CON 3990V Certification Exam (Actual Exam ) | Complete Questions and Correct
Answers | Graded A+ | Verified Answers | Latest Version | Brand New Version!
Question 1
When acquiring commercial products or services under FAR Part 12, which party is primarily
responsible for the quality assurance and control of the supplies or services being provided?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
C) The Contractor (KTR)
D) The Requiring Activity's Technical Representative
E) The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)
Correct Answer: C) The KTR
Rationale: Per FAR Part 12, the Government relies on the contractor’s existing quality
assurance systems as a substitute for Government inspection and testing. In commercial
acquisitions, the contractor is responsible for ensuring that the products or services meet
the contract requirements and the quality standards prevalent in the commercial
marketplace.
Question 2
Which of the following contract modifications is considered a bilateral action and must be signed
by both the Contractor (KTR) and the Contracting Officer (KO) to be legally binding?
A) An administrative change to the paying office address
B) An agreement definitizing a letter contract
C) A unilateral change order issued under the Changes clause
D) An exercise of an option by the Government
E) A termination notice for the convenience of the Government
Correct Answer: B) An agreement definitizing a letter contract
Rationale: Bilateral modifications (supplemental agreements) are used to incorporate
negotiated equitable adjustments, definitize letter contracts, or reflect other agreements of
the parties. Both signatures are required to reflect mutual agreement on the finalized
terms, whereas administrative changes, change orders, and options are typically unilateral
actions.
Question 3
If a Contractor (KTR) does not agree with the Contracting Officer’s (KO) final decision
regarding a claim submitted under the Disputes statute, to which specific entity may they appeal
the decision?
A) The Small Business Administration (SBA)
B) The Government Accountability Office (GAO)
C) The United States Court of Federal Claims
D) The Department of Justice (DOJ)
E) The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
, 2
Correct Answer: C) The United States Court of Federal Claims
Rationale: Under the Contract Disputes Act, a contractor who is dissatisfied with a KO's
final decision has two primary paths for appeal: they can file an appeal with the Board of
Contract Appeals (BCA) within 90 days, or they can bring an action directly to the United
States Court of Federal Claims within 12 months of receiving the decision.
Question 4
During the preparation of a solicitation, who is responsible for developing the specific quality
requirements that are essential to ensure the integrity and functionality of the supplies or
services?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA)
C) The activity responsible for technical requirements
D) The legal counsel office
E) The end-user of the product only
Correct Answer: C) The activity responsible for technical requirements
Rationale: The requiring or technical activity is responsible for identifying the essential
quality requirements (e.g., specifications, standards, or performance criteria). The
Contracting Officer then incorporates these requirements into the solicitation and resulting
contract, but the technical expertise resides with the requiring activity.
Question 5
When a Contracting Officer is performing quality assurance on contract actions valued below the
Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), what is the standard level of Government inspection
required?
A) Comprehensive 100% testing of all units
B) Minimal inspection, unless a special circumstance exists
C) DCMA-led onsite quality audits
D) Mandatory third-party laboratory verification
E) No inspection is permitted under any circumstances
Correct Answer: B) Minimal unless a special circumstance exists
Rationale: Per FAR Part 46, for acquisitions at or below the SAT, the Government shall
generally rely on the contractor's check of quality. Government inspection shall be minimal
and limited to checking for type and quantity, damage in transit, and "apparent" defects,
unless a more detailed inspection is warranted by the complexity or criticality of the item.
Question 6
A Contracting Officer decides to terminate a $260,000 commercial contract because the
contractor has completely failed to perform the services required in the Statement of Work.
Under FAR Part 12, what specific type of termination is this?
, 3
A) Termination for Convenience
B) Termination for Default
C) Termination for Cause
D) Termination for Performance Failure
E) Termination for Insolvency
Correct Answer: C) Termination for Cause
Rationale: FAR Part 12, which governs commercial items, uses the term "Termination for
Cause" when the Government terminates a contract due to the contractor’s failure to
comply with contract terms or for failure to provide the Government with adequate
assurances of future performance. This differs from FAR Part 49, which uses "Termination
for Default" for non-commercial acquisitions.
Question 7
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the requirement for a Small Business
Subcontracting Plan?
A) Required for all contracts regardless of dollar value
B) Required for contracts with small businesses only
C) Not required for contracts with large businesses performed entirely overseas
D) Required for all commercial contracts under the SAT
E) Required for all personal services contracts
Correct Answer: C) Not required for contracts with large businesses performed overseas
Rationale: Small Business Subcontracting Plans are required for large business contractors
when the contract value exceeds the threshold (currently $750,000, or $1.5M for
construction) and offers subcontracting possibilities. However, they are NOT required for
contracts performed entirely outside of the United States and its outlying areas.
