FAR Part 15: Contracting by Negotiation Practice Test

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• The CO may require: The contractor or subcontractor to submit to the Government (or cause submission of) subcontractor certified cost or pricing data below the thresholds and data other than certified cost or pricing data that the CO considers necessary for adequately pricing the prime contract.
• The price negotiation memorandum shall reflect which information when data are adjusted or corrected?
• What is the general purpose of an evaluation factor weight?
• In a scenario with a widely-publicized solicitation where a single offer is received and the price is similar to a price in the market under adequate competition, which conclusion is correct regarding cost data?
• In a competitive acquisition, discussions are conducted after the establishment of the competitive range. When are these discussions held?
• The SSA decision shall be based on what?
• Post-award notice to unsuccessful offerors: When must it be provided?
• Which statement about proposal revisions is true?
• Tradeoffs in the source selection process are not permitted when which method is used?
• Letter RFPs may be used in which circumstances?
• If defective pricing is discovered after award:
• In source selection, when the requirement is less defined or performance risk is high, which factors may play a dominant role?
• A contract awarded using other than sealed bidding procedures is a negotiated contract.
• From whom should supplies and services be purchased?
• What is the primary purpose of documentation in source selection?
• Why is CPARS data cross-referenced in past performance evaluation?
• Is Part IV of the Uniform Contract Format included in the final contract upon award?
• The contractor is required to submit certified cost and pricing data for subcontracts that are...
• What is the role of an evaluation committee?
• What information may be considered when evaluating past performance?
• A proposal may be withdrawn
• Which statement best describes a 'best value' approach in source selection?
• Adequate price competition can be met with a single offer if:
• Cost realism analysis is typically required on which contracts?
• Which of the following is a non-price evaluation factor commonly used in FAR Part 15 competitions?
• Under what circumstance are oral RFPs authorized?
• What is the significance of an IGCE during negotiations?
• What is the role of risk assessment in the evaluation?
• What role does past performance play in source selection?
• What is the difference between fixed-price and cost-reimbursement contracts in negotiation?
• An RFP for competitive acquisitions must describe which elements?
• What do post-award debriefings need to include?
• Some techniques to promote early exchanges of information are:
• What role do representations and certifications play in negotiations?
• How should proposals be organized in most Part 15 procurements?
• In the Uniform Contract Format, which Part contains the Contract Clauses?
• What format must be used for solicitations and resulting contracts?
• What is the significance of protest windows in post-award procurement?
• Which statement best describes the objective of the source selection process in FAR Part 15?
• Cost realism considerations include:
• The purpose of exchanging information with industry is to:
• Under price negotiations, when the price negotiation is not based on cost analysis, what are COs not required to do?
• Regarding reasons for not accepting a proposal, the notice should include:
• For acquisitions at or below the SAT, cost or pricing data shall not be obtained.
• Debriefings should not include which of the following?
• Best value in source selection is achieved by considering the requirement and which set of factors?
• In the Uniform Contract Format, which section is not physically included in the contract but incorporated by reference?
• What is the 'source selection statement'?
• What are discussions in the source selection process?
• Which risks must be considered when evaluating risk in a proposal?
• What action is the CO allowed to take regarding proposal revisions?
• Which of the following statements about final proposal revisions is true?
• Which statement best describes how the contracting officer should consider factors for price reasonableness?
• What is the purpose of clarifications in the procurement process?
• What is the primary purpose of source selection under FAR 15.3?
• Pre-Award, Award, and Post-Award notifications to offerors eliminated from competition shall be:
• Which section is incorporated by reference in the contract?
• What are the statutory fee limits for cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts?
• The procedures for unsolicited proposals shall include controls on reproduction and disposition of proposal material, particularly data identified by the offeror as subject to duplication, use or disclosure restrictions. Which option best reflects this requirement?
• What must the source selection authority determine regarding similar past performance information?
• Which part of the Uniform Contract Format contains representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors or respondents?
• Which describes information other than cost or pricing data?
