FAC Customer Relations & Service 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer asks for a brand-name product in their statement of work. Under FAR Part 11, the contracting officer should:
- Accept brand-name specifications without question
- Require a brand-name justification and seek equivalent alternatives unless justified (Correct answer)
- Issue a sole-source award immediately
- Deny the requirement outright
Correct answer: Require a brand-name justification and seek equivalent alternatives unless justified
FAR 11.104 requires a written justification for brand-name specifications and encourages use of 'brand-name or equal' to foster competition.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes a service-level agreement (SLA) in a federal contracting environment?
- A legal protest mechanism
- A documented commitment between the contracting office and customer defining expected performance standards (Correct answer)
- A mandatory FAR clause
- A type of indefinite delivery contract
Correct answer: A documented commitment between the contracting office and customer defining expected performance standards
An SLA establishes measurable performance standards and expectations between the acquisition office and its internal customers.
Question 3: An agency customer complains that a contracting officer's decision is unreasonable. The MOST appropriate first step is:
- File a GAO protest on the customer's behalf
- Listen to the concern, explain the legal basis for the decision, and offer available remedies (Correct answer)
- Escalate immediately to the agency head
- Ignore the complaint if the decision was legally correct
Correct answer: Listen to the concern, explain the legal basis for the decision, and offer available remedies
Good customer relations require explaining decisions clearly and identifying available options, even when the original decision stands.
Question 4: In the context of FAC-C training, 'customer focus' primarily means:
- Always agreeing with the program office's requests
- Understanding and balancing customer needs within the bounds of law and regulation (Correct answer)
- Maximizing contract values for customers
- Prioritizing speed over compliance
Correct answer: Understanding and balancing customer needs within the bounds of law and regulation
FAC-C emphasizes serving customer needs while ensuring all actions comply with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
Question 5: A program manager wants to add a new requirement to an existing contract. What should the contracting officer evaluate first?
- Whether the contractor agrees
- Whether the new work is within the general scope of the existing contract (Correct answer)
- The contractor's past performance rating
- Congressional budget availability
Correct answer: Whether the new work is within the general scope of the existing contract
Adding out-of-scope work without competition could constitute an improper sole-source award; scope determination is the critical first step.
Question 6: Which communication approach BEST supports effective customer relations in acquisition?
- Limiting communication to formal written correspondence only
- Proactive, clear, and timely communication throughout the acquisition lifecycle (Correct answer)
- Communicating only after contract award
- Delegating all communication to the program office
Correct answer: Proactive, clear, and timely communication throughout the acquisition lifecycle
Proactive communication at every acquisition stage builds trust, sets expectations, and reduces misunderstandings with customers.
Question 7: When a contractor delivers a non-conforming product, the COR should FIRST:
- Accept the product to avoid schedule delays
- Reject the item, document the non-conformance, and notify the contracting officer (Correct answer)
- Negotiate a price reduction independently
- Contact the contractor's CEO directly
Correct answer: Reject the item, document the non-conformance, and notify the contracting officer
The COR must document non-conformances and report to the contracting officer, who has authority to take corrective action.
FAC Customer Relations & Service 3
A customer asks for a brand-name product in their statement of work.
Under FAR Part 11, the contracting officer should: