Plan Negotiations

Question 1

Discussions take place after the establishment of the competitive range.

True

False

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The contracting officer MAY limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals.

True

False

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Communications may be conducted to enhance Government understanding of proposals; allow reasonable interpretation of the proposal; or facilitate the Government’s evaluation process.

True

False

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Clarifications allow an offeror the opportunity to clarify certain aspects of their proposal.

True

False

Answer 4

True

Question 5

The contracting officer MAY NOT limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals.

True

False

Answer 5

False

Question 6

The pre-negotiation objective assists in the contracting officer’s determination of a fair and reasonable price.

True

False

Answer 6

True

Question 7

A PNM shall only include the purpose of the negotiation.

True

False

Answer 7

False

Question 8

The contracting officer shall establish pre-negotiation objectives before the negotiation of any pricing action.

True

False

Answer 8

True

Question 9

Communications are exchanges of information with offerors prior to the establishment of the competitive range. What are communications to be used for?

a. To address adverse past performance information that an offeror has not had a previous opportunity to address
b. To correct material omissions in price proposals
c. To correct material omissions in technical proposals
d. To negotiate prices with offerors

Answer 9

a. To address adverse past performance information that an offeror has not had a previous opportunity to address

Question 10

What are clarifications?

a. Any oral and/or written exchange between the government and an offeror
b. Limited exchanges that occur when the CO anticipates award without discussions
c. The same thing as discussions
d. Conversations used to resolve deficiencies in proposals

Answer 10

b. Limited exchanges that occur when the CO anticipates award without discussions

Question 11

You have received proposals in response to your solicitation for the delivery, installation, and training for laboratory equipment at your agency’s facility located in Greenville, SC. The SSET has established the competitive range. At this point, your CO would like to conduct exchanges with each vendor with the goal of maximizing the government’s ability to obtain best value. Which type of exchange would be best suited for this situation?

a. Clarifications
b. Communications
c. Discussions
d. All of the above

Answer 11

c. Discussions

Question 12

Which offerors are included in the competitive range?

a. Those in the lowest price range
b. Those that have any chance of winning award
c. Those with the best technical proposals
d. Those with the most highly rated proposals

Answer 12

d. Those with the most highly rated proposals

Question 13

If discussions are held, who must discussions be held with?

a. Only with offerors in the competitive range who have documented deficiencies in their proposals
b. Only with the top three offerors of the competitive range
c. With all offerors in the competitive range
d. With all offerors in and out of the competitive range

Answer 13

c. With all offerors in the competitive range

Question 14

What activity is appropriate during discussions?

a. “Coaching” an offeror on how to make its offer more competitive
b. Indicating to the offeror the cost or price necessary to remain in competition
c. Advising the offeror of deficiencies and significant weaknesses in its proposal
d. Informing the offeror where its proposal is ranked in comparison to other proposals

Answer 14

c. Advising the offeror of deficiencies and significant weaknesses in its proposal

Question 15

Blue’s proposal was rated “marginal,” but its price was the lowest of the five proposals evaluated. However, the technical evaluation team found Blue’s proposal did not comply with a number of solicitation requirements, which the source selection officials found to be proposal deficiencies. Blue’s proposal would have required extensive revisions to become compliant with the RFP requirements.
The RFP stated the government intended to award without discussions. The government awarded to Red, without discussions. Red’s proposal met the RFP requirements, offered a fair and reasonable price, and was thus selected to be the best value for the government. Blue argues that the government was required to seek clarifications for their deficiencies. Did the government act appropriately?

a. Yes, the Agency acted appropriately since clarifications may not be used to cure proposal deficiencies or material omissions, or otherwise revise the proposal
b. No, the Agency was required to engage in discussions since Blue had the lowest priced offer
c. No, the Agency should have engaged in clarifications with Blue to allow them to materially alter the technical elements of their proposal
d. No, the Agency should have engaged in clarifications with Blue and allowed Blue to submit a revised proposal

Answer 15

a. Yes, the Agency acted appropriately since clarifications may not be used to cure proposal deficiencies or material omissions, or otherwise revise the proposal

Question 16

After the closing date for receipt of proposals, Yellow informed the contracting officer (CO) that there was a problem with their proposal. Yellow acknowledged that its proposal did not satisfy solicitation requirements and requested that it be allowed to offer a different design to satisfy the solicitation requirements. The CO conferred with Yellow and permitted them to revise their proposal. Which statement is true regarding the CO’s action?

a. The CO’s decision to allow Yellow to revise its proposal would be a protestable action if the other offerors were not given the same opportunity
b. Even if the agency found Yellow’s proposal to be technically unacceptable, the agency was still required to consider Yellow’s lower proposed price in its tradeoff decision
c. The CO’s decision to accept a revised proposal from Yellow was appropriate even if the identified concerns were deficiencies and could only have been corrected through discussions
d. “Clarifications” may be used to cure proposal deficiencies or material omissions, materially alter the technical or cost elements of the proposal, or otherwise revise the proposal

Answer 16

a. The CO’s decision to allow Yellow to revise its proposal would be a protestable action if the other offerors were not given the same opportunity

Question 17

You have evaluated all proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria in the solicitation and are planning on making award without discussions. Which of the following steps must you take and why?

a. Establish the competitive range, since you must first rank all offers
b. Ensure that there are no limited exchanges with offerors, since it is not permitted
c. Be sure that the appropriate provision was in the solicitation, since you must inform the offerors that the Government intends to award without discussions
d. Negotiate only with those offerors having minor deficiencies

Answer 17

c. Be sure that the appropriate provision was in the solicitation, since you must inform the offerors that the Government intends to award without discussions

Question 18

The price negotiation memorandum (PNM) must contain all of the following EXCEPT:

a. The purpose of the negotiation
b. The extent to which the contracting officer relied on certified cost or pricing data and data other than certified cost or pricing data
c. The basis for the profit or fee pre-negotiation objective and the profit or fee negotiated
d. A description of the acquisition

Answer 18

b. The extent to which the contracting officer relied on certified cost or pricing data and data other than certified cost or pricing data

Question 19

True or False: Bargaining only applies to price.

Answer 19

False

Question 20

True or False: Evaluation Notices (ENs) are required when awarding under FAR part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

Answer 20

False

Question 21

True or False: FAR parts other than FAR part 15 do not require the formal types of exchanges (clarifications, communications and discussions).

Answer 21

True. There are no formal types of exchanges when using the other FAR parts to award a contract.