CON 3990V
DoD Contracting Certification Exam
Comprehensive Study Guide & Practice Question Bank
Updated for the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO)
DAWIA Contracting Professional Certification • Defense Acquisition University (DAU)
Delivered by Pearson VUE • 150 questions • 3-hour seat time • Closed book • 70% to pass
This is an independent study aid for self-preparation. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official product of DAU, the DoD,
OFPP, or the FAR Council, and it does not reproduce live exam items. Federal acquisition policy is changing rapidly under the
RFO; always verify current rules against acquisition.gov, your agency's class deviations, and the FAR before relying on them.
, 1. About the CON 3990V Exam
CON 3990V is the comprehensive DoD Contracting Certification Exam. Passing it is a requirement to achieve
the DoD Professional Certification in Contracting under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act
(DAWIA). It is a separate, distinct requirement from the certification course sequence (CON 1100V, 1200V,
1300V, and 1400V), which must also be completed for certification.
Exam Logistics at a Glance
Feature Detail
Format 150 multiple-choice questions, randomly drawn from a larger bank
Seat time 3 hours total (includes intro, tutorial, exam, and survey)
Passing score 70% (pass/fail)
Open/closed Completely closed book — no notes, devices, or references
Delivery Pearson VUE — in-person test center or proctored virtual
Scheduling Agency approval in TAS → Pearson VUE "Authorization to Test" email
First-attempt fail rate Roughly 30% of candidates do not pass on the first try
FAR Parts You Should Know by Title
Candidates should be familiar with the purpose and title of the following FAR Parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12,
13, 15, 16, 19, 31, 33, 42, 44, 46, and 49. Note that under the RFO these parts are being rewritten; see Section
3 for what is changing and how the exam treats it.
Prerequisite note
CON 3910 (the self-paced OLT version of CON 3900V) is a required prerequisite for the prep course path.
Confirm your agency's current prerequisite and registration requirements through DAU and your Training
Authorization System (TAS), as policy dates shift.
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 2
, 2. Study Strategy
Build a FAR mental map, not memorized text
Because the exam is closed book and competency-based, the goal is to understand why a rule exists and
where it lives, rather than memorizing regulation numbers verbatim. For each FAR Part, be able to answer:
What is its purpose? What decisions does a contracting officer make under it? What document records that
decision?
Anchor on documents and decisions
Many items test which document captures a given business decision. Keep these reflexes sharp:
Decision / Situation Governing Document
Record a general business decision Determination & Findings (D&F)
Justify a sole-source / other-than-full-and-open award Justification & Approval (J&A)
Document price negotiation outcome Price Negotiation Memorandum (PNM)
Award / contract instrument SF-26 (Award/Contract)
Amendment or modification SF-30
Solicitation, Offer and Award (sealed bid) SF-33
Smart preparation habits
• Practice timing: ~3 hours for 150 questions is roughly 70 seconds each. Flag-and-return rather than stalling.
• Study by competency cluster (ethics, planning, source selection, contract types, pricing, administration,
closeout) instead of front-to-back FAR reading.
• For every contract type, know who bears cost risk and when each is appropriate.
• Use DAU instructor office hours and the prep-course materials; they mirror the competency framework.
• Track the RFO: confirm whether your testing window uses codified-FAR rules, deviation text, or both.
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 3
, 3. The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) — What
Changed
The RFO is the first-ever comprehensive rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It is driven by Executive
Order 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, and OMB Memorandum M-25-26,
Overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It is led by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP)
and the FAR Council.
Why this matters for your exam
The RFO is being implemented part-by-part through agency CLASS DEVIATIONS while the codified FAR
is rewritten. That means the rule in force for a given topic may be the deviation text rather than the legacy
FAR section. Confirm what governs during your testing window, and treat any single source (including this
guide) as a starting point, not the final word.
Core goals of the RFO
• Return the FAR to its statutory roots — keep what law requires, remove most non-statutory rules.
• Rewrite remaining content in plain language.
• Move practical "how-to" strategies OUT of the regulation into non-regulatory buying guides.
• Stated aim: faster acquisitions, greater competition, and better results.
How it is being rolled out
• Each overhauled FAR Part is published as RFO model deviation text on acquisition.gov.
• Agencies issue class deviations adopting that text in lieu of the corresponding 48 CFR sections (e.g., DoD
has issued class deviations across numerous parts; civilian agencies issue their own).
• Practitioner Albums accompany each part with a summary of changes, line-out comparisons, "smart
accelerators," and CLP-earning material.
• The codified FAR is being updated through formal FAR Cases in parallel; RFO text is periodically conformed
to those final rules (e.g., trade-agreement threshold updates).
