AAR
Association of American Railroads
[more]Abandoned pipeline
A pipeline that is physically separated from its source of gas and is no longer maintained under 49 CFR Part 192.
[more]Abandonment
The process of abandoning a pipeline.
[more]ABS
An acronym for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
[more]Absolute humidity
The measure of the amount of water vapor actually in the air. Often stated as pounds of water vapor per pound of dry air. At any given temperature, relative humidity equals 100 times the absolute humidity divided by the greatest amount of water vapor that can be present in the air at that temperature.
[more]Absolute pressure
Gauge pressure plus barometric pressure. Absolute pressure can be zero only in a perfect vacuum.
[more]Absolute roughness
The average height of the microscopic irregularities in the surface of the pipe, at the pipe wall.
[more]Acknowledgment, ACK
The process of informing a transmitting node that a message has been received correctly. Also, it is a means to indicate the readiness to receive in an asynchronous environment.
[more]Active
A state in which a metal tends to corrode; referring to the negative direction of electrode potential (opposite of passive or noble).
[more]Active corrosion
Continuing corrosion which, unless controlled, could result in a condition that is detrimental to public safety.
[more]Activity
A specific task or grouping of tasks that provides a specialized capability, service or product based on a recurring government requirement. Depending on the grouping of tasks, an activity may be an entire function or may be a part of a function. An activity may be inherently governmental or commercial in nature.
[more]Actuator
A device designed to shut off gas flow upon flame failure, pilot outage, control impulse, overpressure, or underpressure without a person being physically at the location. Valve actuators on mainline transmission systems are primarily operated by pushing a button at a control station.
[more]Adhesive joint
A joint made in plastic piping by the use of an adhesive substance which forms a bond between the mating surfaces without dissolving either one of them.
[more]Adjusting screw
A screw used to affect the compression setting of a loading spring.
[more]Administrator
The Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration or any person to whom authority in the matter concerned has been delegated by the Secretary of Transportation.
[more]Adversely Affected Employees
Federal civilian employees serving competitive or excepted service appointments in Tenure Groups I, II, or III, who are identified for release from their competitive level by an agency, in accordance with 5 C.F.R. Part 351 and 5 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as a direct result of a performance decision resulting from a streamlined or standard competition.
[more]Aeration cell
"See Differential aeration cell."
[more]Aerosol Cloud
A mixture of gas vapor and drops of liquid that are so small they remain suspended in the vapor. Fog (water droplets suspended in air) is an example of an aerosol. Under some conditions, a release of LNG or flammable refrigerant may create an aerosol cloud.
[more]AGA
American Gas Association
[more]Agency Cost Estimate
The part of the agency tender in a standard competition that includes the agency's cost proposal and represents the full cost of agency performance of the commercial activity, based on the requirements in the solicitation and the costing policy in Attachment C. The agency cost estimate for a streamlined competition is developed in accordance with Attachments B and C.
[more]Agency Performance
Performance of a commercial or inherently governmental activity with government personnel. Often referred to as "in-house performance."
[more]Agency Source
A service provider staffed by government personnel.
[more]Agency Tender
The agency management plan submitted in response to a solicitation for a standard competition. The agency tender includes an MEO, agency cost estimate, MEO quality control plan, MEO phase-in plan, and copies of any MEO subcontracts (with the private sector providers' proprietary information redacted). The agency tender is prepared in accordance with Attachment B and the solicitation requirements.
[more]Agency Tender Official (ATO)
An inherently governmental agency official with decision-making authority who is responsible for the agency tender and represents the agency tender during source selection.
[more]Air analyzer
An air analyzer is a device used to analyze air quality in and around personnel workspaces. It is used to detect such things as flammable vapor conditions (lower explosive limit (LEL)), poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), and any oxygen (O2) deficiency (19.5% or below) or enrichment (23.5% or above) in air.
[more]Alarm condition
A predefined change in the state or condition of equipment, or the failure of the equipment to respond correctly. Indication may be audible or visual or both.
[more]Alternating current (AC)
Alternating Current (AC): A current whose direction changes with time (e.g., commercial electricity used to run home appliances).
[more]Ambient temperature (AT)
The temperature of the environment surrounding a given point. For example, the air temperature reported by the weatherman is the ambient temperature of the air at the location of the instrument used to measure the air temperature.
[more]American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
A standards setting organization concerned with transmission codes and protocols.
[more]American Standards Association
In 1928 the American Engineering Standards Committee (AESC) became the American Standards Association. ASA was reorganized in 1966 and became the United States of American Standards Institute (USASI). The name ANSI was adopted in 1969.
[more]Amine
Amine is the common name for a family of chemicals that includes monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and methyl diethanolamine (MDEA). Amines are used to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. Natural gas is exposed to liquid amine in a contactor vessel, where carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are absorbed by the amine. The contaminated amine is pumped to a regenerator where it is heated to remove the carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The regenerated liquid...
[more]Ampere
An ampere is a unit used to measure the rate of flow of electrical current. The unit was named after Andre Marie Ampere, a French physicist, for his discoveries in electrodynamics. The ampere unit was first defined as a current that occurs when 1 coulomb of electric charge flows past a given point of an electric circuit in one second and was later defined in terms of the current required to produce a certain amount of force between two wires.
[more]Amphoteric metal
A metal that is susceptible to corrosion in both acid and alkaline environments. Aluminum is an example of an amphoteric metal.
[more]Anaerobic
Free of air or uncombined oxygen.
[more]Analog
A transmission signal or system, such as the current telephone system, which varies in a continuous manner (waveform) as opposed to digitally.
[more]Analog device
A device that operates with variables represented by continuously measured quantities such as voltage, resistance, temperature, and pressure etc.
[more]Analog-to-digital conversion
Product of a digital signal whose magnitude is proportional to the value of an analog quantity.
[more]Anhydrous ammonia
A colorless gas with a pungent suffocating odor. It is shipped as a compressed gas, which is considered to be a hazardous liquid. Will burn skin if touched and can be deadly if inhaled.
[more]Anhydrous ammonia
A colorless gas with a pungent suffocating odor. It is shipped as a compressed gas, which is considered to be a hazardous liquid. Will burn skin if touched and can be deadly if inhaled.
[more]Annualize
The calculation method to convert a cost to an annual basis. The calculation converts a cost for a performance period that is less than one full year into an annual cost to correctly reflect the cost in a government cost estimate. This calculation is performed by first dividing the cost in the performance period by the number of days in the performance period to determine the corresponding daily cost and then multiplying the daily cost by 365.25 days to determine the annualized cost. To account...
[more]Annular space
The space between the cylindrical portions of the inner and outer walls of a double-wall tank.
[more]Anode
The electrode in a corrosion cell where oxidation or corrosion occurs. In a pipeline-related cathodic protection system, the anode is designed as the sacrificial material installed to purposely corrode and protect the structure (pipeline, tank bottom, or other underground structure).There are two basic types of anodes: the galvanic type and the impressed current type.
[more]Anode corrosion efficiency
Anode corrosion efficiency is the ratio of actual to theoretical corrosion based on the total current flow calculated by Faraday’s Law from the quantity of electricity that has passed.
[more]Anodeless riser
A steel casing with a plastic pipe inside. The plastic pipe inside the steel casing is the service line carrying gas to the customer meter.
[more]Anodic polarization
The change of the electrode potential in the noble (positive) direction caused by current across the electrode-to-electrolyte interface.
[more]ANPRM
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
[more]ANSI
American National Standards Institute
[more]Anti-rotation device
A stopping device that is commonly fastened to both the tank roof and floor. This device is rigid and often is constructed of pipe or cable. Anti-rotation devices are required in open and covered floaters to prevent rotation of floating roofs.
[more]APGA
American Public Gas Association
[more]API
American Petroleum Institute
[more]API gravity
A measure of the weight of a fluid at 60°F. API gravity is predominantly used to describe crude oils and petroleum products.
[more]Architecture
The physical inter relationship between the components of a computer system assessment The use of testing techniques as allowed in this subpart to ascertain the condition of a covered pipeline segment
[more]ASME
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
[more]ASNDT
American Society for Non-destructive Testing
[more]asphyxiant
A substance that depletes oxygen in the air, causing breathing difficulty for those persons in the vicinity.
[more]Assessment
The use of testing techniques as allowed in this subpart to ascertain the condition of a covered pipeline segment.
[more]Asynchronous
A transmission scheme that uses start/stop bits to define a character and separate it from other characters. Each character is sent to a central processor as it is typed.
[more]Atmosphere, atm
A measurement of pressure based upon the pressure due to the column of air above the earth's surface. One atm is equal to 14.7 psi.
[more]Atmospheric pressure
The pressure exerted by the atmosphere at a given location and time. Sea level pressure is approximately 14.7 PSI absolute.
[more]Atmospheric stability
Atmospheric stability is a measure of the vertical turbulence within the atmosphere near the earth's surface. The Pasquill-Gifford classification of atmospheric stability ranges from A to F, with A being the most unstable (most turbulent) and F being the most stable (least turbulent). Turbulence tends to increase the rate of mixing and dispersion, so unstable conditions promote short vapor clouds and stable conditions promote long vapor clouds.
[more]Atmospheric storage tank
These tanks are designed for pressures that are approximately equal to that of the atmosphere.
[more]ATO
Atomic number
The atomic number of an element is listed in the periodic table and refers to the number of protons or electrons that make up an atom of a given element.
[more]Atomic weight
The atomic weight of an element is listed in the periodic table and refers to the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
[more]Attenuation
Loss of power or signal energy that occurs during transmission over communication lines and equipment.
[more]Automated mapping/facilities management/geographic, AM/FM, interface
The ability to exchange data with automated mapping/facilities management/geographic information systems. This provides a mechanism for a SCADA system to automatically access data manually entered for other uses, such as plant drawings, location maps, and associated information.
[more]Automatic control
An arrangement of electric controls that provides for switching or controlling, or both of equipment in an automatic sequence and under predetermined conditions.
[more]Availability
The ratio of uptime to total time (uptime + downtime).
[more]AWS
American Welding Society
[more]Basic Pay
Basic pay for GS employees is a position's annual salary plus any other applicable civilian employee pay entitlements. Basic pay for FWS employees is a position's annual wages including shift differential pay and environmental pay, plus any other applicable civilian employee pay entitlements. Examples of other civilian employee pay entitlements include, but are not limited to, night differential pay for FWS employees, environmental differential pay, and premium pay (for civilian employee fire...
[more]BTS
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
[more]Bulk Packaging
A packaging (transport vehicle or freight container) in which
hazardous materials are loaded with no intermediate form of
containment, when the internal volume is greater than:
[more]Capital Improvement
An expenditure for a physical improvement to an existing capital asset such as additions and major alterations that are intended to improve performance or increase useful life.
[more]Cargo
Product, including its packaging.
[more]Cargo Tank
A bulk packaging that is loaded or unloaded without being
removed from the motor vehicle. (The tank may or may not be
permanently attached to the motor vehicle).
[more]CCR
Central Contractor Registration
[more]CDRL
Contract Data Requirements List
[more]CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
[more]CGA
Chart 11
DOT’s Hazardous Materials Marking, Labeling and
Placarding Guide.
[more]Civilian Employee
An individual who works for a federal agency on an appointment without time limitation who is paid from appropriated funds, which includes working capital funds. A foreign national employee, temporary employee, term employee, non-appropriated fund employee, or uniformed personnel is not included in this definition.
[more]CLIN
Contract Line Item Number
[more]CO
Commercial Activity
A recurring service that could be performed by the private sector. This recurring service is an agency requirement that is funded and controlled through a contract, fee-for-service agreement, or performance by government personnel. Commercial activities may be found within, or throughout, organizations that perform inherently governmental activities or classified work.
[more]Common Costs
Specific costs identified in the solicitation that will be incurred by the government regardless of the provider (private sector, public reimbursable, or agency). Common costs are sometimes referred to as wash costs. Examples of common costs include government-furnished property, security clearances, and joint inventories.
[more]COMPARE
The windows-based A-76 costing software that incorporates the costing procedures of this circular. Agencies must use COMPARE to calculate and document the costs on the SLCF for a streamlined competition or the SCF for a standard competition. The software is available through the SHARE A-76! web site at
http://emissary.acq.osd.mil/inst/share.nsf/.
[more]COMPARE Tables
A specific set of master tables incorporated into the COMPARE costing software that includes all of the approved standard cost factors and rates used to calculate the SCF/SLCF costs.
[more]COMPARE User's Guide
A detailed guidebook for actual users of COMPARE that includes an in-depth explanation of the use and features of the COMPARE software program.
[more]COMPARE Version Control Log
The document that describes each of the changes made in a particular version of the COMPARE software. This document includes a brief description of the change, the area of the software program affected by the change, and the impact the change has on the SCF/SLCF and/or documentation.
[more]Compatibility
Relates to possible interactions between a material and
(1) its container, or
(2) other products that may be loaded or transported together.
[more]Competition
A formal evaluation of sources to provide a commercial activity that uses pre-established rules (e.g., the FAR, this circular). Competitions between private sector sources are performed in accordance with the FAR. Competitions between agency, private sector, and public reimbursable sources are performed in accordance with the FAR and this circular. The term "competition," as used in this circular includes streamlined and standard competitions performed in accordance with this circular, and...
[more]Competition File
The documents used in a standard competition in addition to the government contract files required by FAR Subpart 4.8. Agencies maintain this file regardless of the source selected to perform the activity.
[more]Competition Officials
The agency officials appointed before a standard competition is announced. These individuals perform key roles and have essential responsibilities for the successful completion of the standard competition. Competition officials are the agency tender official, contracting officer, source selection authority, human resource advisor, and PWS team leader.
[more]Competitive Sourcing
The goal of competitive sourcing is to provide more cost effective and efficient government services. Competitive Sourcing encourages the review of commercial activities performed by the government and provides the framework to make those activities available for competition with the private sector.
[more]Competitive Sourcing Official (CSO)
An inherently governmental agency official responsible for the implementation of this circular within the agency.
[more]Component
An organizational grouping within an agency, such as a bureau, center, military service, or field activity.
[more]Compound
Two or more ingredients that are chemically united.
[more]Compressed Gas
Material or mixture meeting criteria in § 173.115(b), (absolute
pressure of 280 kPa [41 psia]) at 20°C [68° F] or greater).
[more]Consist
Sequentially lists the location of each rail car in a train. May
serve as the shipping paper if the consist has all the information
required by the USDOT.
[more]Contracting Officer (CO)
An inherently governmental agency official who participates on the PWS team, and is responsible for the issuance of the solicitation and the source selection evaluation methodology. The CO awards the contract and issues the MEO letter of obligation or fee-for-service agreement resulting from a streamlined or standard competition. The CO and the SSA may be the same individual.
[more]Conversion From Contract
A change in the performance of a commercial activity from a private sector provider to agency performance.
[more]Conversion To Contract
A change in the performance of a commercial activity from agency performance to a private sector provider.
[more]COOQ
Consortium on Operator Qualification
[more]CP
CPM
Computational Pipeline Monitoring
[more]CSA
Canadian Standards Association
[more]CSC
Competitive Sourcing Coordinator
[more]CSESC
CSO serves on the DOT Competitive Sourcing Executive Steering Committee
[more]CSO
Competitive Sourcing Official (CSO)
[more]D/t or d/t
Ration or diameter to thickness, usually of a pipe.
[more]Dangerous Goods
International term for hazardous materials.
[more]DBE
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
[more]DCA
Distribution Contractors Association
[more]Depreciation
The decline in the value of a capital asset. Depreciation represents a cost of ownership and the consumption of an asset's useful life.
[more]Direct Labor
Manpower resources dedicated to performing the requirements of the solicitation and labor for supervision and management related support to the tender (e.g., MEO) such as labor for quality control.
[more]Directly Affected Employees
Civilian employees whose work is being competed in a streamlined or standard competition.
[more]Directly Affected Government Personnel
Government personnel whose work is being competed in a streamlined or standard competition.
[more]Directly Interested Party
The agency tender official who submitted the agency tender; a single individual appointed by a majority of directly affected employees as their agent; a private sector offeror; or the official who certifies the public reimbursable tender.
[more]Divestiture
An agency's decision to eliminate a government requirement for a commercial activity. No service contract or fee-for-service agreement exists between the agency and the private sector after a divestiture. By divesting of a commercial activity, an agency elects not to control the activity and cedes ownership and control of the activity's associated assets (e.g., equipment, facilities, property) and resources (agency manpower and budgeting for the activity). The agency has no role in the financial...
[more]DMS
Docket Management System (historical system used by DOT prior to the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)).
[more]Documentation
Completed forms required to accompany hazardous materials.
For example, shipping papers, certificates, emergency response
information, or manifests.
[more]DOT
U.S. Department of Transportation
[more]Easement
A right-of-way agreement between the pipeline company and the property owner is also called an easement and is usually filed in the public records with property deeds. A pipeline right-of-way is a strip of land over and around pipelines where some of the property owner's legal rights have been granted to a pipeline company.
Rights-of-ways and easements provide a permanent, limited interest in the land that enables the pipeline company to operate, test, inspect, repair, maintain, replace, and...
[more]EEO
Equal Employment Opportunity. EEO is the concept that every person, regardless of their personal identifying factors - race, color, religion gender, national origin, age (40 or more years of age), disability status, sexual orientation, and complaint status - has the right to fully participate in every aspect of employment and to be afforded all of the same terms, conditions, and privileges of work.
[more]Emergency Response Information
Information that can be used in the mitigation of an incident
involving hazardous materials.
[more]Employee Transition Plan
A written plan developed by the HRA for the potential transition of the agency's civilian employees to an MEO, or to private sector or public reimbursable performance. This plan is developed early in the streamlined or standard competition process, based on the incumbent government organization, to identify projected employee impacts and the time needed to accommodate such impacts, depending on the potential outcomes of the competition. The employee transition plan differs from a phase-in plan,...
[more]End Date
The end date for a streamlined or standard competition is the date that all SCF certifications are completed, signifying an agency's performance decision.
[more]Etiologic Agent
See Infectious Substance.
[more]ETN
Midwest Energy Association (MEA)/Energy Training Network (ETN)
[more]Exceptions
Relief from certain HM regulations; applies to everyone.
[more]Exemptions
Specific USDOT-written relief from certain HM Regulations, for
shippers, carriers, or manufacturers; 2 year limit but may be
renewed. (Part 107, Subpart B of 49 CFR)
[more]Expansion
An increase in the operating cost of an existing commercial activity based on modernization, replacement, upgrade, or increased workload. An expansion of an existing commercial activity is an increase of 30 percent or more in the activity's operating costs (including the cost of FTEs) or total capital investment.
