The organizational unit within a government agency responsible for defining, managing, and overseeing the program or mission supported by a contract. The Program Office identifies operational requirements, develops acquisition strategies in collaboration with procurement officials, manages technical performance, monitors contractor deliverables, and ensures that contract outcomes meet program objectives. Although the Program Office provides technical direction and oversight, only the Contracting Officer has the legal authority to award, modify, or terminate government contracts. The Program Office serves as the primary customer and stakeholder throughout the contract lifecycle.
Program Office (PO)
The government unit that defines requirements and oversees a programme's technical performance, though only the CO can award or modify contracts.
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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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