# 502.101 Definitions.

“Agency competition advocate” means the GSA Competition Advocate in the Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer.

“Agency labor advisor” means the Director of the General Services Acquisition Policy Division within the Office of Acquisition Policy.

“Assigned counsel” means the attorney in the Office of General Counsel (including offices of Regional Counsel) assigned to provide legal review or assistance.

“Acquisition Workforce (AWF)” means individuals who perform various acquisition-related functions to support the accomplishment of an agency's mission. Acquisition, pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 403, includes, among traditional contracting functions, requirements definition, measurement of contract performance, and technical and management direction. Membership in the AWF may be on a full-time, part-time, or occasional basis.

(1) Members of the AWF may include:

(i) Individuals who are substantially involved in defining, determining, and managing acquisition requirements,

(ii) Individuals involved in acquisition planning and strategy,

(iii) Individuals who participate in the process of establishing the business relationship to obtain needed goods and services (e.g., contracting process, those involved in the solicitation, evaluation and award of acquisitions),

(iv) Individuals who manage the process after business arrangements have been established to ensure that the government's needs are met (e.g., testing and evaluating, managing and monitoring the manufacturing and production activities, auditing, contract administration, performance management and evaluation, etc.),

(v) Individuals who arrange disposal of any residual items after work is complete, (e.g., property management/disposal),

(vi) Individuals who support the business processes of the activities listed in this paragraph (e.g., subject matter experts), and

(vii) Individuals who directly manage those involved in any of the activities listed in this paragraph.

(2) At a minimum, the acquisition workforce of the agency, includes:

(i) All positions in the general schedule contracting series (GS-1102), realty series (GS-1170), and other series, as identified by the Chief Acquisition Officer, Senior Procurement Executive or Head of Contracting Activity.

(ii) All contracting officers (CO) regardless of general schedule series with authority to obligate funds above the micropurchase threshold.

(iii) All positions in the general schedule purchasing series (GS-1105).

(iv) Program and project managers, as identified by the Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO), the Senior Procurement Executive, or HCA.

(v) All Contracting Officer's Representatives (CORs) or equivalent positions.

(vi) Any significant acquisition-related positions identified by the CAO, Senior Procurement Executive or Head of Contracting Activity, or equivalent, using the guidance provided in this paragraph.

“Procuring activity competition advocate” means the individual designated in writing by the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA).

“Commercial supplier agreements” means terms and conditions customarily offered to the public by vendors of supplies or services that meet the definition of “commercial item” set forth in FAR 2.101 and intended to create a binding legal obligation on the end user. Commercial supplier agreements are particularly common in information technology acquisitions, including acquisitions of commercial computer software and commercial technical data, but they may apply to any supply or service. The term applies–

(a) Regardless of the format or style of the document. For example, a commercial supplier agreement may be styled as standard terms of sale or lease, Terms of Service (TOS), End User License Agreement (EULA), or another similar legal instrument or agreement, and may be presented as part of a proposal or quotation responding to a solicitation for a contract or order;

(b) Regardless of the media or delivery mechanism used. For example, a commercial supplier agreement may be presented as one or more paper documents or may appear on a computer or other electronic device screen during a purchase, software installation, other product delivery, registration for a service, or another transaction.

“Contracting director” means:

(a) Except in the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), a director of a Central Office or Regional office Division responsible for performing contracting or contract administration functions.

(b) In FAS Central Office—

(1) The Deputy Commissioner for Technology Transformation Services or designee;

(2) The Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Assisted Acquisition Services or designee;

(3) The Assistant Commissioner for the Office of General Supplies and Services Categories or designee;

(4) The Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Information Technology Category or designee;

(5) The Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Professional Services and Human Capital Categories or designee; and

(6) The Assistant Commissioner for Travel, Transportation, and Logistics Categories or designee; and

(7) The Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Policy and Compliance or designee for support offices with contracting functions.

(c) In FAS Regions, the Assistant Regional Commissioner or designee.

“Debarring official” or “suspending official” means the individual designated as GSA’s Suspension & Debarment Official.

“GSA information technology” means information technology as defined in FAR 2 that is owned or operated by the U.S. General Services Administration or by a contractor or other organization on behalf of the U.S. General Services Administration.

“Head of the contracting activity” means the Senior Procurement Executive (SPE); the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) and the Public Buildings Service (PBS); or their re-delegates. The Chief Administrative Services Officer serves as the HCA for the Internal Acquisition Division within the Office of Administrative Services. These officials serve within the limits of their delegated authority. Information on GSA's Acquisition Portal at https://insite.gsa.gov/acquisitionportal.

“IN-Depth Feedback through Open Reporting Methods (INFORM)” means GSA’s enhanced debrief and explanation communication procedures detailed in 515.370.

“Senior procurement executive” means the Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer.