An official website of the United States government
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Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock
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or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Do not use a hyphen for commonly recognized terms such as governmentwide and agencywide. At GSA, we have an exception where there is a hyphen in Office of Government-wide Policy.
The AP Stylebook has an entry on suffixes with some guidance and examples for other words. If the word is not listed in their entry, use Merriam-Webster’s. In general, we do not hyphenate.
An abbreviation is any shortened form, like St. for Street, or MD for Maryland. You can use accepted abbreviations in lengthy navigation titles, forms, charts, and tables.
Avoid using them where you can, including Latin abbreviations and in headlines (unless your audience will know it). If you must use them, define them and follow the guidelines that make copy easier to read.
Use abbreviations with full names, dates and numbers and with numbered addresses.
An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words: MAS stands for Multiple Award Schedule.
Since you cannot assume users have seen other pages on our site, spell out the acronym the first time you use it in body copy on the page. Then use the acronym in all other references that follow. Using acronyms in page titles or headings is OK, but try to rephrase them soon in the body copy.
Remember:
Also, avoid spelling out U.S. General Services Administration or using third-person language, except in products like news items that are designed to be reused outside our site where first person language would not be effective. See GSA, U.S. General Services Administration entry.
Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd., and St. with a numbered address. Spell them out and capitalize when part of a formal street name without a number.
Always spell out the others (drive, road, terrace, highway, etc.).
Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names; use figures for 10th and above.
In a list or table, follow what Google displays (do not add periods, abbreviate all street types).
Do not use ZIP 4 Codes in web content.
Treat them as headings — use sentence case (capitalize first letter and proper nouns only).
For page titles and headings (using HTML tags h2, h3, h4) use sentence case, which means to capitalize only the first word, proper nouns and the first word following a colon. Do not use ending punctuation in headlines, headings or page titles, unless required for abbreviation or clarity.
In body copy, only capitalize the first word after a colon if it is a proper noun or would be a complete sentence.
Do not capitalize acronyms or initialisms when they are spelled out, unless it is a proper noun.
Capitalize all acronyms and initialisms on subsequent references, but do not put the acronym directly after the first reference with parenthesis or comma.
See our glossary for more capitalization examples.
When you need to include a contact, use a single generic contact (phone number, email or both) that feeds into a group inbox or customer relationship management system. Avoid putting the contact information on the right rail; put it in the body of the page instead.
If you must use more than one contact, clarify the specific purpose for each contact. Avoid using contact information that names individuals. This means you might need to establish a Google Group to have a generic email address with members that can be switched out.
Use contractions where they sound natural, but spell out the words for emphasis. Avoid negative contractions (can’t, won’t, don’t) because English language learners and people with learning disabilities can have trouble understanding the sentence without “not.”
Use “create account” to describe getting started on a digital service that requires an account. Do not use “register” to describe creating an account.
See also sign in, sign out and sign up or register.
Abbreviate months with more than five letters when using the month and day or month, day, and year. Do not abbreviate any months if the day is not included.
Use commas to separate the day and year, or to set off the year in a sentence.
Always use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd or th.
If you use numbered dates such as 02/16/2022 in a table, consider formatting as YYYY/MM/DD if the table is sortable or exportable.
If you use dates with the month as a word in a table, use the first three letters of the word without periods.
Use Washington, D.C., with the added abbreviation only if the city might be confused with the state.
Remove the periods when including a ZIP code. Do not use D.C. standing alone other than in quotations.
When publishing digital content, use HTML whenever possible. Burying key information inside documents, such as PDFs and Microsoft or Google products, makes it hard for users to find information or complete a task. Do not force users to browse documents online. Instead, pull out important information and place it directly on the webpage.
Avoid publishing the following types of content on public-facing sites:
Avoid FAQs, and instead incorporate answers to common questions within context for readers. Include important information, like which services are available and how people can get them, into page content where it makes the most sense for readers and helps them answer their own questions.
Consider using a question format only if:
Limit the number of FAQs to only what is truly required. Divide long lists into sublists with user-centered subheadings.
If your content meets the above criteria, use a heading style to display the question and normal style for the answer. See an example on the federal ID card contact page.
Only use a capital letter when referring to the architectural style and proper nouns (names). Lowercase federal in all other instances.
See also the capitalization entry.
Less means not as much. Use less when referring to things that you cannot count. Fewer means not as many. Use fewer when referring to things you can count.
On first reference, use fiscal year 2023 (as an example). On subsequent references, use FY 2023. Use Q1, Q2, etc., in headings if it would be clear to your audience.
When writing about forms, match the form name as the agency that owns the form has it. If the form has the word form in its proper name, capitalize it. If you are talking about the form in your content, but not calling it by its proper name, do not capitalize the word form.
For example, referring to Standard Form 91 is correct, as is writing about the SF-91 form.
Acceptable in all references to a global positioning system. If a descriptive word is used after GPS, lowercase it.
On GSA sites, users understand the context to be all things GSA by default. Most of the time, you do not need to specify GSA as the agency that owns the program, product, service, policy, and so on. On most pages we should talk to our audience rather than about our agency.
When we need to talk about the agency, simply use GSA. If the full agency name appears in the global header, consider it to be the first reference on every page. In news releases, speeches and biographies spell out the full agency name on first reference, since they may be consumed outside GSA.gov.
To write with a more conversational style, use pronouns “we,” “us,” and “our.”
Avoid making GSA possessive. AP style considers the agency name an adjunct noun modifier acting as a descriptive, rather than a possessive, so you do not need an apostrophe.
Do not add “the” before GSA, because there are General Services Administrations in some states. Also “GSA” is more concise than “the GSA” is more concise without losing clarity. You can use “the GSA” as a modifier.
When discussing GSA in the context of divisions, where the first person is unclear, you can reference the division as us or we and reference GSA as our agency. Agency should be lowercase.
In instances where you reference multiple organizations or agencies, you can replace mentions of GSA with our agency and mentions of a single other agency as your agency. If you reference multiple agencies, you can still reference GSA as our agency and reference other agencies by their name.
Visit the glossary on GSA.gov to find the right style for GSA-specific terms.
A heading is the title or topic of a content item such as a page, document, article, chapter or section.
Use sentence case (capitalize first letter and proper nouns only), not title case. Do not put periods or other punctuation, such as a colon, at the end. You can put a question mark if the heading is a question.
Headings communicate the organization of the content on the page. They must follow a logical order to be compliant with web accessibility requirements. There are six different levels of headings: H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6. A heading 1, or H1, is the largest and most important heading. An H6 is the smallest and least important heading. When creating pages, you must properly rank headings to structure the page so that web browsers, plug-ins, and assistive technologies can use them to provide in-page navigation.
When transferring content from a word processing program to the web, your CMS likely relies on starting with plain text. You may need to reapply your heading styles again.
In a Microsoft Word or Google document, do not introduce Heading 1 style before Title style — if your document has a Title style which is usually reserved for separate title pages.
See also the titles entry.
Use life cycle as two words, even when referring to information technology.
Use short, clear, and descriptive link language so readers understand what they’ll get if they click, and people who use assistive technology can better scan and use the information.
Link noun phrases (without the article) instead of verbs.
Avoid duplicating content. Link to content in its original location.
Do not:
When transferring content from a word processing program to the web, your CMS likely relies on starting with plain text. You may need to rebuild your links again.
Do not add “non-government site” for external website links. The GSA.gov CMS automatically displays an external link icon for links you designate as external. For other sites, follow USWDS style or local style for designating external links.
GSA.gov
The GSA.gov CMS automatically displays the document type and size alongside links you designate as internal documents.
If you add a link to a document on an external site, you will need to manually add the document type inside the link like this: [PDF].
Non-GSA.gov sites
Functionality varies depending on the CMS you use. Use whatever means are appropriate to your CMS to ensure the type and size is annotated for internal documents and the type is annotated for external documents.
See also navigation instructions.
We do not follow AP style for lists, which uses dashes instead of bullets in front of list items.
Format list items (using the bulleted list tool provided in your CMS editor) as follows:
See also Numbers.
Over is acceptable in all uses to indicate greater numerical value. You can also use more than if you prefer it and have space.
Do not burden users by forcing them to mentally process instructions about where to go to click on something. Just provide the link in the proper context to make it easy for users.
Spell out numbers one through nine, and use figures for 10 or above.
Exceptions when you use figures for 0-9 are:
Use numbered lists only for steps or counting. Otherwise choose bulleted lists. Do not use parentheses.
Numbers used to indicate order (first, second, 10th, 25th, etc.) are called ordinal numbers. Spell out first through ninth (fourth grade, first base) and use figures starting with 10th. If in a series, consider recasting to be tighter.
Use the % sign when paired with a number, with no space, in most cases (an AP change in 2019). Also use figures, even under 10.
