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Smith, M. J. (2005). 'Government Contracting Authority'. Contract Management 45(10): 40.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=910987541&Fmt=7&clientId=44986&RQT=309&VName=PQD
The US federal government is one of the largest consumers of supplies and services in the world. As a major procuring entity, it is subject to the guidelines and restrictions established by US statutes and laws, as well as administrative agency rules and regulations. Because it is acting in an official capacity, under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, the federal government cannot be bound by any unauthorized acts of its employees. Under the general process of agency, there are four main kinds of authority that a designated agent can process: 1. express authority, 2. implied authority, 3. customary authority, and 4. apparent authority. A discussion of these authorities as they apply to a contracting officer is discussed. Notwithstanding ratification and equitable estoppel or other legal remedies that may be available to the parties when an issue arises related to commitment authority, these are time-consuming and expensive processes.