CFCM Source Selection 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'significant weakness' in proposal evaluation under FAR 15.001?
- Any weakness that reduces the offeror's score below the median
- A flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance (Correct answer)
- A weakness cited in more than one evaluation factor
- A weakness identified after competitive range determination
Correct answer: A flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance
FAR 15.001 defines a significant weakness as a flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance.
Question 2: When conducting price analysis in a source selection, which technique compares offered prices to prices previously paid by the government for the same or similar items?
- Cost realism analysis
- Comparison with competitive published price lists
- Comparison of prior prices paid (Correct answer)
- Should-cost analysis
Correct answer: Comparison of prior prices paid
FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(ii) identifies comparison with prior prices paid as a price analysis technique for determining fair and reasonable price.
Question 3: A contracting officer must perform a price realism analysis when:
- All acquisitions exceed the simplified acquisition threshold
- A fixed-price contract is awarded and the solicitation requires it, or when unusually low prices could signal risk (Correct answer)
- Only when cost-reimbursement contracts are contemplated
- The offeror is a large business with revenues over $10 million
Correct answer: A fixed-price contract is awarded and the solicitation requires it, or when unusually low prices could signal risk
Price realism analysis on fixed-price contracts is discretionary but required when the solicitation specifies it, typically to identify unrealistically low prices that indicate risk.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a permitted evaluation factor under FAR 15.304?
- Technical approach
- Past performance
- Small business subcontracting plan
- The offeror's headquarters location (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The offeror's headquarters location
Geographic preference is prohibited by law and regulation; evaluation factors must relate to the requirement and discriminate among competing offers based on merit.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'pre-solicitation notice' in the source selection process?
- To notify Congress of a planned acquisition
- To publicize an upcoming procurement so potential offerors can prepare and the government can conduct market research (Correct answer)
- To satisfy the requirement for a Justification and Approval (J&A)
- To award an advance agreement for preliminary design work
Correct answer: To publicize an upcoming procurement so potential offerors can prepare and the government can conduct market research
Pre-solicitation notices posted on SAM.gov inform industry of upcoming requirements, enabling market research and giving potential offerors time to form teams and prepare.
Question 6: Under FAR 15.307, what must a contracting officer issue after discussions are concluded?
- A best-and-final-offer request letter
- A request for final proposal revisions (FPR) establishing a common cut-off date (Correct answer)
- An amendment to the solicitation extending the proposal due date
- A cure notice for offerors with unresolved deficiencies
Correct answer: A request for final proposal revisions (FPR) establishing a common cut-off date
FAR 15.307(b) requires the contracting officer to issue a request for final proposal revisions (FPR) with a common cut-off date for all offerors in the competitive range after discussions.
Question 7: In source selection, what does 'auctioning' mean and why is it prohibited?
- Publicly posting prices to all offerors; prohibited to prevent collusion
- Revealing an offeror's price to competitors to obtain a lower price; prohibited because it undermines integrity of competition (Correct answer)
- Conducting reverse auctions for commercial items; prohibited above the SAT
- Disclosing technical scores before award; prohibited to protect sensitive data
Correct answer: Revealing an offeror's price to competitors to obtain a lower price; prohibited because it undermines integrity of competition
Auctioning—disclosing one offeror's price so another can undercut it—is prohibited by FAR 15.306(e) because it corrupts fair competition.
CFCM Source Selection 4
What is a 'significant weakness' in proposal evaluation under FAR 15.001?