Do not put “coming soon” or “under construction” pages on live sites. Publishing pages that are empty creates credibility issues. Just wait until the new content is complete, and post it then.
There are also SEO repercussions to posting “coming soon.” Publishing pages that are empty can also affect an established page’s ranking in search engines. When search crawlers discover that a page with previously rich content is now blank, it can drop it at the bottom of its search engine results ranking or exclude it altogether. Without the ranking, a site could lose organic traffic.
Plain language law requires that anyone who needs our web content can find, understand, and use it the first time. Plain language also helps us reach more people with our missions, messages, products, and services. When creating information for web distribution:
Just because information is out there does not mean your intended audiences can find it.
Readability
There is not a standard readability level your content must meet. Where possible, try to incrementally lower it from where it started. Email us at webstyleguide@gsa.gov if you need access to Siteimprove, a tool for quality assurance.
Identify your audience and address them directly. Use pronouns such as “you” or ”your” to refer to the reader and use “we” or “our” when referring to GSA or our organization. Using pronouns makes the actor clear and makes the tone more conversational.
When the use of FAQs is warranted, use:
Use GSA when:
Use the ampersand when it is part of an organization’s formal name or composition title: American Bar Association Debarment & Suspension.
Do not use it in place of the word “and” except in accepted abbreviations.
Use an apostrophe to create possessives, plural nouns, omitted letters (contractions), and omitted figures. Use only an apostrophe (without s) when making a possessive out of a singular proper name, such as PBS or FAS.
Use an apostrophe (not an open single quote) when omitting characters. Type the apostrophe key twice and delete the first entry to get an apostrophe, or type Alt 0146 for a closing single quote).
If a comma does not help clarify what is being said, it should not be there. If omitting a comma could lead to confusion or misinterpretation, then use the comma.
We do not follow AP Style so we use a comma before “and” or “or” in a series of three or more items — unless it’s a very simple series and a comma would not provide clarity.
Colons may be used for emphasis, lists, dialogue, Q and A, and with quotes. Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. If you apply bold to the word or phrase before the colon, make the colon bold too.
Do not use colons when you have a heading style.
Do not put a space before the colon, but put one space after the colon.
Use em dashes (the width of the letter M):
In lists (on GSA.gov and InSite), we use bullets; not dashes.
Put a space on both sides of an em dash in all uses.
AP does not use en dashes (the width of the letter N).
Use hyphens as joiners, such as for compound modifiers and ranges. To decide whether or which words to hyphenate in compound modifiers, first look up the phrase in Merriam-Webster’s.
Here are general guidelines for hyphens:
Do not hyphenate compound modifiers that end in -ly.
There should be no spaces surrounding a hyphen.
Use them in the following situations:
Use single quotes if quoting within a quote or a headline.
Do not put quotes in Q-and-A dialogue.
Use them in the following situations:
When they are used with quotation marks, place them outside the quote mark.
Avoid them. If you must use one, there is no space on either side.
Note: a slash or forward slash (/) is different from a backslash (\).
Use curly (also known as smart) quotes and apostrophes instead of straight. If the font uses straight quotes, use the table below to manually adjust them to curly.
| Special character | Windows | Mac | HTML |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening single quote (‘) | alt 0145 | option + ] | ‘ |
| Closing single quote (’) | alt 0146 | option, shift + ] | ’ |
| Opening double quotes (“) | alt 0147 | option + [ | “ |
| Closing double quotes (”) | alt 0148 | option, shift + [ | ” |
Also called a pipe, this symbol was used in math, computing and physics. You can use it to separate content where appropriate. Put a space on either side.
Use register when it’s part of a proper noun or to describe enrolling in training or tracking vehicles. Do not use register to describe creating an account.
Use one space between sentences.
Use “must,” not “shall” or “should,” to impart an obligation or requirement.
Use sign in or sign out to describe starting or ending a digital session that requires a username and password.
Do not use other variations like log in, login, log into, log on, logon, log onto, log off, log out, logout, sign into, sign-in, signoff, sign off or sign on unless these terms appear in the user interface (and you’re writing instructions).
See also Create an account.
Use “sign up” as a verb to describe adding oneself to a mailing list.
Use “register” when describing the act of enrolling (such as in training), according to Merriam-Webster.
The names of the 50 U.S. states should be spelled out. Communication specialists who create news products follow AP’s guidance on datelines.
Use postal code abbreviations in tables, lists, or with complete addresses with ZIP codes.
Use figures and hyphens (not parentheses or dots).
