TIER I CORB Question and answers
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What do you envision is the role of your CORs? When are you required to
appoint one? What authorities are you allowed to delegate to your COR?
What authorities are not delegable to the COR? - correct answers 1.604 - A
Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) is an individual designated by the
Contracting Officer to act as their representative in the technical monitoring
and surveillance of a contract. These individuals serve as subject matter
experts and perform surveillance of a contract to insure that the goods and
services obtained meet the government's acceptance standards. A COR may
be designated other administration duties by the contracting officer. A COR
should be nominated by the requirements official as early as practicable in the
acquisition process. A COR assist in the technical monitoring or administration
of a contract. (A) Contracting officers shall designate a COR for all service
contracts, including both firm-fixed-price and other than firm-fixed-price
contracts, awarded by a DoD component or by any other Federal agency on
behalf of DoD. The surveillance activities performed by CORs should be
tailored to the dollar value/complexity of the specific contract for which they
are designated. The COR does not have the authority to take any action,
either directly or indirectly, that could change the price/cost or fee, quantity,
quality, scope, delivery schedule, labor mix or other terms and conditions of
the contract and/or task order. Only the contracting officer has the authority to
make such changes. CORs do not have contractual authority to issue
directions or changes to any contract or purchase order that affects price,
quality, quantity, delivery, or any other aspect that will change the terms and
conditions of the contract. In cases where changes have been made by
unauthorized personnel, the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) must be
immediately notified. The PCO will then determine if the work performed was
within the scope of the original contract. If the work is determined to be
outside the scope o
What is a Contracting Officer? What is the authority given to a Contracting
Officer? What are the responsibilities of a Contracting Officer? - correct
answers 1.602 - A Contracting Officer is a person who has been given
,authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make
related determinations and findings for the U.S. Government.
Contracting Officers are responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary
actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the
contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual
relationships.
One of your specialists is new to contracting policies and procedures and asks
you to explain a "D&F". How would you describe a D&F? - correct answers
1.7 - . Determination and Findings" means a special form of written approval
by an authorized official that is required by statute or regulation as a
prerequisite to taking certain contract actions.
The "determination" is a conclusion or decision supported by the "findings.''
The findings are statements of fact or rationale essential to support the
determination and must cover each requirement of the statute or regulation.
What is an unauthorized commitment? What steps do you take in evaluating,
processing and approving an unauthorized commitment? - correct answers
1.602-3 - An unauthorized commitment is means an agreement that is not
binding solely because the Government representative who made it lacked
the authority to enter into that agreement on behalf of the Government. The
act of approving an unauthorized commitment is called a ratification.
Unauthorized commitments may be ratified only when the conditions of FAR
1.602-3(c) are met. a) Use of appropriated funds, b) Provided to or accepted
by the Government - received a benefit, c) Ratification official has the
authority to ratify, d) Resulting contract must otherwise be proper, e) Price
must be fair & reasonable, f) Funds are available and were available at the
time the action occurred, g) The CO recommends payments, h) It is IAW other
requirements and limitations
price is fair and reasonable
funds are available
funds were available at the time of the UAC
USG recieved benefit
,KO has the authority to ratify
KO recommends payment
Resulting Contract is proper
As Contracting Officer, you have a unique role when it comes to representing
the United States of America. Please take a minute or two to describe this
unique role, paying particular attention to your allegiance to the US
Government versus the contractor in decisions regarding tax-payer dollars. -
correct answers 1.602-3 - The candidate should discuss in general terms the
role and responsibility of a Contracting Officer (eg, 1) The only person who
can bind the US Government; 2) Must be fair and impartial, (etc., etc.). I think
it important that the candidate also touch on the fact that they are to look at
and consider both sides of every situation (US Government and industry) and
make decisions on a fair, ethical, and impartial basis, not siding on the side of
the US Government (customer) simply because they are employed by same.
What should you do if you have any suspicion of any ethics violation or fraud?
