COR Performance Monitoring & Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A contractor submits a deliverable that is technically compliant but delivered two days late. How should the COR document this in the performance record?
- Ignore the lateness since the deliverable was technically acceptable
- Document the late delivery as a deficiency and notify the Contracting Officer (Correct answer)
- Accept the deliverable and note the delay only if it happens again
- Reject the deliverable entirely due to the lateness
Correct answer: Document the late delivery as a deficiency and notify the Contracting Officer
The COR must document all contract performance issues, including late deliveries, and notify the CO so the record accurately reflects contractor performance.
Question 2: Which metric is MOST appropriate for evaluating a contractor's quality of service under a service contract?
- Number of contractor employees on-site
- Defect rate measured against the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) (Correct answer)
- Total cost incurred by the contractor
- Frequency of contractor management meetings attended
Correct answer: Defect rate measured against the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)
The QASP establishes objective performance standards and acceptable quality levels against which contractor performance is measured.
Question 3: When conducting surveillance under a time-and-materials contract, what is the COR's PRIMARY focus?
- Ensuring the contractor uses government-furnished property efficiently
- Verifying that hours billed are actually worked and labor categories are correct (Correct answer)
- Approving all subcontractor invoices before payment
- Confirming the contractor's overhead rates are reasonable
Correct answer: Verifying that hours billed are actually worked and labor categories are correct
Under T&M contracts, the government pays for actual hours worked at specified rates, so verifying labor hours and category accuracy is the COR's primary surveillance focus.
Question 4: A COR notices a pattern of minor, recurring deficiencies over three consecutive months. What is the BEST course of action?
- Continue monitoring and wait to see if the pattern resolves itself
- Document each instance and elevate the pattern to the CO as a potential systemic issue (Correct answer)
- Directly warn the contractor that their contract will be terminated
- Accept the deficiencies since each one individually is minor
Correct answer: Document each instance and elevate the pattern to the CO as a potential systemic issue
Recurring deficiencies, even if minor individually, may indicate systemic performance problems that the CO must be informed about to take appropriate contractual action.
Question 5: What is the purpose of an Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) in a QASP?
- To set the maximum price the government will pay for services
- To define the minimum performance standard the contractor must meet before deductions apply (Correct answer)
- To establish the number of surveillance inspections per month
- To specify the contractor's staffing requirements
Correct answer: To define the minimum performance standard the contractor must meet before deductions apply
The AQL defines the threshold of acceptable performance; contractor performance falling below the AQL triggers remedies such as price reductions or cure notices.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of an OUTPUT-based performance standard?
- The contractor shall employ at least 10 certified technicians
- The contractor shall respond to help desk tickets within 4 hours (Correct answer)
- The contractor shall submit weekly status reports
- The contractor shall use ISO 9001-certified processes
Correct answer: The contractor shall respond to help desk tickets within 4 hours
An output-based standard measures what is delivered (e.g., response time), not inputs like staffing levels or process requirements.
Question 7: A COR discovers the contractor has been consistently exceeding performance standards. What action should the COR take?
- Take no action since exceeding standards is always expected
- Document the exceptional performance in the contractor's performance record for potential past performance ratings (Correct answer)
- Immediately recommend a contract extension as a reward
- Increase the scope of work without a contract modification
Correct answer: Document the exceptional performance in the contractor's performance record for potential past performance ratings
Exceptional performance must be documented because it informs Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) ratings and future source selection decisions.
COR Performance Monitoring & Evaluation 2
A contractor submits a deliverable that is technically compliant but delivered two days late.
How should the COR document this in the performance record?