• What is the primary objective of FAR Part 15 source selection?
• In source selection processes, what is the "best value continuum" characterized by?
• If certified cost or pricing data are not required, which data may be used to determine price reasonableness or cost realism?
• The post-award notice shall include which of the following?
• How is ‘best value’ defined in the negotiation context of FAR Part 15, as used in source selection?
• What does FAR Part 15 prescribe?
• Pre-award debriefings are intended to provide information to unsuccessful offerors. Which statement is true?
• In a best-value evaluation, how are non-price factors treated relative to price?
• Define Best Value in Negotiated Procurements.
• What is the role of an evaluation panel in Part 15 procurements?
• What is required to support an award decision in a best-value tradeoff?
• Under noncompetitive contract awards exceeding $100,000 and totaling $50 million or more per year, agencies shall use a structured approach for determining the profit objective, may prescribe exemptions, and may also use another agency's structured approach.
• Any contractor or subcontractor that is required to submit certified cost or pricing data also shall:
• If after award, certified data are found inaccurate, incomplete, or noncurrent as of the date of final agreement on price, the Government is entitled to:
• A certificate of current cost or pricing data:
• What must debriefings include?
• What are negotiations in the context of FAR Part 15 contract formation?
• What are small business considerations in negotiations?
• Which of the following is a valid prerequisite for commencing negotiations on a sole-source basis?
• The primary objective of discussions is to maximize the government's ability to obtain best value based on the requirement and which factors?
• Requests for proposals (RFPs) are used in negotiated acquisitions to:
• Communications with an offeror for the sole purpose of eliminating minor irregularities, informalities or apparent clerical mistakes in the proposals is called:
• What restriction applies to telecommuting offers during evaluation?
• Distinguish between price analysis and cost realism analysis.
• What is the documentation requirement during negotiations?
• What is the difference between the best value tradeoff process and the lowest-price technically acceptable (LPTA) approach?
• Which statement best describes price evaluation in a source selection?
• The contracting officer shall tailor field pricing requests to reflect the minimum essential supplementary information needed to conduct the analysis.
• What information is typically provided in a postaward debriefing?
• What is the effect on an eliminated offeror's ability to revise their proposal?
• For acquisitions at or below the SAT, cost or pricing data shall not be obtained.
• What does competition normally establish in a source selection?
• How does the awarding agency determine if an offeror's past performance is acceptable?
• If, after award, certified cost or pricing data are found to be inaccurate, incomplete or noncurrent, what is the Government entitled to?
• Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice:
• The scope and extent of discussions are a matter of what?
• Under what condition may an offeror originally in the competitive range be eliminated from that range?
• What is a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) and when might it be used?
• The least preferred method of submitting ideas/concepts to the government is:
• Agencies shall establish procedures for:
• What is the purpose of a Justification and Approval (J&A) in negotiated procurements?
• What might trigger the use of a BAFO in negotiations?
• Which is a preferred technique for price analysis?
• For purchases of a commercial item, which statement is true?
• What must the CO indicate to each offeror still being considered for award during discussions?
• CO shall award a contract to the successful offeror by:
• When is a Justification and Approval (J&A) required in negotiated procurements?
• Under noncompetitive awards over $100,000 totaling $50 million or more a year, agencies may implement the structured approach as follows.
• Government personnel may not use any data from an unsolicited proposal as the basis for a solicitation with another firm unless which condition is met?
• A technique that ensures the best deal for the government is obtained through the use of any one or a combination of source selection approaches is described as:
• What must the evaluation documentation include to support an award decision?
• What is the basis for the award decision in source selection?
• What is the correct percent cap for architect-engineer services for public works or utilities under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract?
• For noncompetitive acquisitions, how should the RFP be tailored?
• Post-Award Debriefings: To the maximum extent practicable, the debriefing should occur within how many days after receipt of the written request?
• Cost realism requires that proposed costs:
• If discussions are contemplated, what must the CO do?
• What is the purpose of maintaining confidentiality of price proposals during non-price factor evaluations?
