R&D
Research and Development
This glossary includes terms, acronyms, and definitions used by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and its associated agencies. It is organized alphabetically and includes a linked table of contents for ease of navigation. Hold the control key and click the Table of Contents entry to navigate.
Terms starting with R
Randolph-Sheppard Act (RS)
The federal legislation enacted to provide people who are blind with remunerative employment, to enlarge their economic opportunities, and to enable people who are blind to be self-supporting.
Ratio
Relationship between direct labor work hours and total direct labor work hours for a specified period of time; expressed as a percentage; nonprofit agencies must document that no less than 75 percent of all direct labor hours have been performed by people who are legally blind or severely disabled.
RE
Rehabilitation Engineering
REA
Request for Equitable Adjustments; process for obtaining settlement with a contracting officer for changed circumstances or terminations.
Receiving Report
Document used to record inspection and receipt of goods; Known as military form DD250.
Reclama
Response from government contractor on a quality deficiency notice.
Registrar
Organization authorized to perform third-party audits.
Registration
Also called certification; process by which an accredited, third-party organization conducts an on-site audit of a company's operations to verify that processes, services, and product characteristics conform to ISO 9000 requirements.
Regs/Regulations
Rules that explain the intent of a law (like the Rehabilitation Act)
Regulatory Flexibility Act
Public Law 96-354; requires consideration of alternate regulations to reduce the economic impact on small entities while achieving the objectives of the original law.
Rehabilitation Act
The federal legislation that authorizes the formula grant programs of vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, independent living, and client assistance; and a variety of training and service discretionary grants administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The Act also includes a variety of provisions focused on rights, advocacy, and protections for individuals with disabilities.
Reliability Engineering
Engineering function dealing with the principles and practices related to the design, specification, assessment, and achievement of product or system reliability requirements and involving aspects of prediction, evaluation, production, and demonstration.
Requirements Contract
Government contract that provides for government needs to be purchased during a specified period with deliveries scheduled by timely placement of orders upon the contractor.
Reservation List
List that identifies BSCs assigned to a specific agency; aka Assignment List.
Responsible Bidder/Offer
Offer against a government requirement (stated in an IFB or RFP) by a bidder who has the requisite physical capacity and financial capability to provide the supplies/services offered.
Responsive Bidder
Offer against an IFB or RFP not materially different from requirement stated in the IFB; offer of a product or service that does not conform to all essential characteristics of the IFB, or an offer that takes exception to the terms and conditions set forth in the IFB; may be rejected by the government as non-responsive.
RFA
Request for Assignment; formal submission seeking the formal assignment of a specific product to develop for Procurement List addition.
RFI
Request for Information
RFMP
Rough Fair Market Price; estimate of price for development of product
RFP
Request for Proposal
RFQ
Request for Quotation; procurement document used by buying office; may be used for information purposes only, with no resultant contract.
RO
SourceAmerica Regional Office
RSA
Rehabilitation Services Administration; Part of the Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; administers many disability programs including the Rehabilitation Services Act.