Glossary

Federal Agencies

The federal departments and agencies most active in government contracting, their core mission, and what each one tends to buy. A starting point for researching a target customer's procurement pattern and organizational structure before pursuing an opportunity there.

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Acquisition Planning
AI Fundamentals & AI for Proposals
Capture & Business Development
Contract Administration
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Federal Agencies
Federal Procurement & Regulations
Personnel & Roles
Professional Associations
Proposal Management
Security & Compliance
Shipley Proposal Process
Small Business Programs
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Defense Contract Audit Agency
DoD agency auditing defense contractors' costs and compliance.
Federal Agencies
Defense Contract Management Agency
DoD agency administering defense contracts on behalf of contracting officers.
Federal Agencies
Department of Commerce
The cabinet department focused on U.S. economic growth, encompassing agencies such as the Census Bureau and NIST, contracting for statistical, data, and standards research services.
Federal Agencies
Department of Defense
The cabinet department responsible for national defense and the single largest buyer in federal contracting, spanning weapons systems, IT, services, and research.
Federal Agencies
Department of Energy
The cabinet department managing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, energy research, and the national laboratory system, contracting heavily for lab management and large-scale science and engineering work.
Federal Agencies
Department of Health and Human Services
The cabinet department responsible for protecting public health, including Medicare, Medicaid, the CDC, FDA, and NIH, and a large federal purchaser of health IT and research support.
Federal Agencies
Department of Homeland Security
The cabinet department coordinating protection of the U.S. against terrorism and other threats, encompassing components such as CBP, TSA, FEMA, and CISA.
Federal Agencies
Department of Justice
The cabinet department enforcing federal law, contracting for law enforcement technology, forensic services, and litigation support.
Federal Agencies
Department of State
The federal agency managing U.S. diplomacy and foreign relations, and a major buyer of embassy security, construction, and language services.
Federal Agencies
Department of Veterans Affairs
The cabinet department providing healthcare, disability benefits, and burial services to veterans, and a major buyer of healthcare IT and medical services.
Federal Agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
The federal agency enforcing environmental laws, contracting for environmental remediation, water infrastructure, and scientific research services.
Federal Agencies
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The DHS agency that coordinates federal disaster response, contracting heavily for logistics, temporary housing, and program management support after declared disasters.
Federal Agencies
General Services Administration
Federal agency providing centralized procurement and services.
Federal Agencies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The civilian agency responsible for the U.S. space program and aeronautics research, contracting for launch services, spacecraft development, and engineering support.
Federal Agencies
National Institutes of Health
The HHS agency that funds and conducts biomedical and public health research through grants and contracts, and a major buyer of scientific R&D and clinical trial support.
Federal Agencies