What term describes acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services for the Federal Government?

The term that describes acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services for the Federal Government is acquisition. In the context of government operations, acquisition encompasses the entire process of acquiring goods and services needed to carry out government functions. This includes everything from identifying needs to contract management and the actual purchase of the supplies or services.

The significance of acquisition lies in its adherence to regulations and policies that ensure responsible use of taxpayer funds while fulfilling governmental requirements. It serves as the overarching framework that guides how federal agencies obtain the necessary resources, which are typically funded through appropriated government funds.

Procurement, while similar, generally refers to the purchasing aspect and may not fully capture the breadth of the acquisition process, which includes planning, budgeting, and contract management. Acquittance refers to the acknowledgment of a debt or a release from liability, which is unrelated to the process of obtaining supplies or services. Distribution deals with the delivery or dissemination of goods and is not about the acquisition phase itself. Thus, acquisition is the most accurate term within the context given.