[more]FAIR
Federal Activities Inventory Reform
[more]FAR
Federal Acquisition Regulation
[more]FBE
FDMS
Federal Docket Management System. This system houses current dockets.
[more]FedBizOpps.gov
The website where the government electronically advertises solicitations or requirements.
[more]Fee-for-Service Agreement
A formal agreement between agencies, in which one agency provides a service (a commercial activity) for a fee paid by another agency. The agency providing the service is referred to in this circular as a public reimbursable source.
[more]FERC
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[more]FICA
Federal Insurance Contribution Act
[more]First Period of Full Performance
The performance period following the phase-in period when the service provider becomes fully responsible for performing the activity. The first performance period is used to implement the new service provider's phase-in plan; therefore, full performance of the service provider does not occur until the second performance period, which may be referred to as the base period, full performance, or the first period of full performance. This first period of full performance may be less than or more...
[more]Flash Point
The minimum temperature at which a substance gives off
flammable vapor(s). Substance will ignite when coming in
contact with a spark or flame.
[more]FOIA
Freedom of Information Act
[more]Forbidden
A material that is prohibited from being offered or accepted
for transportation. This prohibition does not apply if these
materials are:
[more]Foreign National Employee
An employee that is not a United States citizen who is employed by the United States Government and works outside the United States, its territories or possessions, under a system in which an Executive Agency is the official employer of the foreign national employee and assumes responsibility for all administration and management functions associated with the employee's employment.
[more]FR
Used as both Federal Register and Final Rule
[more]FTE
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
The staffing of Federal civilian employee positions, expressed in terms of annual productive work hours (1,776) rather than annual available hours that includes non-productive hours (2,080 hours). FTEs may reflect civilian positions that are not necessarily staffed at the time of public announcement and staffing of FTE positions may fluctuate during a streamlined or standard competition. The staffing and threshold FTE requirements stated in this circular reflect the workload performed by these...
[more]Function Code
The numerical code used to categorize an agency's commercial and inherently governmental activities for inventory reporting purposes.
[more]FWS
GAO
General Accountability Office (formerly General Accounting Office)
[more]Generator
An EPA term used for a hazardous waste producer and/or
shipper.
[more]GFP
Government-Furnished Property
[more]Government Furnished Property (GFP)
Facilities, equipment, material, supplies, or other services provided by the government for use by all prospective providers in the solicitation. Costs for GFP included in a solicitation are considered common costs. Replacement costs, insurance, maintenance and repair costs for GFP may or may not be government-furnished, depending on the provisions in the solicitation.
[more]Government Personnel
Civilian employees, foreign national employees, temporary employees, term employees, non-appropriated fund employees, and uniformed services personnel employed by an agency to perform activities.
[more]GPO
Government Printing Office
[more]GPP
Green Procurement Program
[more]GPTC
Gas Piping Technology Committee
[more]Grants
Planning and training grants to deal with hazardous materials
emergencies.
[more]GRI
Now GTI (Gas Technology Institute)
[more]Gross Weight
Total weight of packaging, including its contents.
[more]GS
GTI
Gas Technology Institute (formerly GRI)
[more]GWAC
Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts
[more]Hazard Class
A group of hazardous materials that share dangerous
characteristics. The USDOT has identified nine hazard classes
based on the dangers posed in transportation.
[more]Hazard Division
A means of sub-dividing similar hazardous materials which
require different hazard communications.
[more]Hazardous Material
A substance or material capable of posing an unreasonable risk
to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce.
[more]Hazardous Substance
A material listed in Appendix A to § 172.101 and the quantity in
one package equals or exceeds the reportable quantity (RQ).
Material may be in solution or mixture. This definition does not
apply to petroleum (lubricants or fuel) products.
[more]Hazardous Waste
Any material that is subject to the Hazardous Waste Manifest requirements of the EPA. Refer to 40 CFR Part 262.
[more]Hazardous Waste Manifest
A specific shipping document required by the USDOT and the EPA for hazardous waste shipments. Also referred to as the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest (UHWM).
If all USDOT requirements [i.e., the basic description (proper shipping name, hazard class/division, ID No., and packing group) are entered on the UHWM, the manifest may be used as a shipping paper. (49 CFR § 172.205)
[more]Hazmat Employee
A person who is employed by a hazardous materials employer and directly affects hazardous materials (hazmat) transportation safety.
[more]Hazmat Employer
A person who uses one or more of its employees in connection with:
[more]HMCRP
Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program sponsored by the U.S. DOT PHMSA
[more]HRA
Human Resource Advisor (HRA)
[more]Human Resource Advisor (HRA)
An inherently governmental agency official who is a human resource expert and is responsible for performing human resource-related actions to assist the ATO in developing the agency tender.
