AF Contracting, Block 4, 6C011
What organization operates the web based System for Award Management?
GSA
Explain what you should do if the prospective contractor is not registered in the appropriate database?
Give the contractor time in a matter of days to register
Besides the use of clear, consistent terms and ensuring the proper use of mandatory language; when reviewing requirements documents, what other two areas should you be looking for?
> Avoid certain words and phrases > Ensure that inherently governmental functions are not assigned to a contractor.
When evaluating specifications, what three areas should you consider for possible impact on the acquisition?
> Competition > Responsibility for performace > Cost or price
When evaluating past performance information, what are the three factors that should be considered?
> Currency and relevance of the information > Source of the information > Context of the data
Contracting Officers must publicize proposed contract actions in order to:
> Increase competition >Broaden industry participation in meeting government requirements > Assist all small business concerns
The contracting officer shall solicit quotations orally to the maximum extent practicable if...
> The acquisition does not exceed the SAT > Oral solicitation is more efficient than electronic commerce alternatives > Notice is not required under FAR 5.101
List the four price related factors.
> Transportation > Options > Multiple Awards > Buy American Act
What two types of purchase requests can be submitted to the contracting office?
> automated > manual
When evaluating requirements documents, you should ensure they are individually tailored to consider what three areas?
> period of performance > deliverable items > desired degree of performance flexibility
What are three pieces of information the buyer should request when accomplishing oral solicitations?
> what type of shipping does the vendor provide. i.e. destination or origin > does the vendor provide any discount payment terms prompt payment discounts > is the vendor SAM registered and is it considered a small business
What two clauses shall be used, to the maximum extent practicable, when assembling an award for the acquisition of commercial items?
>52.212-4 >52.212-5
What three objectives are supported by using performance monitoring when administering commodity contracts?
>Identifying potential delinquencies >Isolating specific performance problems >Revealing actual or anticipated default
What are the key administration responsibilities that should be known by both the contracting specialist and the ordering unit's designated representative?
>Know the BPA >Authorized callers >Maintain records >Maintain funding level >Review rice lists >Competition
What are three areas that could be discussed during the pre-construction conference?
>Labor standards >Clauses >wage determination requirements
What are the key elements that should be included in the post-award conference report?
>Names and affiliations of all participants >The main points discussed and all agreements >Areas requiring resolution >Names of participants assigned responsibility for further action >Completion dates for the action
Prior to placing a "call" against a BPA, what three things should be accomplished?
>Review the BPA terms and conditions >Ensure that it is still valid for use >Ensure that you are authorized to make purchases against the BPA
Acceptance of simplified acquisitions are ultimately the COs responsibility, what are the four objectives they should ensure are accomplished?
>Supplies or services tendered by contractors meet contract requirements >Non-conforming supplies or services are rejected >the contractor fulfills the contract quality requirements >for commercial items, rely on the contractor's existing quality assurance system as a substitute for the government inspection system
What are the two most preferred techniques to accomplish price analysis?
>comparing prices with quotes received >comparing with prior quotes and contract prices with current proposed price
To provide maximum practicable competition, BPAs may be established with
>more than on supplier for supplies or services of the same type >a single firm from which numerous individual purchases at or below the SAT will likely be made in a given period >GSA contractors
Name three problems that may occur when administrating a commodity contract?
>price on the order is incorrect >product no longer available >product is on back order
What are two circumstances when a contacting officer could establish a BPA?
>used to avoid writing numerous purchase orders >there are a wide variety of items in a broad class of supplies or services that are generally purchased
A post-award conference aids both the government and contractor personnel to accomplish what?
Achieve a clear and mutual understanding of the contract and identify and resolve potential problems
What screen gives you the option to upload your solicitation, SOW, PWS, etc?
Add New Package
What type of evidence is required for an official to suspend a contractor suspected of committing an unfair trade practice?
Adequate
What constitues an affirmative determination that the prospective contractor is responsible with respect to a particular award?
CO's signature
In contract administration, whose responsibility is t to control the quality of supplies and/or services?
Contractor
What system feature should be used to create pre-solicitation notices, combined synopsis/solicitation, etc?
Create notice
What form should be used for post-award conferences?
DD Form 1484
An action taken by an official to exclude a contractor from government contracting and government approved subcontracting for a specified period defines what?
Debarment
Which type of BPA administrative practices requires orders to be placed b individuals in the requiring activity outside the contracting organization?
Decentralized
What type of priority was established to assure the timely availability of industrial resources to meet national defense requirements?
Defense Priorities and Allocations Systems (DPAS)
In a BPA, which of the mandatory terms and conditions includes the following information as a minimum: name of supplier, BPA number, date of purchase, purchase number, itemized list of supplies/services furnished, quantity, unit and extended price of each item, and date of delivery or shipment?
Delivery ticket
What element of the PR can be as simple as word and part number to a multi-page document such as a Statement of Work or Specification?
Description
When creating a posting, what block will you copy and paste the synopsis or synopsis/solicitation into?
Description
A statement that the Government is obligated only to the extent of authorized purchases actually made under the BPA describes what term and condition?
Extent of obligation
Where would you find detailed procedures that the CO shall use to accomplish a combined synopsis/solicitation?
FAR 12.603
What FAR part prescribes policies and procedures for publicizing contact opportunities?
FAR 5
RFPs for competitive acquisitions shall, at a minimum, describe the government's requirement, anticipated terms and conditions that will apply to the contract, information required to be in the offeror's proposal and
Factors and significant sub-factors that will be used to evaluate the proposal and their relative importance.
The FAR requires that all government agencies post their solicitations and awards to what system?
Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps)/(FBO)
Agencies shall use what type of contracts for the acquisition of commercial items?
Firm-fixed-price or firm-fixed with EPA
Can the government form a contract from a quotation?
