Glossary / Acquisition
Acquisition CategoryACAT
ACAT designations sort major defense programs into oversight tiers. ACAT I programs are Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) with the largest budgets and report to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. ACAT II are major systems reporting at the service level, and ACAT III programs cover smaller efforts approved by a Program Executive Office. The category drives documentation requirements, milestone reviews, and the identity of the Milestone Decision Authority.
Why it matters to your pipeline
For a contractor, the ACAT level tells you who the real decision-makers are, how long source selection is likely to take, and how much compliance overhead will come with execution.
When this term shows up in an opening GovSmith finds for you, your vCM explains what it means for that pursuit and does whatever it calls for. You decide; we do the work.
Example
For an ACAT ID program, the highest tier, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment makes the milestone decisions; for a small ACAT III upgrade, a Program Executive Office does.
Find out what applies to you
Some terms will matter to your business right away and some won’t for years. A vCM can tell you which are which.