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CON 2370: Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) – Comprehensive
Study Guide Covering FAR Part 13, Acquisition Planning, Solicitation
Methods, Evaluation and Award Procedures, Commercial Purchases,
Contract Administration, Ethical Considerations, and Exam
Preparation Strategies
1. You have a requirement for water restoration services at your base in Louisiana. Three services
are of a type sold competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace based on
market prices. The estimated dollar value of the acquisition is $1,250,000. Which of the
following is true?
A) The use of simplified acquisition procedures is prohibited due to the dollar value exceeding
the threshold
B) The use of simplified acquisition procedures is authorized
C) The acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business concerns
D) A formal sealed bidding process must be used for this requirement
✓ Commercial services sold competitively in substantial quantities qualify for SAP even
above the standard threshold when market prices are available and the services are of a
type sold to the general public
2. You are the contracting officer for a firm-fixed-price purchase order for commercial supplies
with a value of $565,000. Two weeks after delivery and acceptance of the items, the user
complains that the goods are not functioning as expected. You investigate and determine that the
items are not fully compliant with the specification in the contract. Who would bear the cost of
correcting the nonconforming supplies that were accepted by the Government?
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A) The Government bears the cost because acceptance has already occurred
B) The cost is shared equally between the Government and the Contractor
C) The Contractor bears the cost of correction
D) The end user organization must fund the correction
✓ Even after acceptance, contractors remain responsible for correcting nonconforming
supplies that do not meet contract specifications, and the contractor bears the cost of
bringing the items into compliance
3. You just made a purchase for supplies in the amount of $22,300. You solicited quotations
orally from four local sources. Which of the following statements is correct regarding providing
notice to the unsuccessful suppliers?
A) Notice to unsuccessful suppliers must be provided in writing within three business days
B) Notice to the unsuccessful suppliers will only be given if requested
C) Notice must be provided to all unsuccessful suppliers regardless of request
D) Notice is only required when the acquisition exceeds the micro-purchase threshold
✓ For purchases using SAP, formal notice to unsuccessful quoters is not mandatory unless
specifically requested, keeping documentation requirements to a minimum
4. You are the contracting officer for a requirement for commercial services with an estimated
value of $780,000. Four quotations were received in response to the solicitation and market
pricing is available. Which one of the following statements about the price reasonableness
determination is most appropriate?
A) Price reasonableness can be assumed based solely on the number of quotations received
B) Market research must be conducted or obtained to support the fair and reasonable
determination
C) Price reasonableness is automatically determined when using commercial services
D) Only the lowest priced quotation needs to be evaluated for reasonableness
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✓ Adequate market research is essential to support price reasonableness determinations
regardless of competition, and must be documented to justify that the proposed price is
fair and reasonable
5. You are the contracting officer for a firm-fixed-priced services contract valued at $105,975.
Which one of the following statements about closeout is correct?
A) The contract remains open indefinitely until audited by the Inspector General
B) The contract is considered closed once you've received evidence of receipt of service and
final payment
C) Closeout requires a formal termination notice from the contracting officer
D) The contract cannot be closed until all option periods have expired
✓ A services contract is considered closed for SAP purposes once the government has
received evidence that services were received and final payment has been made,
completing the administrative closeout process
6. Which one of the following is NOT one of the first steps taken when questions are received in
response to a solicitation using SAP?
A) Documenting the questions received from potential quoters
B) Preparing written responses to be provided to all quoters
C) Reviewing the quotations for responsibility
D) Issuing amendments to clarify ambiguous requirements
✓ Reviewing the quotations for responsibility Responsibility determinations occur later in
the evaluation process after quotations are received, not as a first step when questions
are initially received during the solicitation period
7. You have a requirement for administrative support with an estimated value of $1,500,000.
Market research shows numerous potential offerors that are competitive in terms of market price,
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quality, and delivery. That list of potential offerors includes 4 small businesses and 8 large
businesses. What must be done regarding this acquisition?
A) The acquisition must be set aside for large businesses only
B) The acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business
C) The acquisition must be conducted using full and open competition
D) The acquisition requires a sole source justification to the small businesses
✓ The entire acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business When market
research indicates there are multiple small businesses capable of performing and
competition is expected, the acquisition must be set aside for small business concerns
exclusively
8. You are the contracting officer for a construction requirement with an estimated value of
$20,600. Access to the written solicitation will not be provided in the GPE, and none of the
exceptions in FAR 5.202 apply. Which one of the following correctly describes the requirement
for publicizing this proposed contract action?
A) No publicizing is required because the value is below the simplified acquisition threshold
B) Notice of the solicitation must be published in the GPE
C) Notice of the solicitation, or copy of the solicitation, must be posted in a public place
D) The solicitation must be advertised in a local newspaper
✓ Notice of the solicitation, or copy of the solicitation, must be posted in a public
place When a written solicitation is used and GPE access is not provided, posting in a
public place satisfies the publicizing requirement for acquisitions at or below the
simplified acquisition threshold when exceptions do not apply
9. You are the contracting officer for a noncommercial bilateral purchase order for supplies
valued at $155,600. Which one of the following actions would be executed using a unilateral
modification?
