Whether you're new to selling into the public sector or a seasoned SLED sales professional, this glossary covers the essential terminology across procurement, funding, go-to-market strategy, and data intelligence. Bookmark it, share it with your team, and use it as a quick reference whenever you encounter unfamiliar terms in the field.

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PUBLIC SECTOR MARKET

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SLED

State, Local, and Education — the three segments that make up the U.S. public sector market. SLED institutions include state agencies, city and county governments, school districts, public universities, and special districts.

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Public Sector

The portion of the economy composed of government entities at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as publicly funded institutions like school districts and public universities. In the context of NationGraph, this primarily refers to the SLED market.

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K–12

The educational system encompassing kindergarten through 12th grade. K–12 school districts represent one of the largest buying segments within the SLED market, purchasing everything from curriculum and edtech to facilities services.

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LEA (Local Education Agency)

A public authority legally constituted to administer and control public schools within a defined geographic area, most commonly a school district.

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Special District

An independent government entity created to provide a specific public service — such as water, fire protection, or transit — within a defined geographic boundary. Special districts have their own procurement authority and budgets.

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GovTech

Technology products and services designed for government buyers. The GovTech market includes software, hardware, and data solutions that help public sector agencies operate more efficiently and serve their constituents.

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EdTech

Technology products and services designed for educational institutions. EdTech vendors sell to school districts, colleges, and universities and must navigate education-specific procurement processes and funding cycles.

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PROCUREMENT FUNDAMENTALS

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Procurement

The process by which a government agency or school district identifies, evaluates, and acquires goods and services. Public sector procurement is governed by laws and policies that emphasize transparency, fairness, and competitive pricing.

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RFP (Request for Proposal)

A formal solicitation document issued by a public agency inviting vendors to submit proposals for a product or service. RFPs detail requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract terms. Proposals are typically scored on a best-value basis, not price alone.

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RFI (Request for Information)

A preliminary document issued by an agency to gather information about available solutions before launching a formal procurement. RFIs help agencies understand the market and refine their requirements. They do not result in a contract award.

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RFQ (Request for Quotation)

A solicitation focused primarily on price. RFQs are used when an agency already knows what it needs and is seeking competitive pricing from qualified vendors.

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IFB (Invitation for Bid)

A formal solicitation in which the contract is awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. IFBs are typically used for commodity purchases and construction projects with clearly defined specifications.

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Sole-Source Contract

A contract awarded to a single vendor without competitive bidding, typically because the vendor is the only provider capable of meeting the agency's requirements. Most jurisdictions set dollar thresholds above which sole-source procurement requires additional justification and approval.

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Competitive Bidding

The process through which public agencies solicit bids or proposals from multiple vendors to ensure fair pricing and transparency. State and local procurement laws generally require competitive bidding above specified dollar thresholds.

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Award

The formal decision by a public agency to select a vendor and enter into a contract following a procurement process. Awards are typically published publicly and may include a protest period.

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Protest

A formal objection filed by a vendor challenging the outcome of a procurement process. Protests can be filed on grounds such as evaluation errors, bias, or procedural violations.

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CONTRACTS & PURCHASING VEHICLES

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Cooperative Purchasing (Co-op)

A procurement method that allows agencies to purchase goods and services using contracts already competitively solicited and awarded by another public entity (the lead agency). Co-op contracts save agencies the time and cost of running their own solicitations while giving vendors access to a broader buyer base.

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Piggyback Contract

A contract issued by one government entity that other jurisdictions are permitted to use — essentially "piggybacking" on the original contract's terms and pricing. Piggybacking is one of the most common forms of cooperative purchasing.

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State Contract (State Schedule)

A pre-negotiated contract established at the state level that state agencies, and often local governments and school districts, can purchase from directly without conducting their own competitive solicitation.

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Master Agreement

A long-term contract between a vendor and a government entity that establishes pricing, terms, and conditions for future purchases. Individual orders are placed against the master agreement as needs arise.

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BPA (Blanket Purchase Agreement)

An agreement with a vendor that establishes pricing for recurring purchases over a set period. BPAs streamline procurement for commonly needed goods and services by eliminating the need for individual solicitations.

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Purchase Order (PO)

A formal document issued by a government buyer authorizing a specific purchase from a vendor. Purchase orders detail the items, quantities, prices, and delivery terms. Analyzing PO data across agencies reveals spending patterns, vendor market share, and contract renewal timelines.

