Policy Analysis & Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real FAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Policy Analysis & Evaluation flashcards as text
An agency's annual learning agenda, required under the Evidence Act, should be primarily aligned with:
Answer: The agency's strategic plan and priority evaluation questions
Learning agendas must align with the agency's strategic plan, identifying priority policy and program questions the agency will study to improve outcomes.
When evaluating whether a category management policy achieved savings goals, which metric most directly measures policy success?
Answer: Reduction in contract duplication and total spend under management
Category management success is measured by reducing duplicative contracts and the total spend under management on preferred vehicles, which directly reflects consolidation savings.
A policy evaluator applies 'contribution analysis' to an acquisition reform initiative. What does this method determine?
Answer: Whether the policy plausibly contributed to observed outcomes given the available evidence
Contribution analysis assesses whether a policy plausibly contributed to results when randomized experiments are not feasible, using a structured narrative of causal evidence.
Under FAR Subpart 7.1, acquisition planning policies require that plans be reviewed and approved based on what primary criterion?
Answer: The dollar value and complexity of the acquisition
FAR 7.103 establishes that the level of approval required for acquisition plans scales with the dollar value and complexity of the procurement.
Which of the following BEST describes a 'formative evaluation' in the context of federal acquisition policy?
Answer: An ongoing evaluation conducted during policy implementation to improve it in real time
Formative evaluations occur during implementation and provide feedback to improve the policy or program before it is finalized.
An acquisition policy analyst discovers that two agency components are applying the same FAR clause inconsistently. Which tool is BEST suited to resolve this?
Answer: Develop agency-level policy guidance or a standard operating procedure clarifying interpretation
Agency-level policy guidance or SOPs standardize interpretation of FAR provisions across components without requiring regulatory change.
The 'spillover effect' in acquisition policy evaluation refers to:
Answer: Unintended impacts of a policy on programs or populations beyond its intended scope
Spillover effects are unintended consequences—positive or negative—that a policy produces on parties or programs outside its direct target.