• In Part 15 procurements, why is a clear evaluation plan essential?
• What evaluation methods are acceptable when evaluating proposals?
• What small business considerations include set-asides and preferences?
• Oral presentations by offerors as requested by the government may substitute for, or augment:
• If an offeror's proposal is eliminated or removed from the competitive range, what is true about further revisions?
• RFIs may be used when the Government does not presently intend to:
• Which statement describes NOT prohibited conduct by Government personnel during source selection?
• How may debriefings be conducted?
• Pre-award debriefings shall NOT disclose:
• How are proposals protected to ensure integrity during evaluation?
• In a lowest price technically acceptable process, are tradeoffs permitted?
• Which statement concerning requests for information (RFIs) is true?
• Exchanges of information among all interested parties are encouraged from which point through which point?
• The contracting officer should request field pricing assistance when:
• During discussions, how may proposals be revised?
• Which statement describes the IGCE's role in the source selection process?
• In a fixed-price contract, how is price risk allocated?
• Adequate price competition is achieved when:
• A tradeoff process may be appropriate when it:
• Parametric estimating methods are used in price analysis to:
• A negotiated contract is awarded after using which type of procedures?
• What is an unsolicited proposal and how is it handled under Part 15?
• Which document records the rationale for the award decision including tradeoffs and ranking?
• What is the prime contractor responsible for?
• Cost or pricing data: which statement is true?
• What constitutes full and open competition?
• Which part of the Uniform Contract Format contains Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors or Respondents?
• Which statement best describes a best-value procurement?
• Price analysis is used when:
• What is a Source Selection Decision Document (SSDD) and its purpose?
• A lowest price technically acceptable source selection process is appropriate when:
• In a two-envelope submission, which statement is true?
• What is the maximum fee for experimental, developmental, or research work under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract?
• When the price negotiation is based on cost analysis and the agency uses a structured approach, COs shall use it to do what?
• The contracting officer is responsible for pricing in regard to the prime contract?
• Under what circumstances might a contracting officer use a sole-source approach?
• If, before agreement on price, the CO learns that any certified cost or pricing data submitted are inaccurate, incomplete, or noncurrent, the CO shall:
• The head of contracting activity may waive certified cost or pricing data requirements in exceptional cases.
• What is the postaward debriefing content limitation?
• Subcontracts requiring certified cost or pricing data are those whose value is the lower of either: 1) $13.5 million or more; OR 2) Both more than the pertinent certified cost or pricing data threshold and more than 10 percent of the prime contractor's proposed price, unless the contracting officer believes such submission is unnecessary.
• When certified cost or pricing data are not required, what is the general order of preference to determine data type?
• In a two-envelope evaluation, when are price proposals typically opened?
• Which are exceptions to cost and pricing data requirements?
• If, before reaching agreement on price, the contracting officer learns that the certified cost or pricing data is inaccurate, incomplete, or noncurrent, what may the contractor do?
• What is CPARS and how is it used in procurement?
• Unsolicited Proposals (FAR 15.6) are defined as:
• When an oral presentation includes information that the parties intend to include in the contract as material terms and conditions:
• What is the primary objective of discussions in negotiations?
• Preaward debriefings shall not disclose which of the following?
• What occurs when defective pricing is discovered after award?
• When not using a structured approach, COs shall comply with FAR 15.404-4(d)(1) in developing prenegotiation objectives.
• If the contracting officer cannot determine whether the offered price of a commercial item is fair and reasonable after obtaining information from sources other than the offeror, the officer must require the offeror to submit information other than costs or pricing data to support further analysis.
• In response to a widely-publicized solicitation for a noncommercial item, a CO only received one responsible offer. The offer is a firm-fixed amount for $1,000,000, which was the same price for a similar item recently purchased by another agency under a contract that resulted from adequate price competition. Which of the following is correct?
• Preaward debriefings: When may an offeror request a preaward debriefing?
• A negotiated procurement expected to exceed $750,000 requires certified cost or pricing data unless an exception exists.
