Federal leasing glossary

22 terms

ABAASArchitectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard

The accessibility standard applied to federally leased and owned facilities. Compliance is evaluated as part of a building's suitability.

ANSI/BOMA

Measurement standards used to define rentable and usable area. Federal solicitations specify the measurement basis, which may differ from the one an owner customarily uses.

Award

The government's selection of an offer. Award follows the basis stated in the solicitation and is made by the contracting officer.

Broker Commission Credit

An arrangement under which part of a commission is credited against rent. Its treatment is defined by the solicitation.

COContracting Officer

The government official with authority to bind the government in a lease. Only the CO can commit the government contractually.

Delineated Area

The geographic boundary within which offered space must be located. Property outside the boundary is ineligible, regardless of merit.

Firm Term

The portion of the lease term during which the government may not terminate. The remainder is the soft term.

GSAGeneral Services Administration

The federal agency that acquires and manages real property and leases space on behalf of many federal tenant agencies.

GSA Form 1364

The standard proposal-to-lease-space form on which an owner's offer is submitted, capturing pricing, building data, and representations.

Holdover

Continued occupancy by the government after lease expiration, under terms defined by the lease and applicable regulation.

Lessor

The building owner or entity leasing space to the government under the lease document.

Occupancy Date

The date the government requires beneficial occupancy. Delivery schedules and build-out timelines are driven by this date.

Operating Cost Base

The baseline operating expense amount built into rent, against which annual adjustments are calculated over the lease term.

RLPRequest for Lease Proposals

The solicitation document describing the requirement, submission instructions, deadline, and the basis on which offers will be evaluated.

RSFRentable Square Feet

The rentable area of the offered space, calculated on the measurement basis the solicitation specifies.

SAMSystem for Award Management

The federal registration system in which entities doing business with the government must be registered and current.

SFOSolicitation for Offers

The document carrying detailed technical, performance, and service requirements the lessor must satisfy.

Shell Rent

The rent component attributable to the base building, separate from tenant improvements and operating costs.

Simplified Lease Acquisition

A streamlined acquisition path used for smaller or lower-value requirements, with reduced procedural burden.

Soft Term

The portion of the lease term during which the government may terminate with notice, following the firm term.

TITenant Improvements

Build-out work required to deliver the space to the government's specification, typically funded by the lessor and amortized into rent.

TIATenant Improvement Allowance

The amount allocated for tenant improvement work under the lease, with treatment defined by the solicitation.