Question 8
In the FAR system, the clause found at FAR 52.215-1 is titled:
A) Commercial Items
B) Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition
C) Small Business Subcontracting Plan
D) Disputes
E) Changes—Fixed-Price
Correct Answer: B) Competitive Acquisition
Rationale: FAR 52.215-1 provides instructions to offerors for competitive acquisitions under
FAR Part 15. It covers essential rules such as proposal submission deadlines, the
Government’s right to award without discussions, and how late proposals are handled.
, 4
Question 9
The Government needs to establish a janitorial services contract valued at $2.8 million for an
entire military installation. Which FAR Part should be the primary guide for this acquisition?
A) FAR Part 15 (Negotiations)
B) FAR Part 36 (Construction)
C) FAR Part 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Items)
D) FAR Part 8 (Required Sources)
E) FAR Part 16 (Contract Types)
Correct Answer: C) FAR Part 12 - Acquisition of Commercial Items
Rationale: Janitorial services are a staple of the commercial marketplace. Therefore, per the
mandate in FAR Part 10 (Market Research) and FAR Part 12, the Government must use
commercial procedures to the maximum extent practicable for the acquisition of these
services, regardless of the high dollar value.
Question 10
In the Federal Acquisition process, who is the individual specifically responsible for developing
and issuing the solicitation to the public?
A) The Program Manager
B) The Requiring Activity Lead
C) The Contracting Officer (KO)
D) The Source Selection Authority
E) The Small Business Professional
Correct Answer: C) KO
Rationale: The Contracting Officer (KO) is the only individual with the legal authority to
bind the Government. While many team members contribute to the requirements, the KO
is responsible for the actual development, publication, and management of the solicitation
and the resulting contract.
Question 11
Before a solicitation is released to the public, which official is responsible for approving the
acquisition plan and strategy to ensure that evaluation factors are properly aligned with the
requirements?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Source Selection Authority (SSA)
C) The Agency Head
D) The Chief of the Contracting Office
E) The Legal Counsel
Correct Answer: B) Source Selection Authority
Rationale: The SSA is the individual designated to make the final source selection decision.
Answers | Graded A+ | Verified Answers | Latest Version | Brand New Version!
Question 1
When acquiring commercial products or services under FAR Part 12, which party is primarily
responsible for the quality assurance and control of the supplies or services being provided?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)
C) The Contractor (KTR)
D) The Requiring Activity's Technical Representative
E) The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)
Correct Answer: C) The KTR
Rationale: Per FAR Part 12, the Government relies on the contractor’s existing quality
assurance systems as a substitute for Government inspection and testing. In commercial
acquisitions, the contractor is responsible for ensuring that the products or services meet
the contract requirements and the quality standards prevalent in the commercial
marketplace.
Question 2
Which of the following contract modifications is considered a bilateral action and must be signed
by both the Contractor (KTR) and the Contracting Officer (KO) to be legally binding?
A) An administrative change to the paying office address
B) An agreement definitizing a letter contract
C) A unilateral change order issued under the Changes clause
D) An exercise of an option by the Government
E) A termination notice for the convenience of the Government
Correct Answer: B) An agreement definitizing a letter contract
Rationale: Bilateral modifications (supplemental agreements) are used to incorporate
negotiated equitable adjustments, definitize letter contracts, or reflect other agreements of
the parties. Both signatures are required to reflect mutual agreement on the finalized
terms, whereas administrative changes, change orders, and options are typically unilateral
actions.
Question 3
If a Contractor (KTR) does not agree with the Contracting Officer’s (KO) final decision
regarding a claim submitted under the Disputes statute, to which specific entity may they appeal
the decision?
A) The Small Business Administration (SBA)
B) The Government Accountability Office (GAO)
C) The United States Court of Federal Claims
D) The Department of Justice (DOJ)
E) The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
, 2
Correct Answer: C) The United States Court of Federal Claims
Rationale: Under the Contract Disputes Act, a contractor who is dissatisfied with a KO's
final decision has two primary paths for appeal: they can file an appeal with the Board of
Contract Appeals (BCA) within 90 days, or they can bring an action directly to the United
States Court of Federal Claims within 12 months of receiving the decision.
