CTCM FINAL EXAMS 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Statewide Mail Operations - ✔✔Mail operations services to state agencies and
universities
• Delivery and collection of interagency mail
• Delivery and collection of state warrants
• Mail equipment purchase, leasing and service renewals and approvals for state
agency requests
• Outgoing mail
• Guidelines for mail handling
• USPS liaison
✔✔Electronic State Business Daily(ESBD) - ✔✔Available application on the SPD portal
• Used for posting solicitations
o Informs potential contracting opportunities
o Notification of contract awards
• Solicitations valued $25,000 + required to post on ESBD
• See "Solicitation Posting Requirements" section in the handbook
• Access to and use of ESBD
✔✔Texas Smartbuy Online Ordering System - ✔✔• Statewide Term Contracts
o Procured and managed by SPD
o Requires a purchase order through Texas Smartbuy ordering system
• TXMAS Contracts
o Local governments wanting to purchase from SPD contracts must become members
of Texas Smartbuy.
✔✔Vendor Performance Tracking System(VPTS) - ✔✔System collects vendor
performance reports from state agencies.
• Agencies must submit vendor performance reports for contracts of $25,000 or greater
• System is used for
o Scoring vendors
o Tracking vendor performance
o Supplying information to state agencies
• Provides vendors with an opportunity to respond to negative performance reviews
• Statutorily required: 34 TAC RULE 20.115
✔✔Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS) - ✔✔• TXMAS contracts to supplement
the term contracts issued and negotiated by SPD
• Prior to purchasing from TXMAS contract, state agencies must follow applicable
statues, as required and purchase from TIBH, TCI and SPD term contracts first (Does
not apply to local governments)
, ✔✔Agency Procurement Plans - ✔✔• Procurement Plans are due annually to the
Comptroller's Office by November 30th
• TAC 20.132
• Remember:
o Keep contract information updated and current
o The more details provided the better as this helps what SPD puts in term contracts.
o Template available on Texas Comptroller website
✔✔Conflicts of Interest - ✔✔• Has a controlling interest
• Owns a percentage of the voting interest
• Owns more than $25,000 of the fair market value
• Holds shares, stocks or other direct/indirect participation in more than 10 percent of
profits, proceeds or capital gains.
• Serves on the board of directors
• Serves as an elected officer
• Is an employee
• Could reasonably foresee that a contract with the vendor would result in a personal
financial benefit.
✔✔Consanguinity - ✔✔Includes individuals related by blood to the official or employee
✔✔Affinity - ✔✔Includes an official's or employee's spouse and individuals related to the
spouse
✔✔Nepotism - ✔✔a form of conflict of interest involves an explicit act of using one's
position to favor a relative.
• Contract Developer must submit the SAO (State Auditor's Office) Nepotism Disclosure
to the agency's administrative head.
✔✔Disclosure of Interested Parties (1295 FORM) - ✔✔• State agency employees must
also monitor businesses whose agency has entered into a contractual agreement.
• Business with a contract of $1M in value is required to complete and submit a 1295
form prior to entering into the contract.
• 1295 Form is available online and submitted to the State Ethic's Commission for
certification.
✔✔Bribery - ✔✔• It's Prohibited
• Defined: The act or practice of accepting or giving a bribe
• Bribe: Money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to
corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person's performance as an
athlete, public official.
• Texas Government Code 572.051 - Employees that engage in bribery may be
terminated from their position and may be subject to civil or criminal penalties.
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Statewide Mail Operations - ✔✔Mail operations services to state agencies and
universities
• Delivery and collection of interagency mail
• Delivery and collection of state warrants
• Mail equipment purchase, leasing and service renewals and approvals for state
agency requests
• Outgoing mail
• Guidelines for mail handling
• USPS liaison
✔✔Electronic State Business Daily(ESBD) - ✔✔Available application on the SPD portal
• Used for posting solicitations
o Informs potential contracting opportunities
o Notification of contract awards
• Solicitations valued $25,000 + required to post on ESBD
• See "Solicitation Posting Requirements" section in the handbook
• Access to and use of ESBD
✔✔Texas Smartbuy Online Ordering System - ✔✔• Statewide Term Contracts
o Procured and managed by SPD
o Requires a purchase order through Texas Smartbuy ordering system
• TXMAS Contracts
o Local governments wanting to purchase from SPD contracts must become members
of Texas Smartbuy.
✔✔Vendor Performance Tracking System(VPTS) - ✔✔System collects vendor
performance reports from state agencies.
• Agencies must submit vendor performance reports for contracts of $25,000 or greater
• System is used for
o Scoring vendors
o Tracking vendor performance
o Supplying information to state agencies
• Provides vendors with an opportunity to respond to negative performance reviews
• Statutorily required: 34 TAC RULE 20.115
✔✔Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS) - ✔✔• TXMAS contracts to supplement
the term contracts issued and negotiated by SPD
• Prior to purchasing from TXMAS contract, state agencies must follow applicable
statues, as required and purchase from TIBH, TCI and SPD term contracts first (Does
not apply to local governments)
, ✔✔Agency Procurement Plans - ✔✔• Procurement Plans are due annually to the
Comptroller's Office by November 30th
• TAC 20.132
• Remember:
o Keep contract information updated and current
o The more details provided the better as this helps what SPD puts in term contracts.
o Template available on Texas Comptroller website
✔✔Conflicts of Interest - ✔✔• Has a controlling interest
• Owns a percentage of the voting interest
• Owns more than $25,000 of the fair market value
• Holds shares, stocks or other direct/indirect participation in more than 10 percent of
profits, proceeds or capital gains.
• Serves on the board of directors
• Serves as an elected officer
• Is an employee
• Could reasonably foresee that a contract with the vendor would result in a personal
financial benefit.
✔✔Consanguinity - ✔✔Includes individuals related by blood to the official or employee
✔✔Affinity - ✔✔Includes an official's or employee's spouse and individuals related to the
spouse
✔✔Nepotism - ✔✔a form of conflict of interest involves an explicit act of using one's
position to favor a relative.
• Contract Developer must submit the SAO (State Auditor's Office) Nepotism Disclosure
to the agency's administrative head.
✔✔Disclosure of Interested Parties (1295 FORM) - ✔✔• State agency employees must
also monitor businesses whose agency has entered into a contractual agreement.
• Business with a contract of $1M in value is required to complete and submit a 1295
form prior to entering into the contract.
• 1295 Form is available online and submitted to the State Ethic's Commission for
certification.
✔✔Bribery - ✔✔• It's Prohibited
• Defined: The act or practice of accepting or giving a bribe
• Bribe: Money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to
corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person's performance as an
athlete, public official.
• Texas Government Code 572.051 - Employees that engage in bribery may be
terminated from their position and may be subject to civil or criminal penalties.
