Federal Contracting Acronym
POA&M
Plan of Action and Milestones
Plain-English definition
Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) is a core federal acquisition term used in regulations, solicitations, and contract administration. Cybersecurity and information-protection terms appear in DFARS clauses, authorization packages, and supplier performance assessments. Contractors map controls, evidence, and reporting to customer requirements.
Why it matters
Open POA&M items can delay ATO or raise questions during supplier cyber reviews.
Where you will see it
RMF artifacts, CMMC assessments, and customer security questionnaires.
Example in context
When reviewing a solicitation, a contractor confirms how POA&M is used in the notice, whether related clauses apply, and which internal subject-matter experts should validate the response.