• No disclosure shall be made to any other offeror of which information?
• Why are negotiation objectives important?
• If listing any stated unit prices is impracticable, what should be furnished in the post-award notice?
• Results may be reported to the contracting officer in which of the following forms?
• What is the purpose of price realism analysis in a cost-type contract?
• What is the purpose of a solicitation amendment?
• What is an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and why is it used?
• Which statement describes the purpose of a solicitation amendment?
• How are competitive proposals evaluated and assessed?
• Does the use of a letter RFP relieve the contracting officer from complying with other FAR requirements?
• The process of examining and evaluating a proposed price without evaluating its separate cost elements and proposed profit is called?
• Late proposals are considered only if they are received before award and meet the specific requirements of FAR 52.215-1(c)(3)(ii); If time is not specified, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m. local.
• Which procurement method is used to obtain a contract when formal competition is not required?
• Post-award debriefings: Is the overall ranking of all offerors disclosed when any ranking was developed by the agency during the source selection?
• When is cost realism analysis typically required?
• What should the solicitation describe about past performance?
• If an offeror is eliminated from the competitive range, can they request a debriefing?
• A favorable comprehensive evaluation of an unsolicited proposal does not justify awarding a contract without full and open competition. Which statement is true?
• If the HCA waives the data submission requirement, the contractor is considered to have been required to provide certified data.
• What is the importance of a PWS/SOW in negotiated contracting?
• What is a Source Selection Plan (SSP) and what does it specify?
• Which of the following is commonly used as an evaluation factor in a Part 15 competition?
• What is a BAFO's function in a tradeoff competition?
• The synopsis requirement under Subpart 5.2 is relevant to which procurement approach?
• Clarification in the proposal process is used to address which of the following?
• The solicitation is to be amended when?
• What is the primary role of the evaluation committee in a source selection?
• What is the role of a "two-envelope" submission in evaluation?
• What do structured approaches for determining profit or fee pre-negotiation objectives provide for?
• For a change or modification that is essentially the same type and mix of work as the basic contract and is relatively small in value, the contracting officer may use what as the pre-negotiation objective for that change?
• How should contracting officer authority be exercised during negotiations?
• What are "prohibited practices" in negotiations?
• What should the solicitation describe regarding past performance?
• If there are multiple prospective subcontractors for a given work, the contractor must submit certified cost or pricing data to the Government for which subcontractor?
• The government may reserve the right to review the contractor's make-or-buy program for what purposes?
• What is the preferred method for unsolicited proposals?
• For acquisitions of commercial items, post-award debriefings include which additional information?
• In addition to price adjustment, the Government is entitled to:
• Which statement about unsolicited proposals procedures is true?
• Where is the principal element of the negotiated agreement documented?
• What is the purpose of a negotiation plan in procurement?
• Which term refers to the system that collects past performance data on contractors for use in evaluations?
• How are direct and indirect costs considered in Part 15 evaluations?
• How is cost-effective defined in negotiation terms?
• How should contract type be determined in a Part 15 award?
• In evaluating past performance, which aspects should be considered?
• Debriefings should not include which of the following items?
• When is a fixed-price contract preferred in Part 15 procurements?
• What are clarifications?
• Contract type, cost, and profit or fee should be balanced in order to achieve what?
• Differentiate between clarifications and discussions in negotiations.
• Which statement best describes the purpose of a structured approach to profit pre-negotiation objectives?
• Which statement best characterizes a best-value tradeoff approach?
• In discussions, what is the primary objective?
• What is 'TINA' in negotiation?
• What does price consist of in this context?
• What does best value in evaluating proposals prioritize?
• Which of the following is acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at government installations?
• In a small business program, the notice shall indicate if which programs were utilized?
• During negotiations, how should permissible concessions be handled?
• Which statement best describes when certified cost and pricing data are required for subcontracts?
• The fact that a price is included in a catalog does not, in and of itself, make the price fair and reasonable.
• What is the role of condition-based performance metrics in acceptance?
• What rights do offerors have regarding debriefings?