[more]IBR
Incorporated by Reference; refers to incorporation of technical standards documents into the pipeline safety regulations by reference.
[more]Identification Number (ID No.)
The UN or NA “four-digit number” assigned to hazardous materials, i.e., UN 1203. ID numbers are listed in Col. 4 of the HMT. Used for identification and emergency response.
[more]IG
Office of the Inspector General (also referred to as "OIG"), commonly the office of any Agency which performs these duties. In most documents presented here, assume the Department of Transportation OIG unless otherwise stated.
[more]In-association-with
Refers to the placement of required additional entries on the shipping paper. Usually placed after the complete description for a hazardous material. May be any format, as long as it is clearly part of the entry.
[more]Incident
Unintentional release of hazardous material(s).
[more]Incumbent Service Provider
The source (i.e., agency, private sector, or public reimbursable source) providing the service when a public announcement is made of the streamlined or standard competition.
[more]Infectious Substance
Living microorganism or its toxin which may cause severe, disabling or fatal disease. Term synonymous with Etiologic Agent. (49 CFR, § 173.134)
[more]Information Technology
Any equipment or interconnected system(s) or subsystem(s) of equipment used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information by the agency. For purposes of this definition, equipment is used by an agency if the equipment is used directly by the agency, or is used by a contractor under a contract with the agency that requires (1) its use or (2) to a significant extent, its use in...
[more]INGAA
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
[more]Inherently Governmental Activities
An activity that is so intimately related to the public interest as to mandate performance by government personnel as provided by Attachment A.
[more]Interested Parties
For purposes of challenging the contents of an agency's commercial activities inventory pursuant to the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act, an interested party is (1) a private sector source that is an actual or prospective offeror for a contract or other form of agreement to perform the activity and has a direct economic interest in performing the activity that would be adversely affected by a determination not to procure the performance of the activity from a private sector source; (2) a...
[more]Inventory
A list of government personnel, by location, function, and position, performing either commercial activities or inherently governmental activities.
[more]Irritating Material
A liquid or solid substance. Upon contact with fire or air, the material gives off dangerous or intensely irritating fumes.
[more]ISO
International Standards Organization
[more]Labels
Hazard class identifiers required on hazardous materials packaging; 100 mm diamond shaped (square-on-point); identify hazard class by symbol, color and sometimes, by name.
[more]Limited Quantity (Ltd. Qty.)
The amount of material for which there is a specific labeling or packaging exception.
[more]LP
Marine Pollutant
Hazardous material which is:
[more]Markings
Information required to be placed on the outside of the shipping
container; may include one or more of the following:
[more]MAS
GSA's Multiple Award Schedule
[more]MEA
Midwest Energy Association (MEA)/Energy Training Network (ETN)
[more]MEO
Most Efficient Organization
[more]MEO Letter of Obligation
A formal agreement that an agency implements when a standard or streamlined competition results in agency performance (e.g. MEO)
[more]MEO Subcontracts
Contracts between an agency and the private sector that are included in the agency tender or fee-for service agreements with a public reimbursable source that are included in the agency tender. In addition to the cost of MEO subcontracts, agency or public reimbursable cost estimates must include support costs associated with MEO subcontracts such as government-furnished property, and contract administration, inspection, and surveillance.
[more]MEO Team
A group of individuals, comprised of technical and functional experts, formed to assist the ATO in developing the agency tender.
[more]Military Personnel
Officers [as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 101(b)(1)] and enlisted members [as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 101(b)(6)] of the military services (defined as the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps).
[more]Mitigate
Measures to prevent, or lessen the results of
a release of hazardous materials.
[more]Mixture
A material composed of one or more compounds.
[more]Most Efficient Organization (MEO)
The staffing plan of the agency tender, developed to represent the agency's most efficient and cost-effective organization. An MEO is required for a standard competition and may include a mix of government personnel and MEO subcontracts.
[more]MSS
Manufactures Standardization Society of the Valve and Fitting Industry
[more]NACE
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
[more]NAPSR
National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives
[more]NARUC
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
[more]NCCER
National Center for Construction Education and Research
[more]New Requirement
An agency's newly established need for a commercial product or service that is not performed by (1) the agency with government personnel; (2) a fee-for-service agreement with a public reimbursable source; or (3) a contract with the private sector. An activity that is performed by the agency and is reengineered, reorganized, modernized, upgraded, expanded, or changed to become more efficient, but still essentially provides the same service, is not considered a new requirement. New ways of...
