GSA Contracting / FAC-C Certification Practice Quiz — 20 Free Sample Questions
GSA contracting mistakes aren't just embarrassing — a misconfigured set-aside, a sole source that can't be justified, or a price reasonableness determination that doesn't hold up can unwind an award and expose the agency to protest. Federal contracting officers and specialists pursuing FAC-C certification or GSA Schedule expertise need to know FAR Parts 8, 12, 13, and 15 cold, along with the GSA MAS ordering procedures, small business requirements, and contractor responsibility standards that govern most civilian agency procurement. This GSA contracting certification practice quiz covers 20 questions drawn from the exam domains: ordering from mandatory sources, simplified acquisition, competition requirements, price analysis methods, OCI, and bid protest procedures.
What is the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) for most federal civilian agency contracts under current FAR guidance?
About the GSA Contracting / FAC-C Certification
The Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) is the mandatory credential for civilian agency contracting officers and specialists and is administered through the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI). FAC-C has three levels — Basic, Intermediate, and Senior — each requiring a combination of mandatory training, continuing learning points, and documented experience. The core regulatory framework includes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), particularly Part 8 (required sources), Part 9 (contractor responsibility), Part 12 (commercial items), Part 13 (simplified acquisition), and Part 15 (contracting by negotiation). GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program is central to a large volume of civilian agency procurement. GSA Advantage is the online catalog for direct MAS purchases; eBuy is the competitive RFQ platform. Contracting professionals must also understand small business set-aside requirements under FAR Part 19, price reasonableness determination methods, Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) identification and mitigation, and the bid protest process through the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims, or the agency itself. FAC-C assessments are administered by individual agencies and vary in format, but knowledge of the FAR and GSA-specific ordering rules is consistently tested.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) for most federal contracts?
$250,000 under FAR 2.101. Purchases at or below the SAT qualify for simplified acquisition procedures. Purchases at or below the micro-purchase threshold ($10,000 for most civilian purchases) can generally be made without competition.
Do GSA Schedule orders always require competition?
Not always. Orders under the micro-purchase threshold ($10,000) can be placed with a single Schedule holder. For orders between $10,000 and $250,000, agencies must request quotes from at least three Schedule holders. Above $250,000, additional competition requirements apply. Sole source justifications are permitted in limited circumstances.
What is the difference between FAC-C and the Contracting Officer Warrant?
FAC-C is the training and certification credential required to hold a contracting officer position. A Contracting Officer Warrant is the actual authority granted by an agency head to an individual, authorizing them to bind the government to contracts up to a specified dollar threshold. You need FAC-C certification to be eligible for a warrant.