Federal Contracting Acronym
ACO
Administrative Contracting Officer
Plain-English definition
Administrative Contracting Officers handle post-award administration such as modifications, funding, and property, distinct from the procuring Contracting Officer who signed the award.
Why it matters
Routing change requests to the wrong officer slows modifications and funding.
Where you will see it
Modification requests, DCMA correspondence, and subcontract consent letters.
Example in context
When reviewing a solicitation, a contractor confirms how ACO is used in the notice, whether related clauses apply, and which internal subject-matter experts should validate the response.