Contract Administration Office(CAO)
The organization responsible for administering contracts on behalf of the government, performing post-award functions including quality assurance and payment oversight.
Overview
A Contract Administration Office (CAO) is the government organization assigned to perform post-award contract administration on behalf of the contracting agency. For defense contracts, the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) typically serves as the CAO. Civilian agencies may designate their own CAOs or delegate administration to another organization. The CAO handles day-to-day contract management functions that the awarding office does not retain.
Why It Matters in GovCon
Contractors work closely with the CAO throughout the life of a contract. The CAO's quality assurance representatives inspect deliverables, property administrators manage government-furnished equipment, and ACOs process invoices and modifications. Understanding which functions are delegated to the CAO versus retained by the procuring agency helps contractors route requests correctly.
Key Details
- DCMA: The primary CAO for DoD contracts, with offices throughout the United States and internationally.
- Functions: Include quality assurance, property administration, payment oversight, safety surveillance, and industrial security.
- Delegation: A Letter of Delegation specifies which administrative functions are assigned to the CAO.
- DCMA eTools: Contractors interact with DCMA through systems like DCMA eTools for surveillance, shipping, and acceptance.
- Civilian Agencies: Agencies like NASA and DOE may operate their own contract administration organizations.
Related Terms
- Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
- Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO)
- Quality Assurance Representative (QAR)
- Contracting Officer (CO)
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