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CAS-002 · Question #86

The firm's CISO has been working with the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and the Senior Project Manager (SPM) on soliciting bids for a series of HIPS and NIPS products for a major installation in…

The correct answer is B. Contact the three submitting vendor firms and have them submit supporting RFIs to provide. When RFQs return only pricing without technical specification data, issuing RFIs to vendors is the correct next procurement step to gather the needed capability details.

Integration of Computing, Communications and Business Disciplines

Question

The firm's CISO has been working with the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and the Senior Project Manager (SPM) on soliciting bids for a series of HIPS and NIPS products for a major installation in the firm's new Hong Kong office. After reviewing RFQs received from three vendors, the CPO and the SPM have not gained any real data regarding the specifications about any of the solutions and want that data before the procurement continues. Which of the following will the CPO and SPM have the CISO do at this point to get back on track in this procurement process?

Options

  • AAsk the three submitting vendors for a full blown RFP so that the CPO and SPM can move
  • BContact the three submitting vendor firms and have them submit supporting RFIs to provide
  • CProvide the CPO and the SPM a personalized summary from what the CISO knows about
  • DInform the three submitting vendors that there quotes are null and void at this time and that

How the community answered

(21 responses)
  • A
    10% (2)
  • B
    81% (17)
  • C
    5% (1)
  • D
    5% (1)

Why each option

When RFQs return only pricing without technical specification data, issuing RFIs to vendors is the correct next procurement step to gather the needed capability details.

AAsk the three submitting vendors for a full blown RFP so that the CPO and SPM can move

Issuing a full RFP before gathering baseline technical specifications is premature - an RFP demands complete proposed solutions and pricing before the procurement team understands what capabilities are available.

BContact the three submitting vendor firms and have them submit supporting RFIs to provideCorrect

A Request for Information (RFI) is the formal procurement instrument used to solicit technical specifications, product capabilities, and supporting detail from vendors before a binding proposal is required. Since the RFQs addressed only pricing, asking vendors to submit RFIs fills the specification gap and allows the CPO and SPM to evaluate technical fit before proceeding to a full proposal stage.

CProvide the CPO and the SPM a personalized summary from what the CISO knows about

A personal CISO summary is not a formal procurement artifact and does not constitute vendor-verified technical specification data admissible in a competitive procurement process.

DInform the three submitting vendors that there quotes are null and void at this time and that

Voiding existing quotes and restarting procurement discards vendor relationship progress already made and is a disproportionate response to simply needing additional technical information.

Concept tested: Procurement process - RFI versus RFQ versus RFP

Source: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.201

Topics

#procurement#RFI#RFQ#vendor management

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