How do you mentor and train your customer on ethics and fraud concerns? -
correct answers 3.104-7 - The KO must determine with the advise of legal,
whether the violation has any impact on the pending award or source
selection. If there is no impact, then contact and provide information to ethics
advisor. If there is no potential impact, then proceed with the award. If there is,
then forward all information to the HCA. Customers must be educated on
procurement law and policy related to ethics. This includes gifts, kickbacks,
fraudulant activities, and reporting responsibilities
Discuss your understanding of SAM (System for Award Management
Exclusions) and how / when it is to be utilized. - correct answers 4.11 - (a)
Offerors and quoters are required to be registered in SAM at the time an offer
or quotation is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations
and certifications requirements except for—
(1) Purchases under the micro-purchase threshold that use a
Governmentwide commercial purchase card as both the purchasing and
, payment mechanism, as opposed to using the purchase card for payment
only;
(2) Classified contracts (see 2.101) when registration in SAM, or use of SAM
data, could compromise the safeguarding of classified information or national
security;
(3) Contracts awarded by-
(i) Deployed contracting officers in the course of military operations, including,
but not limited to, contingency operations as defined in 10 U.S.C.101(a)(13) or
humanitarian or peacekeeping operations as defined in 10 U.S.C.2302(8);
(ii) Contracting officers located outside the United States and its outlying
areas, as defined in 2.101, for work to be performed in support of diplomatic
or developmental operations, including those performed in support of foreign
assistance programs overseas, in an area that has been designated by the
Department of State as a danger pay post (see https://aoprals.state.gov/);or
(iii) Contracting officers in the conduct of emergency operations, such as
responses to natural or environmental disasters or national or civil
emergencies, e.g., Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.5121);
(4) Contracts with individuals for performance outside the United States and
its outlying areas;
(5) Contracts awarded without providing for full and open competition due to
unusual or compelling urgency (see 6.302-2);
(6) Contract actions at or below $30,000 awarded to foreign vendors for work
performed outside the United States, if it is impractical to obtain SAM registra
Once all receivables have been delivered/completed and verified by the
customer/COR, the ACO or KO reviews the contract files for remaining
closeout actions. Why is contract closeout so important? What actions need to
be taken in closeout? - correct answers 4.804 - Extremely important because
excess funds may need to be deobligated; in addition, many types of
contracts require the withholding of final payments, which can amount to large
sums of money for the Contractor (cash flow issue). Closeout serves as the
already passed
What do you envision is the role of your CORs? When are you required to
appoint one? What authorities are you allowed to delegate to your COR?
What authorities are not delegable to the COR? - correct answers 1.604 - A
Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) is an individual designated by the
Contracting Officer to act as their representative in the technical monitoring
and surveillance of a contract. These individuals serve as subject matter
experts and perform surveillance of a contract to insure that the goods and
services obtained meet the government's acceptance standards. A COR may
be designated other administration duties by the contracting officer. A COR
should be nominated by the requirements official as early as practicable in the
acquisition process. A COR assist in the technical monitoring or administration
of a contract. (A) Contracting officers shall designate a COR for all service
contracts, including both firm-fixed-price and other than firm-fixed-price
contracts, awarded by a DoD component or by any other Federal agency on
behalf of DoD. The surveillance activities performed by CORs should be
tailored to the dollar value/complexity of the specific contract for which they
are designated. The COR does not have the authority to take any action,
either directly or indirectly, that could change the price/cost or fee, quantity,
quality, scope, delivery schedule, labor mix or other terms and conditions of
the contract and/or task order. Only the contracting officer has the authority to
make such changes. CORs do not have contractual authority to issue
directions or changes to any contract or purchase order that affects price,
quality, quantity, delivery, or any other aspect that will change the terms and
conditions of the contract. In cases where changes have been made by
unauthorized personnel, the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) must be
immediately notified. The PCO will then determine if the work performed was
within the scope of the original contract. If the work is determined to be
outside the scope o
What is a Contracting Officer? What is the authority given to a Contracting
Officer? What are the responsibilities of a Contracting Officer? - correct
answers 1.602 - A Contracting Officer is a person who has been given
,authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make
related determinations and findings for the U.S. Government.
Contracting Officers are responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary
actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the
contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual
relationships.
One of your specialists is new to contracting policies and procedures and asks
you to explain a "D&F". How would you describe a D&F? - correct answers
1.7 - . Determination and Findings" means a special form of written approval
by an authorized official that is required by statute or regulation as a
prerequisite to taking certain contract actions.
