FAC-C CERTIFICATION EXAM STUDY GUIDE | TESTBANK | PRACTICE QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAM | ADVANCED REVIEW | LATEST
UPDATE 2026/2027
Examiner: Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals
2. Acquisition Planning
3. Market Research
4. Competition Requirements
5. Contract Types
6. Socioeconomic Programs
7. Source Selection
8. Cost and Price Analysis
9. Commercial Products and Commercial Services
10. Simplified Acquisition Procedures
11. Contract Administration
12. Ethics and Procurement Integrity
13. Fiscal Law and Appropriations
14. Performance-Based Acquisition
15. Risk Management
16. Documentation and File Management
17. Contract Modifications
18. Quality Assurance and Inspection
19. Terminations and Closeout
20. Professional Judgment and Decision-Making
FAC-C || FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION || ACQUISITION PLANNING ||
MARKET RESEARCH || SOURCE SELECTION || CONTRACT TYPES || COST ANALYSIS
|| PRICE ANALYSIS || SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION || COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ||
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION || PROCUREMENT INTEGRITY || ETHICS || FISCAL
,LAW || APPROPRIATIONS || PERFORMANCE-BASED ACQUISITION || QUALITY
ASSURANCE || RISK MANAGEMENT || SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ||
DOCUMENTATION || CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS || CONTRACT CLOSEOUT || BEST
VALUE || COMPLIANCE || PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
Disclaimer: This practice testbank is an original educational resource designed to
help candidates prepare for the FAC-C Certification Exam. It does not reproduce,
disclose, or represent actual examination questions.
QUESTION 1.
A contracting officer is developing an acquisition strategy for a recurring requirement
that has historically experienced significant performance variability among
contractors. Which approach most effectively balances mission success with
regulatory compliance?
A. Develop measurable performance outcomes, conduct market research, and align
contract type with performance risk.
B. Select the lowest-priced technically acceptable offer regardless of acquisition
complexity.
C. Use a cost-reimbursement contract for every requirement involving uncertainty.
D. Limit competition to incumbent contractors to reduce transition risk.
Correct Answer: A. Develop measurable performance outcomes, conduct
market research, and align contract type with performance risk.
Explanation: Performance-based planning supported by comprehensive market
research and an appropriate contract type provides the strongest framework for
managing performance risk while complying with acquisition regulations. Lowest
price is not always appropriate, cost-reimbursement contracts are not
automatically justified by uncertainty, and restricting competition without proper
authority conflicts with federal competition requirements.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 2.
,During acquisition planning, market research reveals that multiple commercial
vendors can satisfy the agency's requirement with minimal customization. What is
the most appropriate acquisition strategy?
A. Develop a unique government specification and require all vendors to comply.
B. Acquire commercial products or services using applicable commercial acquisition
procedures whenever appropriate.
C. Require certified cost or pricing data from every vendor before solicitation.
D. Limit competition to vendors with previous government contracts.
Correct Answer: B. Acquire commercial products or services using applicable
commercial acquisition procedures whenever appropriate.
Explanation: Federal acquisition policy encourages the acquisition of commercial
products and commercial services whenever they satisfy agency needs. Creating
unnecessary government-unique specifications, requiring certified cost or pricing
data without justification, or restricting competition unnecessarily would reduce
efficiency and may conflict with applicable regulations.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 3.
A contracting officer receives only one proposal in response to a competitive
solicitation. What should be the primary concern before making an award?
A. Automatically cancel the solicitation.
B. Convert the acquisition to a simplified acquisition.
C. Determine whether the proposed price is fair and reasonable using appropriate
analysis.
D. Award immediately because competition was attempted.
Correct Answer: C. Determine whether the proposed price is fair and
reasonable using appropriate analysis.
Explanation: Receipt of a single offer does not eliminate the government's
responsibility to establish price reasonableness. The contracting officer must
, perform an appropriate analysis before award. Cancellation, procedural conversion,
or immediate award without adequate evaluation would not satisfy acquisition
requirements.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 4.
A program office requests inclusion of overly restrictive technical specifications that
appear to favor one manufacturer without documented justification. What is the
contracting officer's best course of action?
A. Approve the specifications because the requiring activity requested them.
B. Issue the solicitation and address protests if they occur.
C. Delay the acquisition indefinitely.
D. Require the requiring activity to justify the restriction or revise the specifications to
promote full and open competition whenever applicable.
Correct Answer: D. Require the requiring activity to justify the restriction or
revise the specifications to promote full and open competition whenever
applicable.
Explanation: The contracting officer has an independent responsibility to ensure
acquisition requirements comply with competition principles. Restrictive
specifications require proper justification. Simply accepting them, delaying
indefinitely, or waiting for a protest fails to satisfy this responsibility.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 5.
A contractor proposes significantly lower labor rates than industry norms while
promising exceptional technical performance. Which evaluation concern deserves the
highest priority?
A. Assess whether the proposal demonstrates a realistic understanding of
performance requirements and associated risks.
ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAM | ADVANCED REVIEW | LATEST
UPDATE 2026/2027
Examiner: Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals
2. Acquisition Planning
3. Market Research
4. Competition Requirements
5. Contract Types
6. Socioeconomic Programs
7. Source Selection
8. Cost and Price Analysis
9. Commercial Products and Commercial Services
10. Simplified Acquisition Procedures
11. Contract Administration
12. Ethics and Procurement Integrity
13. Fiscal Law and Appropriations
14. Performance-Based Acquisition
15. Risk Management
16. Documentation and File Management
17. Contract Modifications
18. Quality Assurance and Inspection
19. Terminations and Closeout
20. Professional Judgment and Decision-Making
FAC-C || FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION || ACQUISITION PLANNING ||
MARKET RESEARCH || SOURCE SELECTION || CONTRACT TYPES || COST ANALYSIS
|| PRICE ANALYSIS || SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION || COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS ||
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION || PROCUREMENT INTEGRITY || ETHICS || FISCAL
,LAW || APPROPRIATIONS || PERFORMANCE-BASED ACQUISITION || QUALITY
ASSURANCE || RISK MANAGEMENT || SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ||
DOCUMENTATION || CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS || CONTRACT CLOSEOUT || BEST
VALUE || COMPLIANCE || PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
Disclaimer: This practice testbank is an original educational resource designed to
help candidates prepare for the FAC-C Certification Exam. It does not reproduce,
disclose, or represent actual examination questions.
QUESTION 1.
A contracting officer is developing an acquisition strategy for a recurring requirement
that has historically experienced significant performance variability among
contractors. Which approach most effectively balances mission success with
regulatory compliance?
A. Develop measurable performance outcomes, conduct market research, and align
contract type with performance risk.
B. Select the lowest-priced technically acceptable offer regardless of acquisition
complexity.
C. Use a cost-reimbursement contract for every requirement involving uncertainty.
D. Limit competition to incumbent contractors to reduce transition risk.
Correct Answer: A. Develop measurable performance outcomes, conduct
market research, and align contract type with performance risk.
Explanation: Performance-based planning supported by comprehensive market
research and an appropriate contract type provides the strongest framework for
managing performance risk while complying with acquisition regulations. Lowest
price is not always appropriate, cost-reimbursement contracts are not
automatically justified by uncertainty, and restricting competition without proper
authority conflicts with federal competition requirements.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 2.
,During acquisition planning, market research reveals that multiple commercial
vendors can satisfy the agency's requirement with minimal customization. What is
the most appropriate acquisition strategy?
A. Develop a unique government specification and require all vendors to comply.
B. Acquire commercial products or services using applicable commercial acquisition
procedures whenever appropriate.
C. Require certified cost or pricing data from every vendor before solicitation.
D. Limit competition to vendors with previous government contracts.
Correct Answer: B. Acquire commercial products or services using applicable
commercial acquisition procedures whenever appropriate.
Explanation: Federal acquisition policy encourages the acquisition of commercial
products and commercial services whenever they satisfy agency needs. Creating
unnecessary government-unique specifications, requiring certified cost or pricing
data without justification, or restricting competition unnecessarily would reduce
efficiency and may conflict with applicable regulations.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 3.
A contracting officer receives only one proposal in response to a competitive
solicitation. What should be the primary concern before making an award?
A. Automatically cancel the solicitation.
B. Convert the acquisition to a simplified acquisition.
C. Determine whether the proposed price is fair and reasonable using appropriate
analysis.
D. Award immediately because competition was attempted.
Correct Answer: C. Determine whether the proposed price is fair and
reasonable using appropriate analysis.
Explanation: Receipt of a single offer does not eliminate the government's
responsibility to establish price reasonableness. The contracting officer must
, perform an appropriate analysis before award. Cancellation, procedural conversion,
or immediate award without adequate evaluation would not satisfy acquisition
requirements.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 4.
A program office requests inclusion of overly restrictive technical specifications that
appear to favor one manufacturer without documented justification. What is the
contracting officer's best course of action?
A. Approve the specifications because the requiring activity requested them.
B. Issue the solicitation and address protests if they occur.
C. Delay the acquisition indefinitely.
D. Require the requiring activity to justify the restriction or revise the specifications to
promote full and open competition whenever applicable.
Correct Answer: D. Require the requiring activity to justify the restriction or
revise the specifications to promote full and open competition whenever
applicable.
Explanation: The contracting officer has an independent responsibility to ensure
acquisition requirements comply with competition principles. Restrictive
specifications require proper justification. Simply accepting them, delaying
indefinitely, or waiting for a protest fails to satisfy this responsibility.
────────────────────────────────────────
QUESTION 5.
A contractor proposes significantly lower labor rates than industry norms while
promising exceptional technical performance. Which evaluation concern deserves the
highest priority?
A. Assess whether the proposal demonstrates a realistic understanding of
performance requirements and associated risks.
