BACK TO BASIC CERTIFICATION CONTRACTING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What are the 3 phases of contract life cycle? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Pre-Award, Award, and Post-
Award
The Pre-award phase consists of 2 primary activities, what are they? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Develop
Solicitation and Develop Offer
What one activity is in the award phase? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Form the Contract
The post-award phase is comprised of 2 primary activities, what are they? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Perform Contract and Close Contract
Who develops a solitication? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Government and the buyer
Who prepares an offer? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Contractor and the seller
During the post-award phase while the contract is being performed, who has the responsibility for
quality? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The seller
What is the means by acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services by and for
the use of the Federal Government through purchase or lease? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Acquisition
What FAR part covers personal conflict of interest? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅FAR Part 3
What FAR part covers organizational conflict of interest? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅FAR Part 9
Who has the authority to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with law, to determine the
application of rules, regulations, and policies, on a specific contract? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The
Contracting Officer
,Openness for the contracting officer applies primarily to? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Acquisition
Team, Contractor, Offerors, and The Contracting Team
What is a Determination and Findings (D&F)? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Determination is a conclusion or
decision supported by the findings.
What is a special form of written approval by an authorized official that is required by statute or
regulation as a prerequisite to taking certain contract actions. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Determination
and Findings (D&F)
What is it called when a practice of conducting acquisition actions of any kind at any stage of the
acquisition process that is inconsistent with the FAR? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Deviation
What is a summary of the contractor's proposal, any field pricing assistance recommendations, including
the reasons for any pertinent variances from them, the Government's negotiation objective, and the
negotiated position. Where the determination of a fair and reasonable price is based on cost analysis,
the summary shall address each major cost element. When determination of a fair and reasonable price
is based on price analysis, the summary shall include the source and type of data used to support the
determination. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Negotiation
You need to document a business decision, such as the use of a specific contract type. What document
will you create? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Determination and Findings (D&F)
At the conclusion of negotiations, the contracting officer will complete a what? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Price Negotiation Memorandum (PNM)
Prior to negotiation a sole source contract, the contracting officer must complete a what? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Justification and Approval (J&A)
This form is used to award negotiated contracts in which signatures of both parties on a single
document is appropriate. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 26 - Award/Contract
,This form is used to amend any solicitation or modify any contract. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 30 -
Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract
This form may be used to award either negotiated contracts or contracts utilizing sealed bidding. -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 33 - Solicitation, Offer, and Award
This form is used for soliciting offers and awarding contracts expected to exceed the simplified
acquisition threshold. These acquisitions must be for: (1) construction, alteration or repair; OR (2)
dismantling, demolition, or removal of improvements. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 1442 - Solicitation,
Offer & Award
This form is required for solicitations for commercial items if the acquisition will exceed the simplified
acquisition threshold. It is encouraged for commercial acquisitions not exceeding the simplified
acquisition threshold. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 1449 - Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial
Items
This form is used for placing orders under indefinite-delivery contracts or if the SF 1449 is not used
under simplified acquisition procedures. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅DD 1155 - Order for Supplies or
Services
This form is used to facilitate a structured approach to profit/fee analysis. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅DD
1547 - Record of Weighted Guidelines Application
What aids both the Government and contractor personnel to (1) achieve a clear and mutual
understanding of all contract requirements, and (2) identify and resolve potential problems. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Postaward Orientation
What is the general rule for ethical behavior? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The general rule is to avoid
strictly any conflict of interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest in Government-contractor
relationships.
What was passed to deter subcontractors from making payments and contractors from accepting
payments for the purpose of improperly obtaining or rewarding favorable treatment in connection with
a prime contract or a subcontract relating to a prime contract? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Anti-
Kickback Act of 1986
, Any contractor bid or proposal information delivered to the Government with restrictions on its use,
modification, reproduction, release, performance, or display may not be provided to third parties unless
the intended recipient completes and signs a what? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Non-Disclosure
Agreement
A what is a situation in which a covered employee has a financial interest, personal activity, or
relationship that could impair the employee's ability to act impartially and in the best interest of the
Government when performing under the contract. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Personal Conflict of Interest
A contracting officer shall not knowingly award a contract to WHO or to a business concern or other
organization owned or substantially owned by this person (FAR 3.601). - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a
Government employee
What does OCI stand for? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Organizational Conflicts of Interest
An what is the existence of a set of circumstances in which a contractor may be unable to render
impartial advice to the government, or might have impaired objectivity in performing contracted work,
or may obtain an unfair competitive advantage in the marketplace when competing for government
work where that unfair advantage is obtained performing a government contract. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)
What are the 3 broad categories of OCI? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅(1) Unequal Access, (2) Impaired
Objectivity, and (3) Biased Ground Rules
What is an unfair competitive advantage typically surfaces when a contractor obtains information not
generally available to competitors where such information would assist the contractor in winning the
contract award? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Unequal Access (part of OCI)
This may happen when a support contractor is performing duties that involve assessing or evaluating
itself or a related entity. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Impaired Objectivity (part of OCI)
ANSWERS
What are the 3 phases of contract life cycle? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Pre-Award, Award, and Post-
Award
The Pre-award phase consists of 2 primary activities, what are they? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Develop
Solicitation and Develop Offer
What one activity is in the award phase? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Form the Contract
The post-award phase is comprised of 2 primary activities, what are they? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Perform Contract and Close Contract
Who develops a solitication? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Government and the buyer
Who prepares an offer? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Contractor and the seller
During the post-award phase while the contract is being performed, who has the responsibility for
quality? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The seller
What is the means by acquiring by contract with appropriated funds of supplies or services by and for
the use of the Federal Government through purchase or lease? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Acquisition
What FAR part covers personal conflict of interest? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅FAR Part 3
What FAR part covers organizational conflict of interest? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅FAR Part 9
Who has the authority to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with law, to determine the
application of rules, regulations, and policies, on a specific contract? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The
Contracting Officer
,Openness for the contracting officer applies primarily to? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Acquisition
Team, Contractor, Offerors, and The Contracting Team
What is a Determination and Findings (D&F)? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Determination is a conclusion or
decision supported by the findings.
