The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Commission \Com*mis"sion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commissioned;
   p. pr & vb. n. Commissioning.]
   1. To give a commission to; to furnish with a commission; to
      empower or authorize; as, to commission persons to perform
      certain acts; to commission an officer.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To send out with a charge or commission.
      [1913 Webster]

            A chosen band
            He first commissions to the Latian land. --Dryden.

   Syn: To appoint; depute; authorize; empower; delegate;
        constitute; ordain.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

commissioning
    n 1: the act of granting authority to undertake certain
         functions [syn: commission, commissioning]