Often the members of the acquisition team take on new roles during the contract performance phase. Typically, these responsibilities are shared between the program office and contracting office.

Given that the purpose of any acquisition (in part) is "to deliver on a timely basis the best value product or service to the customer" (as provided in FAR 1.102), meeting this objective requires the continued involvement of the program office in duties classified as contract administration as well as those more accurately described as program (or project) management.

Program management is concerned with maintaining the project's strategic focus and monitoring and measuring the contractor's performance. The integrated project team is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the contractor performs on time and within budget. On smaller acquisitions, the contracting officer's technical representative (COTR) may fill this role.

Contract administration involves the execution of the administrative processes and tasks necessary to see that the contractual requirements are met, by both contractor and agency. FAR Subpart 42.3 identifies the numerous but specific contract administration functions that may be delegated by the contracting office to a contract administration office, and in turn to a specific individual.