The form for toll-free numbers is the same.
If extension numbers are needed, use a comma to separate the main number from the extension: 212-621-1500, ext. 2.
In general, avoid adding text styling, such as bold, italics, color, font, or size. Your website’s content management and design systems are automatically programmed to provide a consistent style and user experience.
When transferring content from a word processing program to the web, your CMS likely relies on starting with plain text. If you had bold or italics in your word processing version, you will need to reapply it in the CMS.
In the rare cases where you need to manually add bold or italics in the source code, make sure the HTML uses <strong> and <em> (not <b> or <i>). In Microsoft Word, use the Styles pane “Strong” and “Emphasis,” rather than using the Bold or Italic buttons in the Font pane. These are better for accessibility.
AP style does not use italics. As with all style guidance, the author can choose to use italics as appropriate.
Do not underline any words or phrases that are not links. Use the links guidance when creating links.
If you need to change text color, ensure minimum color contrast for accessibility.
Use figures except for noon and midnight. Use a colon to separate hours from minutes only when displaying a time other than the beginning of the hour (do not use a colon or following 00 with a time at the beginning of an hour). Also use a hyphen with no spaces before and after for time ranges.
Capitalize the full name of the time in force within a particular zone. Lowercase all but the region in short forms.
The abbreviations EST, CDT, etc., are acceptable on first reference for zones used within the continental United States, Canada and Mexico only if the abbreviation is linked with a clock reading.
Only capitalize when they directly precede someone’s name. Do not capitalize titles that:
This style allows screen readers to distinctly pronounce every word in the address (as they do in hashtags) instead of reading it as one long jumbled word. This pattern helps visually impaired screen reader users, as well as someone with dyslexia or an intellectual disability.
The abbreviation is acceptable as a noun or adjective for United States. In body copy you can write U.S. (with periods) or United States. In headlines, refer to proper nouns as they are named. Even though AP Stylebook guidance is to remove periods from “U.S.” in headlines, we keep them in.
Do not use welcome messages on web pages. They were common in the 1990s but are no longer necessary. Today’s web users expect actionable content.
You can use “welcome” in an interaction design, such as an app where a user must sign in, because it is a natural response to a successful sign-in.
Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.
No results could be found for the location you've entered.
Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the Department of Defense.
Rates for foreign countries are set by the Department of State.
Rates are available between 10/1/2022 and 09/30/2025.
The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
An SBA program that helps provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Part 124 of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
From 5 USC 5701(6), "continental United States" means the several states and the District of Columbia, but does not include Alaska or Hawaii.
A multiple-award IDIQ governmentwide acquisition contract offering complete and flexible IT solutions worldwide. A best-in-class GWAC and preferred governmentwide solution, Alliant 2 offers:
It provides best-value IT solutions to federal agencies, while strengthening chances in federal contracting for small businesses through subcontracting.
A dedicated, flexible fuel, or dual-fuel vehicle designed to operate on at least one alternative fuel.
An investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The law provides funding for LPOE modernization projects that will create new good-paying jobs, bolster safety and security, and make our economy more resilient to supply chain challenges.
An agreement established by a government buyer with a Multiple Award Schedule contractor to fill repetitive needs for supplies or services.
Types of funds to use on specific expenses.
The work done to make a structure or system ready for use or to bring a construction or development project to a completed state.
Negotiated firm-fixed pricing on airline seats for official government travel. The locked-in ticket prices for the fiscal year save federal agencies time and money. Federal employees enjoy flexibility to change their plans without incurring penalties or additional costs. All negotiated rates have:
Use the CPP search tool to find current fares.
A space where individuals work independently or co-work collaboratively in a shared office. The work environment is similar to a typical office, usually inclusive of office equipment and amenities. Typical features of co-working facilities include work spaces, wireless internet, communal printer/copier/fax, shared kitchens, restrooms and open seating areas. May also be referred to as a “shared office.”
A system that is bought from a commercial vendor to solve a particular problem, as opposed to one that a vendor custom builds.
An employee who negotiates and awards contracts with vendors and who has the sole authority to change, alter or modify a contract.
An employee whose duties are to develop proper requirements and ensure contractors meet the commitments during contract administration, including the timeliness and delivery of quality goods and services as required by the contract.
A request of GSA where a federal agency retains and manages all aspects of the procurement process and is able to work with the selected vendor after award.
The process of handling real property that is surplus to the federal government’s needs. Federal law mandates the disposal process, which has these major steps (although not every property goes through every step):
An SBA program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Part 127 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
A vehicle that is powered by an electric motor drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries or other portable electrical energy storage devices, as defined by 10 C.F.R. § 474.2. It includes a battery electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel-cell electric vehicle, etc.
Also called electric vehicle chargers, this includes EV charge cords, charge stands, attachment plugs, vehicle connectors, and protection, which provide for the safe transfer of energy between the electric utility power and the electric vehicle.
The primary regulation for federal agencies to use when buying supplies and services with funds from Congress.
Use acquisition.gov to browse FAR parts or subparts or download the full FAR in various formats.
The travel and relocation policy for all federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at government expense.
A program that promotes the adoption of secure cloud services across the federal government by providing a standardized approach to security and risk assessment.
A GSA business line that provides safe, reliable, low-cost vehicle solutions for federal agency customers and eligible entities. Offerings include:
A charge card for U.S. government personnel to use when paying for fuel and maintenance of GSA Fleet vehicles. Find out where the Fleet card is accepted, how to use it and more.
A Department of Homeland Security program that allows members to use expedited lanes at U.S. airports and when crossing international borders by air, land and sea.
A charge card for certain U.S. Government employees to use when buying mission-related supplies or services using simplified acquisition procedures, when applicable, and when the total cost does not exceed micro-purchase thresholds.
A charge card for U.S. government personnel to use when paying for reimbursable expenses while on official travel. Visit smartpay.gsa.gov for more.
A vehicle used to perform an agency’s mission(s), as authorized by the agency.
A pre-competed, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract that agencies can use to buy total IT solutions more efficiently and economically.
A ceremony marking the official start of a new construction project, typically involving driving shovels into ground at the site.
An online shopping and ordering system at gsaadvantage.gov that provides access for federal government employees and in some cases, state and local entities, to purchase from thousands of contractors offering millions of supplies and services.
An online auction site at gsaauctions.gov that allows the general public to bid on and buy excess federal personal property assets such as:
Real property for which GSA is responsible. It can be either federally owned or leased from a public or private property owner.
An SBA program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to business that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Part 126 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
A type of contract when the quantity of supplies or services, above a specified minimum, the government will require is not known. IDIQs help streamline the contract process and speed service delivery.
A fee paid by businesses who are awarded contracts under Multiple Award Schedule to cover GSA’s cost of operating the program. The fee is a fixed percentage of reported sales under MAS contracts that contractors pay within 30 calendar days following the completion of each quarter.
A law that provides $3.375 billion for us to:
This includes $2.15 billion for low embodied carbon materials in construction projects, $975 million to support emerging and sustainable technologies, and $250 million for measures to convert more buildings into High Performance Green Buildings.
A written agreement entered into between two federal agencies, or major organizational units within an agency, which specifies the goods to be furnished or tasks to be accomplished by one agency (the servicing agency) in support of the other (the requesting agency).
A facility, also known as a border station, that provides controlled entry into or departure from the United States for persons or materials. It houses the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other federal inspection agencies responsible for the enforcement of federal laws related to entering into or departing from the U.S.
An employee who is responsible for preparing, negotiating, awarding and monitoring compliance of lease agreements.
Criteria used to select the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price. Solicitations must specify that award will be made on the basis of the lowest evaluated price of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability standards for non-cost factors.
The rate of reimbursement for driving a privately owned vehicle when your agency authorizes it. Current rates are at gsa.gov/mileage.
Long-term governmentwide contracts with commercial firms providing federal, state, and local government buyers access to more than 11 million commercial products and services at volume discount pricing. Also called Schedules or Federal Supply Schedules.
The standard federal agencies use to classify business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.
A family of seven separate governmentwide multiple award, IDIQ contracts for program management, management consulting, logistics, engineering, scientific and financial services.
A formal, signed agreement between GSA’s Public Buildings Service and a federal agency for a specific space assignment.
Services performed under a contract with a federal agency that include:
Official verification of someone’s origin, identity, and nationality. A U.S. passport is required of U.S. citizens for international travel and reentry into the United States. There are three types of passports: diplomatic, official, and regular. A government official may have at the same time a valid regular passport and a valid official or diplomatic passport. Use GSA Form 2083 to begin a request for an official passport.
The per day rates for the lower 48 continental United States, which federal employees are reimbursed for expenses incurred while on official travel. Per diem includes three allowances:
An identification card that allows credentialed government personal to access facilities, computers, or information systems. May also be referred to as HSPD-12 card, LincPass, Smart Card, or CAC.
