Answers Latest update 2026
The contracting lifecycle consists of three phases:
Preaward, award, & postaward
The preaward phase involves:
All the work performed by both the buyer (Government or prime contractor)
and seller (contractor or subcontractor in communicating the buyer's
requirements and providing a solution to those requirements.
Typically start befor the contracting process:
Requirements definition, budgeting/funding process, and acquisition
planning.
Preaward phase consists of two primary activities:
Develop solicitation (Government) and develop offer (Contractor).
In planning the solicitation, the buying activity must:
Assess the need, analyze the requirement, ensure contract outcomes will
be measurable and properly incentivized, and verify the availability of
funds.
What two FAR parts are key resources in developing the solicitation?
FAR Part 7 Acquisition Planning; FAR Part 11 Describing Agency Needs
Buying activities must conduct ___ to identify potential suppliers,
evaluate if the requirement is achievable, and perform any pre-offer
conferences or communication.
Market Research
What FAR part is a key resource for conducting Market Research?
FAR Part 10 Market Research
How do buying activities analyze risk?
,Performing make or buy decisions; conducting a supply or services
determination; and understanding the required schedule or needs of the
customer including the need for property (including intellectual property).
What FAR/DFARS resources can assist in analyzing risks?
FAR 15.407-2 Make-or-Buy Programs; FAR Subpart 11.4 Delivery or
Performance Schedules; FAR Part 45 Government Property; DFARS Part
227 Patents, Data, & Copyrights.
Primary FAR resource for information about contract types:
FAR Part 16 Types of Contracts
Which FAR Part addresses publicizing contract actions?
FAR Part 5
What is the second phase of the contract lifecycle?
Contract Award
What is the one activity in the award phase?
Form contract
When it receives offers, the buying activity (Government) must:
Analyze proposals in terms of risk, review for price reasonableness, and
document results of the analysis.
FAR Part ___, ___ ___ gives guidance that can be generalized for
contract methods beyond those covered by the rest of FAR Part 15.
15.404, Proposal Analysis
To plan for negotiations, the buying activity may ask for ___ from
offerors and then develop ___ ___.
Clarification, negotiation objectives.
In all cases, ___ must explain the process that arrived at an offeror
being awarded a contract.
Documentation
, What FAR/DFARS Parts discuss the protest processes?
FAR Subpart 33.1; DFARS Subpart 233.1.
The third contract lifecycle phase is ___.
Postaward
The postaward phase involves:
All the work performed by both the buyer and seller during contract
performance, to include changes to the contract, contract closeout, and
sometimes termination of a contract.
The postaward phase (sometimes referred to as contract
administration) consists of two primary activities:
Perform contract and close contract.
Perform contract involves monitoring risk and assessing its impact
on contract performance, ensuring compliance with:
Contractual terms and conditions; contract technical requirements during
contract performance up to contract closeout or termination.
What two parties must administer the contract?
Buyer and seller.
Contract administration requires:
Continuous documentation throughout the life of the contract and depends
on good communication, funds management, and assessing seller
performance.
Which FAR/DFARS Part outlines the vast array of postaward activities
and responsibilities?
FAR Part 42 Contract Administration and Audit Services; DFARS Part 242.
Quality includes:
Schedule, cost, and delivery of services or items.
Whose responsibility is quality?