No because quotations are not offers
Which code describes the principal nature of the product or service being acquired and identifies the standard that determines if a contractor is a small or large business?
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
What type of requirements document describes a performance outcome rather than how to achieve the outcome?
Performance Work Statement (PWS)
This is defined as he process of examining and evaluating a proposed price without evaluating its separate cost elements and proposed profit.
Price analysis
A statement that specifies the dollar limitation for each individual purchase under the BPA describes what terms and condition?
Purchase limitation
Prior to awarding a contract to a business, you must ensure they are registered in what database?
SAM
Individual purchases (calls) under a BPA shall not exceed what dollar amount?
SAT
What form is utilized to issue construction Purchase Orders
SF 1442
What form should be used to create a RFP for a commercial requirement?
SF 1442
What form should be used to create a RFQ for a construction requirement?
SF 1442
What form is issued to place an order under Wholesale supply sources?
SF 1449
What form is used for commercial item acquisitions?
SF 1449
What form is utilized to issue commercial Purchase Orders?
SF 1449
What form shall be used if a paper solicitation is being issued for commercial items?
SF 1449
What form should be used to accomplish an amendment?
SF 30-Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract
What feature on the menu bar is the best method to us when searching for exclusions in SAM?
Search Records
What organization issues the Certficate of Competency?
Small Business Administration
Contracting Officers shall prepare RFPs in what format and which part of it should not be part of the resulting contract?
Uniform Contract Format (UCF); Part IV
What is a synopsis?
a condensed statement or outline of the governments requirement
How often is a BPA file reviewed?
at least annually
When a CO rejects supplies that are non-conforming to contract requirements, what should CO's allow contractors to do?
be given an opportunity to correct or replace non-conforming supplies or services when this can be accomplished within the required delivery schedule.
When is a pre-construction orientation conducted?
before the work begins
When does the administration of simplified acquisitions or contract administration begin and end?
begins after award and ends with final payment and the contract files are closed
What document helps to keep track of what has been ordered and assists in monitoring the use of the BPA?
call register
When a written commercial solicitation will be issued, the CO may use what procedure to reduce the time required to solicit and award contracts?
combined synopsis/solicitation
Request for Proposals are commonly issued for what type of requirements?
complex, noncommercial, or when negotiations are needed.
Who is ultimately responsible for determining and documenting that a price is fair and reasonable?
contracing officer
Who establishes the time and place for the conference and when should it take place?
contracting officer and as soon as possible after the award
What does "conforming" to the requirements of the solicitation mean when we are evaluating a contractor's responsibility?
did the contractor's response follow the terms and conditions of the solicitation
What s a key factor in conducting follow-up on simplified acquisitions?
document the contract file
If two or more offers are equally eligible for an award after completing every evaluation requirement, how should you resolve the situation?
drawing by lot
Why does the government monitor contract performance of commodity contracts?
ensure that required supplies are delivered on time
Follow-up on simplified acquisitions is done by
exception
What may the CO issue instead of conducting a pre-construction conference?
explanatory letter
What type of pricing is generally used on Purchase Orders?
fixed price
When must the contracting officer synopsize, post a synopsis, through the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE)?
for acquisitions of supplies and services, including construction
When preparing requirements documents, to the maximum extent practicable, how should agencies describe the work?
in terms of "what" is to be the required output rather than "how" the work is to be accomplished
How should amendments to solicitations be publicized?
in the same manner as the initial solicitation
What is a purchase request?
is a document that describes the customer's requirement.
When using SAP, documentation should be?
kept to a minimum
Can a CO issue an amendment orally?
oral notices may be used when time is of the essence and the CO shall document the contract file and formalized the notice with an amendment
How should BPA calls be made?
orally when it is not considered economical or practical to use electronic methods
What are two exceptions when a contractor is not required to be registered in the above mentioned database?
placing orders against Indefinite Delivery contracts or Blanket Purchase Agreement calls
For proposed contract actions expected to exceed $15,000, but not expected to exceed $25,000, where will it be posted and for how long?
posted in a public place for at least 10 days
Who would initiate an amendment if there was insufficient time allowed for preparation and submission of bids/proposals/quotes?
prospective/actual sources
What is the first step you should accomplish when performing follow-up on a simplified acquisition?
read the contract to ensure that you fully understand the requirement
Before issuing a delivery order, a CO shall ensure it s within:
scope, period, and max value of the contract
What is a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?
simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs or services by establishing "charge accounts" with qualified sources of supply.
Explain what "gold-plating" is and what it affects in the acquisition process.
stating unnecessary requirements which affects the price the government pays.
What is not required to be accomplished when placing a delivery order under an indefinite delivery type contract or against a Wholesale supply sources?
synopsis
If specifications are ambiguous, the interpretation will most likely be in favor of whom?
the contractor
What should the notices of rejection include and when should they be provided to the contractor?
the notice shall be in writing and provide reasons for rejection and be furnished promptly to the contractor
Each contract that has had non-conforming supplies or services accepted should be modified to provide for what?
to provide for an equitable price reduction or other consideration
When evaluationg quotes to determine if you should accomplish "multiple awards/all or none" what is the evaluation factor that is required to be used?
using $500 for administrative costs
What do specifications tell prospective contractors concerning a construction project?
what products and requirements are necessary to accomplish the project
How much time should be allotted for the offerors to respond to a synopsis/solicitation?
30 days
What are the three methods that may used to conduct a post-award conference?
Letter, teleconference, face to face
The Contracting Officer shall evaluate quoatations or offers in a/an ________ and inclusive of transportation charges.
Impartial Manner
What are the primary purposes of the synopsis?
Improve small business access to acquisition information, and enhance competition by identifying contracting and subcontracting opportunities