Key supporting resources (know what each is)
Resource What it is
FAR Companion Living guide of best practices and practical advice for buyers (non-regulatory)
Practitioner Albums Per-part training: change summaries, line-outs, accelerators, CLPs
Category Management
Helps practitioners navigate buying pathways for requirements
Buying Guide
Model Deviation Text The rewritten FAR-part language agencies adopt via class deviation
Deviation Guide Definitive list of overhauled parts and agency deviations on acquisition.gov
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 4
DoD Contracting Certification Exam
Comprehensive Study Guide & Practice Question Bank
Updated for the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO)
DAWIA Contracting Professional Certification • Defense Acquisition University (DAU)
Delivered by Pearson VUE • 150 questions • 3-hour seat time • Closed book • 70% to pass
This is an independent study aid for self-preparation. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official product of DAU, the DoD,
OFPP, or the FAR Council, and it does not reproduce live exam items. Federal acquisition policy is changing rapidly under the
RFO; always verify current rules against acquisition.gov, your agency's class deviations, and the FAR before relying on them.
, 1. About the CON 3990V Exam
CON 3990V is the comprehensive DoD Contracting Certification Exam. Passing it is a requirement to achieve
the DoD Professional Certification in Contracting under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act
(DAWIA). It is a separate, distinct requirement from the certification course sequence (CON 1100V, 1200V,
1300V, and 1400V), which must also be completed for certification.
Exam Logistics at a Glance
Feature Detail
Format 150 multiple-choice questions, randomly drawn from a larger bank
Seat time 3 hours total (includes intro, tutorial, exam, and survey)
Passing score 70% (pass/fail)
Open/closed Completely closed book — no notes, devices, or references
Delivery Pearson VUE — in-person test center or proctored virtual
Scheduling Agency approval in TAS → Pearson VUE "Authorization to Test" email
First-attempt fail rate Roughly 30% of candidates do not pass on the first try
FAR Parts You Should Know by Title
Candidates should be familiar with the purpose and title of the following FAR Parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12,
13, 15, 16, 19, 31, 33, 42, 44, 46, and 49. Note that under the RFO these parts are being rewritten; see Section
3 for what is changing and how the exam treats it.
Prerequisite note
CON 3910 (the self-paced OLT version of CON 3900V) is a required prerequisite for the prep course path.
Confirm your agency's current prerequisite and registration requirements through DAU and your Training
Authorization System (TAS), as policy dates shift.
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 2
, 2. Study Strategy
Build a FAR mental map, not memorized text
Because the exam is closed book and competency-based, the goal is to understand why a rule exists and
where it lives, rather than memorizing regulation numbers verbatim. For each FAR Part, be able to answer:
What is its purpose? What decisions does a contracting officer make under it? What document records that
decision?
Anchor on documents and decisions
Many items test which document captures a given business decision. Keep these reflexes sharp:
Decision / Situation Governing Document
Record a general business decision Determination & Findings (D&F)
Justify a sole-source / other-than-full-and-open award Justification & Approval (J&A)
Document price negotiation outcome Price Negotiation Memorandum (PNM)
Award / contract instrument SF-26 (Award/Contract)
Amendment or modification SF-30
Solicitation, Offer and Award (sealed bid) SF-33
Smart preparation habits
• Practice timing: ~3 hours for 150 questions is roughly 70 seconds each. Flag-and-return rather than stalling.
• Study by competency cluster (ethics, planning, source selection, contract types, pricing, administration,
closeout) instead of front-to-back FAR reading.
• For every contract type, know who bears cost risk and when each is appropriate.
• Use DAU instructor office hours and the prep-course materials; they mirror the competency framework.
• Track the RFO: confirm whether your testing window uses codified-FAR rules, deviation text, or both.
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 3
, 3. The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) — What
Changed
The RFO is the first-ever comprehensive rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It is driven by Executive
Order 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, and OMB Memorandum M-25-26,
Overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It is led by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP)
and the FAR Council.
Why this matters for your exam
The RFO is being implemented part-by-part through agency CLASS DEVIATIONS while the codified FAR
is rewritten. That means the rule in force for a given topic may be the deviation text rather than the legacy
FAR section. Confirm what governs during your testing window, and treat any single source (including this
guide) as a starting point, not the final word.
Core goals of the RFO
• Return the FAR to its statutory roots — keep what law requires, remove most non-statutory rules.
• Rewrite remaining content in plain language.
• Move practical "how-to" strategies OUT of the regulation into non-regulatory buying guides.
• Stated aim: faster acquisitions, greater competition, and better results.
How it is being rolled out
• Each overhauled FAR Part is published as RFO model deviation text on acquisition.gov.
• Agencies issue class deviations adopting that text in lieu of the corresponding 48 CFR sections (e.g., DoD
has issued class deviations across numerous parts; civilian agencies issue their own).
• Practitioner Albums accompany each part with a summary of changes, line-out comparisons, "smart
accelerators," and CLP-earning material.
• The codified FAR is being updated through formal FAR Cases in parallel; RFO text is periodically conformed
to those final rules (e.g., trade-agreement threshold updates).
Key supporting resources (know what each is)
Resource What it is
FAR Companion Living guide of best practices and practical advice for buyers (non-regulatory)
Practitioner Albums Per-part training: change summaries, line-outs, accelerators, CLPs
Category Management
Helps practitioners navigate buying pathways for requirements
Buying Guide
Model Deviation Text The rewritten FAR-part language agencies adopt via class deviation
Deviation Guide Definitive list of overhauled parts and agency deviations on acquisition.gov
CON 3990V Study Guide — RFO Updated Page 4