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Contract Vehicle

The specific contractual mechanism through which a purchase is made — such as an RFP award, cooperative contract, state schedule, or sole-source agreement. Different contract vehicles have different compliance requirements and timelines.

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GSA Schedule

A long-term contract administered by the General Services Administration that provides federal, state, and local agencies with access to pre-negotiated pricing on commercial products and services. Also known as a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS).

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COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ORGANIZATIONS

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Sourcewell

A national cooperative purchasing organization that provides competitively solicited contracts to government agencies, school districts, and nonprofits. Sourcewell contracts are available to public entities across all 50 states.

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OMNIA Partners

The largest purchasing cooperative in the United States, offering competitively solicited contracts to both public and private sector buyers. OMNIA Partners provides access to a broad portfolio of suppliers across major spending categories.

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NASPO ValuePoint

A cooperative purchasing program facilitated by the National Association of State Procurement Officials. NASPO ValuePoint contracts are led by individual state procurement offices and made available to public entities in participating states.

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E&I Cooperative Services

A purchasing cooperative focused on higher education institutions, offering competitively awarded contracts for goods and services commonly purchased by colleges and universities.

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TIPS/TAPS

The Interlocal Purchasing System — a national cooperative purchasing organization based in Texas that provides competitively procured contracts to government entities, school districts, and nonprofits.

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BUDGET & FUNDING

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Fiscal Year (FY)

The 12-month accounting period used by a government entity for budgeting and financial reporting. Fiscal years vary by jurisdiction — for example, the federal fiscal year runs October through September, while many state fiscal years run July through June. Understanding an agency's fiscal year is critical for timing outreach and proposals.

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Budget Cycle

The recurring process through which a government entity plans, approves, and executes its annual budget. Budget cycles typically include proposal, review, adoption, and execution phases. Vendors who understand where a buyer is in the budget cycle can time their engagement more effectively.

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Encumbered Funds

Budget dollars that have been committed or reserved for a specific purchase or contract but have not yet been spent. Encumbrances indicate planned spending and can signal upcoming procurement activity.

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Use-It-or-Lose-It Spending

The practice in many government agencies of spending remaining budget dollars before the fiscal year ends to avoid losing them in the next budget cycle. This often creates a surge of procurement activity in the final quarter of an agency's fiscal year.

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Bond Measure

A ballot initiative that authorizes a government entity to borrow money (issue bonds) for capital projects such as school construction, infrastructure, or technology upgrades. Approved bond measures create significant procurement opportunities.

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Grant Funding

Money awarded to a public entity by a federal or state agency, foundation, or other organization for a specific purpose. Grant-funded purchases often have their own procurement requirements and spending timelines that differ from general fund purchases.

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ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief)

Federal funding provided to K–12 school districts through the CARES Act and subsequent legislation in response to COVID-19. ESSER funds were used to purchase technology, curriculum, and services, and created significant procurement activity through their expiration deadlines.

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E-Rate

A federal program administered by the FCC that provides discounts to schools and libraries for internet access and telecommunications services. E-Rate purchases follow specific application windows and procurement rules.

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SALES & GO-TO-MARKET

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Buying Signals

Observable indicators that a government agency or school district is likely to make a purchase. Buying signals include budget approvals, board meeting discussions, expiring contracts, leadership changes, new grant awards, and published solicitations. Identifying buying signals early allows vendors to engage before an RFP is published.

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Territory

The defined geographic or account-based area assigned to a sales representative. In public sector sales, territories are typically organized by state, region, or institution type (e.g., school districts in the Southeast).

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ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)

A description of the type of public sector institution most likely to purchase a vendor's product or service. An ICP might specify institution size, geographic region, existing technology stack, available budget, or specific pain points.

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Decision-Maker

The individual or group within a government agency or school district who has the authority to approve a purchase or select a vendor. Identifying and reaching the right decision-maker is one of the biggest challenges in public sector sales.

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Incumbent Vendor

The vendor currently under contract with a public agency for a particular product or service. Incumbents often have an advantage during contract renewals, making competitive intelligence about existing vendor relationships critical for challengers.

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Influenced Pipeline

Sales opportunities that were identified, accelerated, or expanded through the use of data, intelligence, or marketing — rather than through direct outbound prospecting alone.

