CMP Conflict Resolution & Negotiation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which negotiation strategy focuses on expanding the total value available before claiming individual shares, often called 'growing the pie'?
- Distributive negotiation
- Integrative negotiation (Correct answer)
- Positional bargaining
- Hardball negotiation
Correct answer: Integrative negotiation
Integrative negotiation seeks creative trades that increase total value for both parties rather than treating gains as zero-sum.
Question 2: A capture manager discovers that two internal functional leads are withholding critical technical data from each other due to an unresolved personal conflict. What should the capture manager do FIRST?
- Report both leads to HR immediately
- Facilitate a structured one-on-one mediation meeting between the two leads (Correct answer)
- Remove one of the leads from the capture team
- Assign a third party to collect all data independently
Correct answer: Facilitate a structured one-on-one mediation meeting between the two leads
A structured mediation meeting directly addresses the interpersonal root cause and restores the information flow needed for the capture.
Question 3: In capture management, what is the primary risk of using a 'competing' conflict style when resolving disputes with teaming partners?
- It consistently leads to suboptimal pricing outcomes
- It may win the immediate argument but damage long-term partnership trust needed for contract performance (Correct answer)
- It is prohibited by FAR teaming agreement regulations
- It eliminates the partner's past performance references from the proposal
Correct answer: It may win the immediate argument but damage long-term partnership trust needed for contract performance
Winning through competition can create resentment that surfaces as poor performance, limited cooperation, or defection after award.
Question 4: During price-to-win analysis, a partner threatens to team with a competitor unless given a higher workshare. This is an example of which negotiation tactic?
- Good cop/bad cop
- Highball/lowball
- Ultimatum or take-it-or-leave-it (Correct answer)
- Salami slicing
Correct answer: Ultimatum or take-it-or-leave-it
An ultimatum tactic presents a binary choice to force compliance, using the threat of defection as leverage.
Question 5: Which third-party conflict resolution method results in a binding decision imposed by the neutral party, unlike mediation?
- Facilitation
- Arbitration (Correct answer)
- Conciliation
- Negotiated rulemaking
Correct answer: Arbitration
Arbitration produces a binding decision by a neutral arbitrator, whereas mediation only facilitates a voluntary agreement between parties.
Question 6: A capture manager needs to resolve a scope dispute with a subcontractor quickly before a proposal deadline. Which approach BEST balances speed with relationship preservation?
- Litigate the dispute in federal court
- Use a pre-agreed dispute resolution clause specifying escalation to senior management within 48 hours (Correct answer)
- Ignore the dispute and finalize the proposal without that subcontractor's section
- Request a no-cost extension from the government to allow more time
Correct answer: Use a pre-agreed dispute resolution clause specifying escalation to senior management within 48 hours
Pre-agreed escalation clauses in teaming agreements provide a fast, structured path to resolution without damaging the working relationship.
Question 7: What is 'logrolling' in the context of multi-issue capture negotiations?
- Hiding unfavorable terms deep within contract language
- Trading concessions across multiple issues so each party gains on their highest-priority items (Correct answer)
- Rolling proposal revisions into successive draft versions
- Logging all negotiation sessions for legal documentation
Correct answer: Trading concessions across multiple issues so each party gains on their highest-priority items
Logrolling involves trading concessions on lower-priority issues to gain on higher-priority ones, creating mutual benefit across a multi-issue negotiation.
CMP Conflict Resolution & Negotiation 3
Which negotiation strategy focuses on expanding the total value available before claiming individual shares, often called 'growing the pie'?