Glossary term
Performance Work Statement (PWS)
A statement of work expressed as outcomes and measurable standards rather than prescribed methods.
A PWS is the performance-based counterpart to a traditional SOW: it states required outcomes and the standards against which they will be measured, leaving the how to the contractor. It is normally paired with a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. A PWS is an opportunity — it invites the contractor to propose a better method, which is where discriminators live.
Categories
- performance
- solicitation
Related terms
- Statement of Work (SOW)The section of a contract describing the work to be performed, usually prescribing methods and deliverables.
- Statement of Objectives (SOO)A brief document stating the government's high-level objectives and inviting offerors to propose their own performance work statement.
- Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)The government's plan for monitoring contractor performance against the standards in a PWS.