A flexible grid optical transmitter communicatively coupled to an optical network includes a coherent optical transmitter configured to generate a signal at a respective center frequency on an optical spectrum and spanning n bins about the respective center frequency, wherein n is an integer greater than 1, wherein the respective center frequency and the n bins are utilized to perform Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM&P) functions. The respective center frequency and the n bins are specified to the coherent optical transmitter by a management system for the OAM&P functions. Each of the n bins can include a same arbitrary size, and the arbitrary size can be greater than or equal to 1 GHz and less than or equal to 12.5 GHz.