Federal Contracting Acronym
IDIQ
Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity
Plain-English definition
Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts establish terms, pricing structures, and ordering procedures while individual task or delivery orders define specific work. Agencies use IDIQs to streamline recurring purchases without re-competing the full contract for each order. Contractors hold a position on the vehicle and then compete—or sometimes receive direct orders—within the contract's ordering rules. IDIQs appear across services and products; GWACs and many multiple-award vehicles use IDIQ ordering mechanics.
Why it matters
Much of federal revenue flows through IDIQ vehicles and downstream orders; capture strategy must account for both on-ramp competitions and order-level pursuits.
Where you will see it
Contract award summaries, federal vehicle pages, task-order solicitations, and BOE templates tied to labor categories on the vehicle.
Example in context
A firm wins a spot on a multiple-award IDIQ and later responds to a task-order RFP scoped to a subset of CLINs on that vehicle.