There are some unique words in GovCon – my favorite is still “de-obligated” (not be confused with “not obligated”), but there are also words like “small business” – that in some cases can include businesses with up to 1,500 employees. While many GovCon terms can be a challenge, once you know them, you know them.

However, communication can get dicey when we use words that mean one thing in GovCon, but can mean something different outside of GovCon. Words like authorize, modify, commit, intend, ratify, amend, extend, approve, terminate, influence, proscribe, in scope, change, notify, and more. If both government and industry do not agree on what these words mean (in context), then we introduce risk of losing time, losing money, or worse, undermining the relationship both sides often work hard to build.

Kevin and Paul started the GovCon Vocabulary series to help clear up some of the confusion (sometimes among ourselves) around what these words mean in the context of GovCon. Here in Volume II, they clarify the difference between “Shape” and “Influence”.

Enjoy!