Unauthorized Commitments (UAC) are defined as

Unauthorized Commitments (UAC) are defined as

• A. An agreement that is not binding solely because the government representative who made the purchase lacked the authority to enter into the agreement on behalf of the government
• B. A contract made with a private consultant
• C. An agreement made after contract expiration
• D. An agreement that has been ratified by higher command

Answer: (A)

Unauthorized commitments happen when someone who isn’t empowered to bind the government enters into an agreement. The government isn’t legally obligated by that agreement unless an authorized contracting officer ratifies it. The described scenario—an agreement that isn’t binding solely because the person who made the purchase lacked the authority to bind the government—captures this exact situation. If a properly authorized officer later ratifies the commitment, it can become binding; without ratification, the government isn’t obligated. That’s why this option is the best fit. The other scenarios describe different situations that don’t hinge on an authority gap: a contract with a private consultant is just a private contract; an agreement after contract expiration isn’t about who had authority; and an agreement ratified by higher command actually indicates authorization and binding effect, not an unauthorized commitment.

Unauthorized commitments happen when someone who isn’t empowered to bind the government enters into an agreement. The government isn’t legally obligated by that agreement unless an authorized contracting officer ratifies it. The described scenario—an agreement that isn’t binding solely because the person who made the purchase lacked the authority to bind the government—captures this exact situation. If a properly authorized officer later ratifies the commitment, it can become binding; without ratification, the government isn’t obligated.

That’s why this option is the best fit. The other scenarios describe different situations that don’t hinge on an authority gap: a contract with a private consultant is just a private contract; an agreement after contract expiration isn’t about who had authority; and an agreement ratified by higher command actually indicates authorization and binding effect, not an unauthorized commitment.