space transportation, airport development, or administrative functions.

Simplified purchases are those products or services of any nature that are smaller in dollar value, less complex, shorter term, routine, or are commercially available and are generally purchased on a fixed price basis.

Single-source contracting is to award a contract, without competition, to a single supplier of products or services.

Small business is a business, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated and not dominant in producing the products or performing the services being purchased, and one that qualifies as a small business under the federal government's criteria and North American Industry System Classification Codes size standards.

Small business set-aside is the reservation of an acquisition exclusively for participation by small businesses.

Small disadvantaged business means a small business concern that is at least 51 percent unconditionally owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged, or a publicly owned business that has at least 51 percent of its stock unconditionally owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and that has its management and daily business controlled by one or more such individuals. This term also means a small business concern that is at least 51 percent unconditionally owned by an economically disadvantaged Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization, or a publicly owned business having at least 51 percent of its stock unconditionally owned by one of these entities which has its management and daily business controlled by members of an economically disadvantaged Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization. The contractor shall presume that socially and economically disadvantaged individuals include Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian Americans, and other minorities or any other individual found to be disadvantaged by the FAA. The contractor shall presume that socially and economically disadvantaged entities also include Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations.

Small Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business means a small business concern that is at least 51 percent unconditionally owned by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged, or a publicly owned business that has at least 51 percent of its stock unconditionally owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and that has its management and daily business controlled by one or more such individuals. This term also means a small business concern that is at least 51 percent unconditionally owned by an economically disadvantaged Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization, or a publicly owned business having at least 51 percent of its stock unconditionally owned by one of these entities which has its management and daily business controlled by members of an economically disadvantaged Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization. The contractor shall presume that socially and economically disadvantaged individuals include Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian Americans, and other minorities or any other individual found to be disadvantaged by the FAA. The contractor shall presume that socially and economically disadvantaged entities also include Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations.

Socially disadvantaged individuals - individuals who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their qualities as individuals.

Solution implementation phase is the phase of the lifecycle management process that begins after the Joint Resources Council selects a solution and establishes an investment program. It ends when the new capability goes into service. This phase is led by the service organization assigned by the JRC at the investment decision.

Solution providers An organization (e.g., service organization or a regional office implementing a construction program) that has the responsibility for providing assets to satisfy National Airspace requirements.

Specification. A document that explicitly states essential technical attributes/requirements for product and procedures to determine that the product's performance meets its requirements/attributes.

Standardization is the practice of acquiring parts, components, subsystems, or systems with common design or functional characteristics to obtain economies in ownership costs.

Strategic Sourcing. The collaborative and structured process of critically analyzing an organization’s spending and using this information to make business decisions about acquiring products and services more effectively and efficiently.

Supply, as used in the context of mission analysis, is the existing or projected supply of services to its customers, based on information from field organizations that operate and maintain the NAS, from the aviation community, and from the enterprise architecture.

Supply support. All management actions, procedures, and techniques used to determine requirements that acquire, catalog, track, receive, store, transfer, issue, and dispose of items of supply. This includes provisioning for initial support, maintaining asset visibility for financial accountability, and replenishing spares.

Supportability. - The degree to which product design and planned logistics resources meet product use requirements.

Support Equipment. All equipment (mobile or fixed) required to support maintenance of a product. It includes associated multi-use end items, ground-handling and maintenance equipment, tools, metrology and calibration equipment, test equipment, and automatic test equipment. It includes the procurement of integrated logistics support necessary to maintain the support equipment itself. Operational engineering support systems and facilities are also integral parts of the lifecycle support equipment.

Sustainment. Those activities associated with keeping fielded products operational and maintained. Also applies to the planning, programming and budgeting for fielded products, referred to as sustainment funding.

Technical data. Recorded information regardless of form or character (such as manuals, drawings and operational test procedures) of a scientific or technical nature required to operate and maintain a product over its lifecycle. While computer programs and related software are not technical data, documentation of these programs and related software are technical data. Also excluded is financial data or other information related to contract administration.

