A project sponsor has circumvented the request for proposal (RFP) selection process. Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for this control gap?

Inadequate stage-gate reviews would prevent progress to the next stage if requirements aren't met, but circumvention implies avoiding the process entirely, not failing a review.

While inadequate board oversight could be a contributing factor to overall governance issues, the direct cause of an individual circumvention is usually closer to the operational level of accountability.

When a project sponsor bypasses an established process like an RFP, it points directly to a failure in enforcing organizational policies and holding individuals accountable for following them. This control gap allows an individual to act outside defined governance without consequence, thereby undermining internal controls.

A lack of a legal and regulatory review process is a separate issue related to compliance with external laws, not internal process adherence by an individual.