OMES CPO EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Non-Collusion Certificate - ✔✔This document is included by the State Purchasing
Director with any bid or proposal submitted to an agency issuing a solicitation
✔✔Title 62 - ✔✔Public Finance is found in this title of the OK Statutes
✔✔Ethics - ✔✔This guards against fraud and corruption
✔✔Amendments - ✔✔All interested parties/potential vendors should be provided this.
✔✔State Use - ✔✔Title 74 Section 3001-3010 is the section of law that establishes
regulations regarding this program
✔✔Practices that restrict fair trade - ✔✔The "Short List":
1. Accept a bid late
2. Use evaluation criteria not stated in the solicitation
3. Unnecessary sole source purchases
4. Improper communication with bidders
5. Restrictions on bidder qualifications
6. Bundling and not allowing for multiple awards
7. Barriers to pre-qualification
8. Brand names and other unnecessary restraints in sepecifications
9. Post-bid specification changes
10. Letters of Intent (LOI) when used in lieu of formal bidding
11. Post-award contract changes
12. Most favored customer pricing
13. Preferences
14. Slow pay
15. Rotation of bidder lists in lieu of inviting all interested parties
16. Long-term contracts
17. Disclosing the budget
18. Confidentiality breach or leaks of inside info
19. Disclosure of proprietary info
✔✔A good ethical rule for procurement - ✔✔"Accept nothing but a handshake and a
business card."
✔✔CPO - ✔✔State agency purchasing officials who are certified by the State
Purchasing Director as per the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act
✔✔Title 74 - ✔✔The Central Purchasing Act is located in this OK Statute.
, ✔✔$50,000 and not exceeding $100,000 - ✔✔When an agency wishes to make a one-
time acquisition in excess of..., they must get certification from OMES that the
acquisition does not conflict with the consolidated statewide spend initiatives
✔✔24 hours - ✔✔Beginning January the year following your CPO class, each CPO is
required to submit this many hours of continuing education every 2 years from the list of
pre-approved classes
✔✔Example of Lowest & Best Acquisition Method - ✔✔Acquisition Method Example:
Where the only factor of importance other than cost is the vendor's ability to deliver the
product by the date needed. Formal eval of the submittals and documentation of
reasons for award determination are required, specifically quality, reliability, and delivery
times.
✔✔Examples of Best Value Acquisition Method - ✔✔Acquisition Method Examples:
operational cost to the agency; quality or technical competency; reliability of delivery
and implementation schedules; facilitation of data transfer and system integrations;
warranties, guarantees and the bidder's return policy; bidder's financial stability;
adherence to the agency's planning/strategic program plans; bidder's industry and
program experience with similar scope and complexity; anticipated acceptance by user
groups; and, use of proven development methodology and innovative use of current
tech that lead to quality results.
✔✔ Procurement - ✔✔Purchasing, renting leasing or otherwise acquiring any supplies,
services or construction; includes all functions that pertain to the acquisition, including
description of requirements, selection & solicitation of sources, preparation & award of
contract, & all phases of contract administration
✔✔Good Faith - ✔✔Each party must act with honesty & integrity & should not attempt to
deceive or defraud another party
✔✔Fiduciary Duty - ✔✔"An individual's obligation to serve the best interests of selected
stakeholders [taxpayers], especially those of their employer [the state]" - NASPO
✔✔Primary objective of public procurement - ✔✔Satisfy the minimum need of the
organization
✔✔Barriers to maximum competition that disenable smaller bidders to compete -
✔✔Making solicitations unnecessarily restrictive and "bundling" items or services so that
smaller bidders are unable to compete
Ex: Requiring a statewide 2-hour response time on a maintenance contract that restricts
the award to one vendor. A multiple-award option increases competition.
✔✔Private sector vs. public sector procurement - ✔✔§ In the private sector, a buyer can
do whatever is not prohibited by law
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Non-Collusion Certificate - ✔✔This document is included by the State Purchasing
Director with any bid or proposal submitted to an agency issuing a solicitation
✔✔Title 62 - ✔✔Public Finance is found in this title of the OK Statutes
✔✔Ethics - ✔✔This guards against fraud and corruption
✔✔Amendments - ✔✔All interested parties/potential vendors should be provided this.
✔✔State Use - ✔✔Title 74 Section 3001-3010 is the section of law that establishes
regulations regarding this program
✔✔Practices that restrict fair trade - ✔✔The "Short List":
1. Accept a bid late
2. Use evaluation criteria not stated in the solicitation
3. Unnecessary sole source purchases
4. Improper communication with bidders
5. Restrictions on bidder qualifications
6. Bundling and not allowing for multiple awards
7. Barriers to pre-qualification
8. Brand names and other unnecessary restraints in sepecifications
9. Post-bid specification changes
10. Letters of Intent (LOI) when used in lieu of formal bidding
11. Post-award contract changes
12. Most favored customer pricing
13. Preferences
14. Slow pay
15. Rotation of bidder lists in lieu of inviting all interested parties
16. Long-term contracts
17. Disclosing the budget
18. Confidentiality breach or leaks of inside info
19. Disclosure of proprietary info
✔✔A good ethical rule for procurement - ✔✔"Accept nothing but a handshake and a
business card."
✔✔CPO - ✔✔State agency purchasing officials who are certified by the State
Purchasing Director as per the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act
✔✔Title 74 - ✔✔The Central Purchasing Act is located in this OK Statute.
, ✔✔$50,000 and not exceeding $100,000 - ✔✔When an agency wishes to make a one-
time acquisition in excess of..., they must get certification from OMES that the
acquisition does not conflict with the consolidated statewide spend initiatives
✔✔24 hours - ✔✔Beginning January the year following your CPO class, each CPO is
required to submit this many hours of continuing education every 2 years from the list of
pre-approved classes
✔✔Example of Lowest & Best Acquisition Method - ✔✔Acquisition Method Example:
Where the only factor of importance other than cost is the vendor's ability to deliver the
product by the date needed. Formal eval of the submittals and documentation of
reasons for award determination are required, specifically quality, reliability, and delivery
times.
✔✔Examples of Best Value Acquisition Method - ✔✔Acquisition Method Examples:
operational cost to the agency; quality or technical competency; reliability of delivery
and implementation schedules; facilitation of data transfer and system integrations;
warranties, guarantees and the bidder's return policy; bidder's financial stability;
adherence to the agency's planning/strategic program plans; bidder's industry and
program experience with similar scope and complexity; anticipated acceptance by user
groups; and, use of proven development methodology and innovative use of current
tech that lead to quality results.
✔✔ Procurement - ✔✔Purchasing, renting leasing or otherwise acquiring any supplies,
services or construction; includes all functions that pertain to the acquisition, including
description of requirements, selection & solicitation of sources, preparation & award of
contract, & all phases of contract administration
✔✔Good Faith - ✔✔Each party must act with honesty & integrity & should not attempt to
deceive or defraud another party
✔✔Fiduciary Duty - ✔✔"An individual's obligation to serve the best interests of selected
stakeholders [taxpayers], especially those of their employer [the state]" - NASPO
✔✔Primary objective of public procurement - ✔✔Satisfy the minimum need of the
organization
✔✔Barriers to maximum competition that disenable smaller bidders to compete -
✔✔Making solicitations unnecessarily restrictive and "bundling" items or services so that
smaller bidders are unable to compete
Ex: Requiring a statewide 2-hour response time on a maintenance contract that restricts
the award to one vendor. A multiple-award option increases competition.
✔✔Private sector vs. public sector procurement - ✔✔§ In the private sector, a buyer can
do whatever is not prohibited by law