Technical leveling is the act of helping an offeror to bring its proposal/offer up to the level of other proposals/offers through successive rounds of communication, such as by pointing out weaknesses resulting from the offeror's lack of diligence, competence, or inventiveness in preparing his proposal.

Technical transfusion is the FAA's disclosure of technical information from one submittal that results in the improvement of another submittal.

Technical opportunity. A technological opportunity exists when a product or capability not currently used in the NAS has the potential to enable the FAA to perform its mission more safely, efficiently or effectively.

Termination for convenience is a procedure that may apply to any FAA contract, including multi-year contracts. As contrasted with cancellation, termination can be effected at any time during the life of the contract (cancellation is effected between fiscal years) and can be for the total quantity or a partial quantity (whereas cancellation must be for all subsequent fiscal year quantities).

Termination liability is the maximum cost the FAA would incur if a contract is terminated. In the case of a multi-year contract terminated before completion of the current fiscal year's deliveries, termination liability would include an amount for both current year termination charges and out year cancellation charges.

Termination liability funding refers to obligating contract funds to cover contractor expenditures plus termination liability, but not the total cost of the completed end items.

Total Estimated Potential Value.  The sum of the initial award, unexercised options, the value of any indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract line items (CLINS), estimates for unpriced CLINS, such as preplanned product improvements, estimated value of partially priced items, and any other items the Contracting Officer deems relevant to establishing potential total contract value.  The potential contract value should exclude anticipated change orders, pre-planned product improvements which are not established as CLINS, and any other anticipated actions not included in the written contract.  Where duplicative or alternative options are established (i.e., if option 1 is exercised, option 2 will not be exercised) the Contracting Officer should include only the value which reflects the highest priced option.  For incentive contracts, the maximum liability of the Government should be included in the potential contract value.  For IDIQ contracts, the total contract value is the stated maximum amount the total of issued delivery orders cannot exceed.

Training, training support, and personnel skills. The analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of training requirements to operate and maintain the product. This includes: conducting needs analyses; job and task analyses; delivering individual and team training; resident and nonresident training; on-the-job training; job aids; and logistic support planning for training aids and training installations.

Unauthorized commitment is an agreement entered into by a representative of the FAA who does not have the authority to obligate the FAA to spend appropriated funds.

Unit. One of a quantity of items (products, parts, etc.)

User. Internal FAA user of a product or service, such as Air Traffic Controllers or maintenance technicians.

Validation.  Confirmation that an end product or end-product component will fulfill its intended purpose when placed in its intended environment. The methods employed to accomplish validation are applied to selected work products as well as to the end product and end-product components. Work products should be selected on the basis of which are the best predictors of how well the end product and end-product component will satisfy the intended purpose and user needs. Validation may address all aspects of an end product in any of its intended environments, such as operation, training, manufacturing, maintenance, or support services.  

Verification. Confirmation that selected work products meet their specified requirements. This includes verification of the end product (system, service, facility, or operational change) and intermediate work products against all applicable requirements. Verification is inherently an incremental process since it occurs throughout the development of the end product and work products - beginning with initial requirements, progressing through subsequent changes, and culminating in verification of the completed end product.   

Version. (1) One of several sequentially created configurations of a data product. (2) A supplementary identifier used to distinguish a changed body or set of computer-based data (software) from the previous configuration with the same primary identifier. Version identifiers are usually associated with data (such as files, data bases and software) used by, or maintained in, computers.

Very small business is a business whose size is no greater than 50 percent of the numerical size standard applicable to the North American Industry System Classification Codes assigned to a contracting opportunity.

Work Product:  A work product in various forms represents, defines, or directs the end product (system, service, facililty, or operational change). This can include concepts of operation, processes, plans/procedures, designs/descriptions, requirements/specifications, models/prototypes, contracts/invoices and other documents. 

Work breakdown structure.   A hierarchical decomposition of the work to be performed to accomplish an approved agency objective.  It includes both internal and external work activities and each descending level represents an increasing definition of the work to be performed.