A federal acquisition approach that defines contract requirements in terms of measurable performance outcomes instead of prescribing the specific processes or methods the contractor must use. Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA) emphasizes clearly defined objectives, measurable performance standards, quality assurance methods, and appropriate incentives that reward successful performance. PBA typically uses a Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Objectives (SOO) to describe the government’s desired results, allowing contractors greater flexibility to propose innovative and cost-effective solutions while remaining accountable for meeting established performance requirements.
Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA)
A federal acquisition approach defining requirements as measurable outcomes rather than prescribed methods, using a PWS or SOO.
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Thirty to forty questions. Sometimes a hundred. Capabilities, features, integrations, data handling, FAR and DFARS compliance, export controls, FedRAMP, CMMC, NIST. Almost every answer already exists somewhere in your organisation, written well, reviewed, and approved. The work is not thinking. The work is finding the good version of an answer you have written eleven times before, and rewriting it to fit the way this buyer asked the question.
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Related Glossary Terms
The official compilation of permanent U.S. federal laws, providing the statutory basis for many contracting requirements.
A global classification system used to categorize products and services for procurement and spend analysis.
A unique 12-character identifier assigned via SAM.gov to organizations doing business with the federal government, replacing the DUNS number.
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