Federal Contracting Acronym
ICE
Independent Cost Estimate
Plain-English definition
Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) is a core federal acquisition term used in regulations, solicitations, and contract administration. Pricing and finance terms relate to cost principles, audits, and proposal buildup. Contractors use them when preparing BOEs, supporting incurred-cost submissions, and negotiating rates.
Why it matters
Teams that understand Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) avoid misinterpreting solicitations, contract clauses, and compliance obligations. It supports clearer bid/no-bid decisions and cleaner proposal compliance.
Where you will see it
Federal notices on SAM.gov, contract attachments, registration systems, audit requests, and internal capture/proposal documentation.
Example in context
When reviewing a solicitation, a contractor confirms how ICE is used in the notice, whether related clauses apply, and which internal subject-matter experts should validate the response.