Federal Contracting Acronym
T&M
Time and Materials
Plain-English definition
Time-and-materials contracts pay for labor hours and materials at specified rates, with a not-to-exceed ceiling.
Why it matters
Time and Materials (T&M) is a core federal acquisition term used in regulations, solicitations, and contract administration.
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 T&M is used in the notice, whether related clauses apply, and which internal subject-matter experts should validate the response.