Furniture and equipment such as appliances, wall hangings, technological devices, and the relocation expenses for such property.
Information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual. Get more info from OMB Circular A-130 [PDF].
You should only drive a privately owned vehicle for official travel after your agency evaluates the use of:
When your agency has determined a POV to be the most advantageous method of transportation, you are authorized reimbursement for mileage and some additional allowances (parking, bridge, road and tunnel fees, etc.).
Approvals from GSA’s congressional authorizing committees, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for proposed capital and leasing projects that require funding over an annually established threshold.
Region 1 (New England): Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Region 2 (Northeast and Caribbean): Northern New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware, parts of Maryland, Southern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, parts of Virginia, West Virginia
Region 4 (Southeast Sunbelt): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Region 5 (Great Lakes): Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin
Region 6 (Heartland): Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Region 7 (Greater Southwest): Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Region 8 (Rocky Mountain): Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
Region 9 (Pacific Rim): Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada
Region 10 (Northwest Arctic): Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Region 11 (National Capital): Washington, D.C., area including parts of Maryland and Virginia
Formal agreements between GSA and a federal agency customer where GSA agrees to provide goods, services, or both, and the federal agency agrees to reimburse GSA’s direct and indirect costs. The customer portal for RWA information is called eRETA at extportal.pbs.gsa.gov.
A document used in negotiated procurements to communicate government requirements to prospective contractors (firms holding Multiple Award Schedule contracts) and to solicit proposals (offers) from them.
A document used to communicate government requirements, but which do not solicit binding offers. Quotations submitted in response are not offers. The Multiple Award Schedule order is the offer, and then the contractor can do something to show acceptance, like ordering supplies or contacting subcontractors.
An SBA program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Part 125 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
An SBA designation for businesses that meet size standards set for each NAICS code. Most manufacturing companies with 500 employees or fewer, and most non-manufacturing businesses with average annual receipts under $7.5 million, will qualify as a small business.
See Title 13 Part 121.201 of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
To improve and stimulate small business utilization, we award contracts to businesses that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. We have contracting assistance for:
A Small Business Administration program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to business that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Section 124.1001 of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
The basis for the lease negotiation process, which becomes part of the lease. SFOs include the information necessary to enable prospective offerors to prepare proposals. See SFO minimum requirements.
Specific supply and service subcategories within our Multiple Award Schedule. For the Information Technology Category, a SIN might be new equipment or cloud services.
A national policy committing to create and maintain conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.
An online system at sam.gov, which the U.S. Government uses to consolidate acquisition and award systems for use by contractors wishing to do business with the federal government. Formerly known as FBO.gov, all contracting opportunities valued over $25,000 are posted at sam.gov.
When you use a government purchase card, such as the "GSA SmartPay" travel card for business travel, your lodging and rental car costs may be exempt from state sales tax. Individually billed account travel cards are not tax exempt in all states. Search for exemption status, forms and important information.
The finishes and fixtures federal agency tenants select that take a space from a shell condition to a finished, usable condition and compliant with all applicable building codes and standards.
A statute that applies to all Multiple Award Schedule contracts, unless otherwise stated in the solicitation or contract, which requires contractors to sell to the U.S. Government only products that are manufactured or “substantially transformed” in the U.S. or a TAA-designated country.
An option for vendors to report transactional data — information generated when the government purchases goods or services from a vendor — to help us make federal government buying more effective.
See our TDR page for which SINs are eligible and which line-item data to submit.
A unique number required to do business with the federal government.
An indicator of how efficiently a federal agency is currently using space, it is traditionally calculated by dividing the usable square feet of the space, by the number of personnel who occupy the space.
A Small Business Administration program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements:
A governmentwide acquisition contract exclusively for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses to sell IT services such as:
The amount of solid waste, such as trash or garbage, construction and demolition waste, and hazardous waste, that is reused, recycled or composted instead of being put in a landfill or burned.
A GSA program designed to promote recycling and reuse of solid waste.
A Small Business Administration program that gives preferential consideration for certain government contracts to businesses that meet the following eligibility requirements:
See Title 13 Part 127 Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information.
Vehicles that, when operating, produce zero tailpipe exhaust emissions of any criteria pollutant (or precursor pollutant) or greenhouse gas. These include battery and fuel cell electric vehicles, as well as plug-in hybrid vehicles that are capable of operating on gas and electricity. They also may be called all-electric vehicles.
U.S. General Services Administration