The "determination" is a conclusion or decision supported by the "findings.''
The findings are statements of fact or rationale essential to support the
determination and must cover each requirement of the statute or regulation.
What is an unauthorized commitment? What steps do you take in evaluating,
processing and approving an unauthorized commitment? - correct answers
1.602-3 - An unauthorized commitment is means an agreement that is not
binding solely because the Government representative who made it lacked
the authority to enter into that agreement on behalf of the Government. The
act of approving an unauthorized commitment is called a ratification.
Unauthorized commitments may be ratified only when the conditions of FAR
1.602-3(c) are met. a) Use of appropriated funds, b) Provided to or accepted
by the Government - received a benefit, c) Ratification official has the
authority to ratify, d) Resulting contract must otherwise be proper, e) Price
must be fair & reasonable, f) Funds are available and were available at the
time the action occurred, g) The CO recommends payments, h) It is IAW other
requirements and limitations
price is fair and reasonable
funds are available
funds were available at the time of the UAC
USG recieved benefit
,KO has the authority to ratify
KO recommends payment
Resulting Contract is proper
As Contracting Officer, you have a unique role when it comes to representing
the United States of America. Please take a minute or two to describe this
unique role, paying particular attention to your allegiance to the US
Government versus the contractor in decisions regarding tax-payer dollars. -
correct answers 1.602-3 - The candidate should discuss in general terms the
role and responsibility of a Contracting Officer (eg, 1) The only person who
can bind the US Government; 2) Must be fair and impartial, (etc., etc.). I think
it important that the candidate also touch on the fact that they are to look at
and consider both sides of every situation (US Government and industry) and
make decisions on a fair, ethical, and impartial basis, not siding on the side of
the US Government (customer) simply because they are employed by same.
What should you do if you have any suspicion of any ethics violation or fraud?
How do you mentor and train your customer on ethics and fraud concerns? -
correct answers 3.104-7 - The KO must determine with the advise of legal,
whether the violation has any impact on the pending award or source
selection. If there is no impact, then contact and provide information to ethics
advisor. If there is no potential impact, then proceed with the award. If there is,
then forward all information to the HCA. Customers must be educated on
procurement law and policy related to ethics. This includes gifts, kickbacks,
fraudulant activities, and reporting responsibilities
Discuss your understanding of SAM (System for Award Management
Exclusions) and how / when it is to be utilized. - correct answers 4.11 - (a)
Offerors and quoters are required to be registered in SAM at the time an offer
or quotation is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations
and certifications requirements except for—
(1) Purchases under the micro-purchase threshold that use a
Governmentwide commercial purchase card as both the purchasing and
, payment mechanism, as opposed to using the purchase card for payment
only;
(2) Classified contracts (see 2.101) when registration in SAM, or use of SAM
data, could compromise the safeguarding of classified information or national
security;
(3) Contracts awarded by-
(i) Deployed contracting officers in the course of military operations, including,
but not limited to, contingency operations as defined in 10 U.S.C.101(a)(13) or
humanitarian or peacekeeping operations as defined in 10 U.S.C.2302(8);
(ii) Contracting officers located outside the United States and its outlying
areas, as defined in 2.101, for work to be performed in support of diplomatic
or developmental operations, including those performed in support of foreign
assistance programs overseas, in an area that has been designated by the
Department of State as a danger pay post (see https://aoprals.state.gov/);or
(iii) Contracting officers in the conduct of emergency operations, such as
responses to natural or environmental disasters or national or civil
emergencies, e.g., Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.5121);
(4) Contracts with individuals for performance outside the United States and
its outlying areas;
(5) Contracts awarded without providing for full and open competition due to
unusual or compelling urgency (see 6.302-2);
(6) Contract actions at or below $30,000 awarded to foreign vendors for work
performed outside the United States, if it is impractical to obtain SAM registra
Once all receivables have been delivered/completed and verified by the
customer/COR, the ACO or KO reviews the contract files for remaining
closeout actions. Why is contract closeout so important? What actions need to
be taken in closeout? - correct answers 4.804 - Extremely important because
excess funds may need to be deobligated; in addition, many types of
contracts require the withholding of final payments, which can amount to large
sums of money for the Contractor (cash flow issue). Closeout serves as the