[more]NFPA
National Fire Protection Association
[more]NGA
National Gas Association
[more]NIST
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[more]NOI
Non-Pay Categories of Costs
Costs in a cost estimate that are not related to pay. Non-pay categories of costs include, but are not limited to, materials, supplies, equipment, facilities, capital assets, and minor items and the inflation for these costs.
[more]NPGA
National Propane Gas Association
[more]NPRM
Notice of Proposed Rule Making
[more]NTSB
National Transportation Safety Board
[more]NUCA
National Utility Contractors Association
[more]NULCA
National Utility Locating Contractors Association
[more]Offer
A private sector source's formal response to a request for proposals or invitation for bid. The term "offeror" refers to the specific source rather than the response.
[more]OFR
Office of the Federal Register
[more]OIG
Office of the Inspector General (also referred to as "IG"), commonly the office of any Agency which performs these duties. In most documents presented here, assume the Department of Transportation OIG unless otherwise stated.
[more]OMB
Office of Management and Budget
[more]OPM
Office of Personnel Management
[more]OQ
Operator Qualification, the act or method for a pipeline operator to become qualified.
[more]OQSG
OSDBU
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
[more]OSHA (Act)
Occupational Safety and Health Act
[more]OSHA (Administration)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[more]Overhead
Overhead includes two major categories of cost, operations overhead and general and administrative overhead. Operations overhead includes costs that are not 100 percent attributable to the activity being competed but are generally associated with the recurring management or support of the activity. General and administrative overhead includes salaries, equipment, space, and other tasks related to headquarters management, accounting, personnel, legal support, data processing management, and...
[more]P.L.
Past Performance
An indicator that may be used in the source selection process to evaluate a prospective provider's previous performance on work comparable to that being competed, for the purpose of predicting the quality of future performance relative to other offers or public reimbursable tenders. FAR 42.1501 describes the information used to evaluate past performance, and FAR 15.305(a)(2) provides guidance for the consideration of past performance in the source selection process.
[more]Pay Categories of Cost
Costs in a cost estimate associated with the payroll for government personnel, including inflation.
[more]PERC
Propane Education and Research Council
[more]Performance Decision
The outcome of a streamlined or standard competition, based on SLCF or SCF certifications.
[more]Performance Standards
Verifiable, measurable levels of service in terms of quantity, quality, timeliness, location, and work units. Performance standards are used in a performance-based PWS to (1) assess (i.e., inspect and accept) the work during a period of performance; (2) provide a common output-related basis for preparing private sector offers and public tenders; and (3) compare the offers and tenders to the PWS. The requiring activity's acceptable levels of service are normally stated in the PWS. The...
[more]Performance Work Statement (PWS)
A statement in the solicitation that identifies the technical, functional, and performance characteristics of the agency's requirements. The PWS is performance-based and describes the agency's needs (the "what"), not specific methods for meeting those needs (the "how"). The PWS identifies essential outcomes to be achieved, specifies the agency's required performance standards, and specifies the location, units, quality and timeliness of the work.
[more]Phase-in Plan
A prospective provider's plan to replace the incumbent provider(s) that is submitted in response to the solicitation. The phase-in plan is implemented in the first performance period and includes details on minimizing disruption, adverse personnel impacts, and start-up requirements. The phase-in plan is different from the employee transition plan developed by the HRA.
[more]PHMSA
Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[more]PPDC
Plastic Pipe Database Committee
[more]PPI
PRCI
Pipeline Research Council International
[more]Privatization
A federal agency decision to change a government-owned and government-operated commercial activity or enterprise to private sector control and ownership. When privatizing, the agency eliminates associated assets and resources (manpower for and funding of the requirement). Since there is no government ownership and control, no service contract or fee-for-service agreement exists between the agency and the private sector after an agency privatizes a commercial activity or enterprise. Moving work...
[more]Prospective Providers
Private sector, public reimbursable, and agency sources that may submit responses (offers or tenders) in response to an agency's solicitation.
[more]Provider
An agency, private sector, or public reimbursable source that is performing, or will perform, a commercial activity; sometimes referred to as a service provider.
[more]PSIA
Pipeline Safety Improvement Act
[more]Public Announcement
An agency's formal declaration that the agency has made a (1) decision to perform a streamlined or standard competition, or (2) performance decision in a streamlined or standard competition. The CO makes these announcements via FedBizOpps.gov.
[more]Public Reimbursable Source
A service provider from a federal agency that could perform a commercial activity for another federal agency on a fee-for-service or reimbursable basis by using either civilian employees or federal contracts with the private sector.
[more]Public Reimbursable Tender
A federal agency's formal response to another federal agency's solicitation for offers or tenders. The public reimbursable tender is developed in accordance with this circular and includes a cost estimate, prepared in accordance with Attachment C.