What is a special form of written approval by an authorized official that is required by statute or
regulation as a prerequisite to taking certain contract actions. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Determination
and Findings (D&F)
What is it called when a practice of conducting acquisition actions of any kind at any stage of the
acquisition process that is inconsistent with the FAR? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Deviation
What is a summary of the contractor's proposal, any field pricing assistance recommendations, including
the reasons for any pertinent variances from them, the Government's negotiation objective, and the
negotiated position. Where the determination of a fair and reasonable price is based on cost analysis,
the summary shall address each major cost element. When determination of a fair and reasonable price
is based on price analysis, the summary shall include the source and type of data used to support the
determination. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Negotiation
You need to document a business decision, such as the use of a specific contract type. What document
will you create? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Determination and Findings (D&F)
At the conclusion of negotiations, the contracting officer will complete a what? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Price Negotiation Memorandum (PNM)
Prior to negotiation a sole source contract, the contracting officer must complete a what? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Justification and Approval (J&A)
This form is used to award negotiated contracts in which signatures of both parties on a single
document is appropriate. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 26 - Award/Contract
,This form is used to amend any solicitation or modify any contract. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 30 -
Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract
This form may be used to award either negotiated contracts or contracts utilizing sealed bidding. -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 33 - Solicitation, Offer, and Award
This form is used for soliciting offers and awarding contracts expected to exceed the simplified
acquisition threshold. These acquisitions must be for: (1) construction, alteration or repair; OR (2)
dismantling, demolition, or removal of improvements. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 1442 - Solicitation,
Offer & Award
This form is required for solicitations for commercial items if the acquisition will exceed the simplified
acquisition threshold. It is encouraged for commercial acquisitions not exceeding the simplified
acquisition threshold. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅SF 1449 - Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial
Items
This form is used for placing orders under indefinite-delivery contracts or if the SF 1449 is not used
under simplified acquisition procedures. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅DD 1155 - Order for Supplies or
Services
This form is used to facilitate a structured approach to profit/fee analysis. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅DD
1547 - Record of Weighted Guidelines Application
What aids both the Government and contractor personnel to (1) achieve a clear and mutual
understanding of all contract requirements, and (2) identify and resolve potential problems. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Postaward Orientation
What is the general rule for ethical behavior? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The general rule is to avoid
strictly any conflict of interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest in Government-contractor
relationships.
What was passed to deter subcontractors from making payments and contractors from accepting
payments for the purpose of improperly obtaining or rewarding favorable treatment in connection with
a prime contract or a subcontract relating to a prime contract? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The Anti-
Kickback Act of 1986
, Any contractor bid or proposal information delivered to the Government with restrictions on its use,
modification, reproduction, release, performance, or display may not be provided to third parties unless
the intended recipient completes and signs a what? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A Non-Disclosure
Agreement
A what is a situation in which a covered employee has a financial interest, personal activity, or
relationship that could impair the employee's ability to act impartially and in the best interest of the
Government when performing under the contract. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Personal Conflict of Interest
A contracting officer shall not knowingly award a contract to WHO or to a business concern or other
organization owned or substantially owned by this person (FAR 3.601). - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a
Government employee
What does OCI stand for? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Organizational Conflicts of Interest
An what is the existence of a set of circumstances in which a contractor may be unable to render
impartial advice to the government, or might have impaired objectivity in performing contracted work,
or may obtain an unfair competitive advantage in the marketplace when competing for government
work where that unfair advantage is obtained performing a government contract. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)
What are the 3 broad categories of OCI? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅(1) Unequal Access, (2) Impaired
Objectivity, and (3) Biased Ground Rules
What is an unfair competitive advantage typically surfaces when a contractor obtains information not
generally available to competitors where such information would assist the contractor in winning the
contract award? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Unequal Access (part of OCI)
This may happen when a support contractor is performing duties that involve assessing or evaluating
itself or a related entity. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Impaired Objectivity (part of OCI)
