CAO

A Contract Administration Office is the government organization responsible for administering contracts after award on behalf of the contracting office. CAOs perform delegated contract administration functions including payment processing, property administration, quality assurance, and contractor performance monitoring.

For DoD contracts, DCMA typically serves as the CAO. Civilian agencies may have dedicated contract administration offices or retain administration functions within the contracting office. The CAO assignment is specified in the contract, and contractors should direct administrative matters to the appropriate CAO while maintaining communication with the Procuring Contracting Officer on substantive issues.