[more]PWS
Performance Work Statement
[more]PWS Team
A group of individuals, comprised of technical and functional experts, formed to develop the PWS and quality assurance surveillance plan, and to assist the CO in developing the solicitation.
[more]Quality Assurance Surveillance
The government's monitoring of a service provider's performance in accordance with the quality assurance surveillance plan and the performance requirements identified in the solicitation.
[more]Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan
The government's inspection plan. The quality assurance surveillance plan documents methods used to measure performance of the service provider against the requirements in the PWS. The agency relies on the service provider to monitor daily performance using their own quality control plan, but retains the right to inspect all services. When the agency makes a performance decision, the agency re-evaluates and modifies the existing quality assurance surveillance plan, based upon the selected...
[more]Quality Control Plan
A self-inspection plan that is included in all offers and tenders. The quality control plan describes the internal staffing and procedures that the prospective provider will use to meet the quality, quantity, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and other service delivery requirements in the PWS.
[more]Representatives of Directly Affected Employees
In the case of directly affected employees represented by a labor organization accorded exclusive recognition under 5 U.S.C. § 7111, a representative is an individual designated by that labor organization to represent its interests. In the case of directly affected employees not represented by a labor organization under 5 U.S.C. § 7111, a representative is an individual appointed by directly affected employees as their representative.
[more]Residual Value
The estimated value of a capital asset at the end of its useful life as determined by application of the Useful Life and Disposal Value Cost Factor.
[more]Resources
Funding allocated for contracts, manpower, facilities, material, or equipment to perform agency requirements.
[more]RFP
RFQ
Right-of-way
A pipeline right-of-way is a strip of land over and around pipelines where some of the property owner's legal rights have been granted to a pipeline company. A right-of-way agreement between the pipeline company and the property owner is also called an easement and is usually filed in the public records with property deeds.
Rights-of-ways and easements provide a permanent, limited interest in the land that enables the pipeline company to operate, test, inspect, repair, maintain, replace, and...
[more]RITA
Research and Innovative Technology Administration (of the U.S. Department of Transportation)
[more]SAFETEA-LU
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
[more]SCA
SCF
Standard Competition Form
[more]SDB
Small Disadvantaged Business
[more]SDVOB
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business
[more]SDVOSB
Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
[more]Segregable Expansion
An increase to an existing commercial activity that can be separately competed.
[more]SGA
Southern Gas Association
[more]SHARE A-76!
The Department of Defense A-76 knowledge management system used to share knowledge, information, and experience about public-private competitions. This public site contains A-76-related guidance, sample documents, best practices, tools, and links to other A-76 websites and sources for A-76-related information. Users may post best practices used in public-private competitions, research A-76 through the use of search engines, and submit internet links to add to the available links in SHARE A-76!...
[more]SLCF
Streamlined Competition Form
[more]SNPRM
Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
[more]Solicitation Closing Date
The due date for delivery of private sector offers, public reimbursable tenders, and the agency tender, as stated in the solicitation.
[more]Source
One of three specific categories of service providers (i.e., agency, private sector, or public reimbursable) that can perform a commercial activity for an agency.
[more]Source Selection Authority (SSA)
A competition official with decision-making authority who is responsible for source selection as required by the FAR and this circular. The SSA and CO may be the same individual.
[more]Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB)
The team or board appointed by the SSA to assist in a negotiated acquisition.
[more]SSA
Source Selection Authority
[more]SSEB
Source Selection Evaluation Board
[more]Standard Competition Form (SCF)
The agency form that documents and certifies all costs calculated in the standard competition.
[more]Start Date
The start date for a streamlined or standard competition is the date that the agency makes a formal public announcement of the agency's decision to perform a streamlined or standard competition.
[more]Strategic Sourcing
The collaborative and structured process of analyzing an organization's spending and using the information to make business decisions about acquisition commodities and services more effectively and efficiently.
[more]Streamlined Competition Form (SLCF)
The agency form that documents and certifies all costs calculated in the streamlined competition, in accordance with Attachment C.
[more]SWG
Southwest Gas Corporation
[more]TIC
Trenchless Information Center
[more]TPSSC
Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee
[more]Training (Hazmat)
A systematic program (i.e., consistent approach, testing, and documentation) that ensures that a hazardous materials (hazmat) employee has knowledge of hazardous materials and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), and can perform assigned hazmat functions properly. Refer to § 172.700(b) through § 172.704 of the regulations.
[more]TRB
Transportation Research Board
[more]TSI
Transportation Safety Institute
[more]U.S.C.
Uniformed Services
Members of the armed forces (i.e., Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) and other uniformed services (e.g., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Public Health Service).
[more]Useful Life
The estimated period of economic usefulness of a capital asset.
[more]VERA
Voluntary Early Retirement Authority
[more]VSIP
Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay
[more]WOB
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