CON 2370: Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) – Comprehensive
Study Guide Covering FAR Part 13, Acquisition Planning, Solicitation
Methods, Evaluation and Award Procedures, Commercial Purchases,
Contract Administration, Ethical Considerations, and Exam
Preparation Strategies
1. You have a requirement for water restoration services at your base in Louisiana. Three services
are of a type sold competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace based on
market prices. The estimated dollar value of the acquisition is $1,250,000. Which of the
following is true?
A) The use of simplified acquisition procedures is prohibited due to the dollar value exceeding
the threshold
B) The use of simplified acquisition procedures is authorized
C) The acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business concerns
D) A formal sealed bidding process must be used for this requirement
✓ Commercial services sold competitively in substantial quantities qualify for SAP even
above the standard threshold when market prices are available and the services are of a
type sold to the general public
2. You are the contracting officer for a firm-fixed-price purchase order for commercial supplies
with a value of $565,000. Two weeks after delivery and acceptance of the items, the user
complains that the goods are not functioning as expected. You investigate and determine that the
items are not fully compliant with the specification in the contract. Who would bear the cost of
correcting the nonconforming supplies that were accepted by the Government?
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A) The Government bears the cost because acceptance has already occurred
B) The cost is shared equally between the Government and the Contractor
C) The Contractor bears the cost of correction
D) The end user organization must fund the correction
✓ Even after acceptance, contractors remain responsible for correcting nonconforming
supplies that do not meet contract specifications, and the contractor bears the cost of
bringing the items into compliance
3. You just made a purchase for supplies in the amount of $22,300. You solicited quotations
orally from four local sources. Which of the following statements is correct regarding providing
notice to the unsuccessful suppliers?
A) Notice to unsuccessful suppliers must be provided in writing within three business days
B) Notice to the unsuccessful suppliers will only be given if requested
C) Notice must be provided to all unsuccessful suppliers regardless of request
D) Notice is only required when the acquisition exceeds the micro-purchase threshold
✓ For purchases using SAP, formal notice to unsuccessful quoters is not mandatory unless
specifically requested, keeping documentation requirements to a minimum
4. You are the contracting officer for a requirement for commercial services with an estimated
value of $780,000. Four quotations were received in response to the solicitation and market
pricing is available. Which one of the following statements about the price reasonableness
determination is most appropriate?
A) Price reasonableness can be assumed based solely on the number of quotations received
B) Market research must be conducted or obtained to support the fair and reasonable
determination
C) Price reasonableness is automatically determined when using commercial services
D) Only the lowest priced quotation needs to be evaluated for reasonableness
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✓ Adequate market research is essential to support price reasonableness determinations
regardless of competition, and must be documented to justify that the proposed price is
fair and reasonable
5. You are the contracting officer for a firm-fixed-priced services contract valued at $105,975.
Which one of the following statements about closeout is correct?
A) The contract remains open indefinitely until audited by the Inspector General
B) The contract is considered closed once you've received evidence of receipt of service and
final payment
C) Closeout requires a formal termination notice from the contracting officer
D) The contract cannot be closed until all option periods have expired
✓ A services contract is considered closed for SAP purposes once the government has
received evidence that services were received and final payment has been made,
completing the administrative closeout process
6. Which one of the following is NOT one of the first steps taken when questions are received in
response to a solicitation using SAP?
A) Documenting the questions received from potential quoters
B) Preparing written responses to be provided to all quoters
C) Reviewing the quotations for responsibility
D) Issuing amendments to clarify ambiguous requirements
✓ Reviewing the quotations for responsibility Responsibility determinations occur later in
the evaluation process after quotations are received, not as a first step when questions
are initially received during the solicitation period
7. You have a requirement for administrative support with an estimated value of $1,500,000.
Market research shows numerous potential offerors that are competitive in terms of market price,
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quality, and delivery. That list of potential offerors includes 4 small businesses and 8 large
businesses. What must be done regarding this acquisition?
A) The acquisition must be set aside for large businesses only
B) The acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business
C) The acquisition must be conducted using full and open competition
D) The acquisition requires a sole source justification to the small businesses
✓ The entire acquisition must be set aside exclusively for small business When market
research indicates there are multiple small businesses capable of performing and
competition is expected, the acquisition must be set aside for small business concerns
exclusively
8. You are the contracting officer for a construction requirement with an estimated value of
$20,600. Access to the written solicitation will not be provided in the GPE, and none of the
exceptions in FAR 5.202 apply. Which one of the following correctly describes the requirement
for publicizing this proposed contract action?
A) No publicizing is required because the value is below the simplified acquisition threshold
B) Notice of the solicitation must be published in the GPE
C) Notice of the solicitation, or copy of the solicitation, must be posted in a public place
D) The solicitation must be advertised in a local newspaper
✓ Notice of the solicitation, or copy of the solicitation, must be posted in a public
place When a written solicitation is used and GPE access is not provided, posting in a
public place satisfies the publicizing requirement for acquisitions at or below the
simplified acquisition threshold when exceptions do not apply
9. You are the contracting officer for a noncommercial bilateral purchase order for supplies
valued at $155,600. Which one of the following actions would be executed using a unilateral
modification?