Question 4
During the preparation of a solicitation, who is responsible for developing the specific quality
requirements that are essential to ensure the integrity and functionality of the supplies or
services?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA)
C) The activity responsible for technical requirements
D) The legal counsel office
E) The end-user of the product only
Correct Answer: C) The activity responsible for technical requirements
Rationale: The requiring or technical activity is responsible for identifying the essential
quality requirements (e.g., specifications, standards, or performance criteria). The
Contracting Officer then incorporates these requirements into the solicitation and resulting
contract, but the technical expertise resides with the requiring activity.
Question 5
When a Contracting Officer is performing quality assurance on contract actions valued below the
Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), what is the standard level of Government inspection
required?
A) Comprehensive 100% testing of all units
B) Minimal inspection, unless a special circumstance exists
C) DCMA-led onsite quality audits
D) Mandatory third-party laboratory verification
E) No inspection is permitted under any circumstances
Correct Answer: B) Minimal unless a special circumstance exists
Rationale: Per FAR Part 46, for acquisitions at or below the SAT, the Government shall
generally rely on the contractor's check of quality. Government inspection shall be minimal
and limited to checking for type and quantity, damage in transit, and "apparent" defects,
unless a more detailed inspection is warranted by the complexity or criticality of the item.
Question 6
A Contracting Officer decides to terminate a $260,000 commercial contract because the
contractor has completely failed to perform the services required in the Statement of Work.
Under FAR Part 12, what specific type of termination is this?
, 3
A) Termination for Convenience
B) Termination for Default
C) Termination for Cause
D) Termination for Performance Failure
E) Termination for Insolvency
Correct Answer: C) Termination for Cause
Rationale: FAR Part 12, which governs commercial items, uses the term "Termination for
Cause" when the Government terminates a contract due to the contractor’s failure to
comply with contract terms or for failure to provide the Government with adequate
assurances of future performance. This differs from FAR Part 49, which uses "Termination
for Default" for non-commercial acquisitions.
Question 7
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the requirement for a Small Business
Subcontracting Plan?
A) Required for all contracts regardless of dollar value
B) Required for contracts with small businesses only
C) Not required for contracts with large businesses performed entirely overseas
D) Required for all commercial contracts under the SAT
E) Required for all personal services contracts
Correct Answer: C) Not required for contracts with large businesses performed overseas
Rationale: Small Business Subcontracting Plans are required for large business contractors
when the contract value exceeds the threshold (currently $750,000, or $1.5M for
construction) and offers subcontracting possibilities. However, they are NOT required for
contracts performed entirely outside of the United States and its outlying areas.
Question 8
In the FAR system, the clause found at FAR 52.215-1 is titled:
A) Commercial Items
B) Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition
C) Small Business Subcontracting Plan
D) Disputes
E) Changes—Fixed-Price
Correct Answer: B) Competitive Acquisition
Rationale: FAR 52.215-1 provides instructions to offerors for competitive acquisitions under
FAR Part 15. It covers essential rules such as proposal submission deadlines, the
Government’s right to award without discussions, and how late proposals are handled.
, 4
Question 9
The Government needs to establish a janitorial services contract valued at $2.8 million for an
entire military installation. Which FAR Part should be the primary guide for this acquisition?
A) FAR Part 15 (Negotiations)
B) FAR Part 36 (Construction)
C) FAR Part 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Items)
D) FAR Part 8 (Required Sources)
E) FAR Part 16 (Contract Types)
Correct Answer: C) FAR Part 12 - Acquisition of Commercial Items
Rationale: Janitorial services are a staple of the commercial marketplace. Therefore, per the
mandate in FAR Part 10 (Market Research) and FAR Part 12, the Government must use
commercial procedures to the maximum extent practicable for the acquisition of these
services, regardless of the high dollar value.
Question 10
In the Federal Acquisition process, who is the individual specifically responsible for developing
and issuing the solicitation to the public?
A) The Program Manager
B) The Requiring Activity Lead
C) The Contracting Officer (KO)
D) The Source Selection Authority
E) The Small Business Professional
Correct Answer: C) KO
Rationale: The Contracting Officer (KO) is the only individual with the legal authority to
bind the Government. While many team members contribute to the requirements, the KO
is responsible for the actual development, publication, and management of the solicitation
and the resulting contract.
Question 11
Before a solicitation is released to the public, which official is responsible for approving the
acquisition plan and strategy to ensure that evaluation factors are properly aligned with the
requirements?
A) The Contracting Officer (KO)
B) The Source Selection Authority (SSA)
C) The Agency Head
D) The Chief of the Contracting Office
E) The Legal Counsel
Correct Answer: B) Source Selection Authority
Rationale: The SSA is the individual designated to make the final source selection decision.
