Dictionary of Procurement Terms

A provisional or final judicial order allowing a rightful owner to reclaim property that has been taken by the other party to a dispute.

Report showing the items received from a supplier when an order is incomplete or has items backordered.

1. Rejection on the grounds of being unauthorized or having no binding force. 2. Disputing the validity of a contract and refusing to honor its terms.

A document generated prior to an authorized procurement in order to request feedback from the contracting community or potential proposers/bidders; to seek information about a product or service in order to assist in the finalization of technical specifications, design specifications, or a statement of work. See Also: Request for Information (RFI)

Changes to a contract may require additional work and expense on behalf of a contractor. Change work, either directed by formal contract modification or through constructive change, entitles the contractor to seek an equitable adjustment. The contractor must prove that it is entitled to an equitable adjustment. The contract must contain language specifying the conditions under which an REA will be considered.

A document issued by the buyer during the very early stages of the procurement planning process to provide potential suppliers with an avenue to register their interest in being involved in a particular project or performing a particular job. An EOI may also be used to seek industry input into scope of work requirements that will then become part of a formal solicitation, or to find other contractors who could provide the goods or services. See also: Request for Information (RFI).

A non-binding method whereby a jurisdiction publishes via newspaper, internet, or direct mail its need for input from interested parties for an upcoming solicitation. See also: Request for Comments (RFC).

The document used to solicit proposals from potential providers (proposers) for goods and services. Price is usually not a primary evaluation factor. An RFP provides for the negotiation of all terms, including price, prior to contract award. May include a provision for the negotiation of best and final offers. May be a single-step or multistep process.

A document that is issued by a procurement entity to obtain statements of the qualifications of potential responders (development teams or consultants) to gauge potential competition in the marketplace, prior to issuing the solicitation.

Purchasing method generally used for small orders under a certain dollar threshold. A request is sent to suppliers along with a description of the commodity or services needed, and the supplier is asked to respond with price and other information by a predetermined date. Evaluation and recommendation for award should be based on the quotation that best meets price, quality, delivery, service, past performance, and reliability.