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GTM (Go-to-Market) Strategy

The plan a vendor uses to reach and sell to its target public sector buyers. A GTM strategy defines target segments, messaging, channels, pricing, and sales motions.

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Channel Sales

A sales model in which vendors sell through intermediaries — such as resellers, distributors, or master government aggregators — rather than directly to the end buyer. Channel partners can help vendors navigate procurement requirements and expand their reach.

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DATA & INTELLIGENCE

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Procurement Intelligence

Data and insights derived from public sector purchasing activity — including purchase orders, contracts, solicitations, and spending patterns — that help vendors identify opportunities, understand competitive dynamics, and time their outreach.

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Spend Analysis

The process of examining an agency's historical purchasing data to identify what was bought, from whom, at what price, and how often. Spend analysis helps vendors understand market share, pricing benchmarks, and whitespace opportunities.

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Market Intelligence

Aggregated information about public sector buying trends, competitive landscapes, funding patterns, and policy changes that informs a vendor's sales and product strategy.

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Competitive Landscape

An analysis of the vendors currently selling a particular category of products or services to public sector buyers. Understanding the competitive landscape helps vendors position themselves and identify displacement opportunities.

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Whitespace

Accounts or market segments where a vendor does not currently have a presence but where there is potential demand for their product or service. Whitespace analysis helps sales teams prioritize new business opportunities.

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Churn Signal

An indicator that a public agency may be considering switching from its current vendor. Churn signals can include declining purchase volumes, negative board meeting discussions, budget cuts to a particular category, or an agency issuing a new RFP in a category where it already has a contract.

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Intent Data

Behavioral signals that indicate a public sector buyer is actively researching or evaluating solutions in a particular category. Intent data can be derived from web activity, content downloads, event attendance, or procurement document activity.

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Account Enrichment

The process of augmenting a CRM record with additional data about a public sector institution — such as enrollment figures, budget size, technology stack, recent purchases, leadership contacts, and active solicitations.

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PUBLIC SECTOR ENTITIES & ROLES

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Procurement Officer

The individual within a government agency or school district responsible for managing the purchasing process, ensuring compliance with procurement laws, and overseeing vendor relationships.

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CTO / CIO (Chief Technology / Information Officer)

Senior officials responsible for technology strategy and purchases within a public agency. In school districts, the CTO or Director of Technology is often a key decision-maker for edtech and infrastructure purchases.

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Superintendent

The chief executive of a school district, responsible for overall operations and strategic direction. Superintendent changes can signal shifts in purchasing priorities and create openings for new vendor relationships.

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Board of Education / City Council

The elected governing body that approves budgets, major contracts, and policy direction for a school district or municipality. Board and council meeting minutes are a valuable source of buying signals.

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VAR (Value-Added Reseller)

A company that resells products — often technology — to public sector buyers while adding services such as integration, training, or support. VARs play a significant role in SLED procurement, particularly for IT hardware and software.

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MGA (Master Government Aggregator)

An intermediary that consolidates procurement across multiple government buyers to negotiate better pricing and streamline purchasing. MGAs can control significant market access, making vendor relationships with them strategically important.

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COMPLIANCE & REGULATION

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Procurement Threshold

The dollar amount above which a government agency must follow formal competitive bidding procedures. Thresholds vary by jurisdiction and purchase type. Below the threshold, agencies may use simplified purchasing methods like small purchase orders or informal quotes.

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Vendor Registration

The process of enrolling in a government entity's approved vendor database, which is often a prerequisite for receiving solicitation notices and being eligible for contract awards.

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FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

A federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Vendors selling data-related products or services to school districts must demonstrate FERPA compliance.

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COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)

A federal law that governs the collection of personal information from children under 13. EdTech vendors whose products are used by K–12 students must comply with COPPA requirements.

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Data Privacy Agreement (DPA)

A contract between a school district and a vendor that governs how student or institutional data will be collected, used, stored, and protected. Many states now require DPAs for any vendor that handles student data.

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DBE / MBE / WBE Certification

Designations for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise, and Women's Business Enterprise. Many government agencies have programs or requirements that set aside a portion of contract dollars for certified businesses.

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About NationGraph

NationGraph is the AI-powered procurement intelligence platform purpose-built for the SLED market. We help businesses find and win state, local, and education contracts by surfacing real-time buying signals, verified decision-maker contacts, and deep spend analytics across 5M+ public sector profiles. Learn more at nationgraph.com.