Con 2370 Simplified Acquisition Procedures Exam

What Actually Gets Tested on Con 2370

The Con 2370 Simplified Acquisition Procedures Exam covers the threshold procedures military contracting officers use when purchases fall below the micro-purchase limit or the simplified acquisition threshold. It is not a comprehensive contract law exam. It tests whether you can correctly apply the thresholds, documentation requirements, and evaluation procedures for purchases under $250,000 (or the applicable micro-purchase threshold). The questions tend to focus on the difference between commercial and non-commercial acquisition paths, how to handle multiple quotes, and when a contract file needs more than just a quote and a purchase order. I spent several months preparing for this by going through the DFARS supplements and the service-specific acquisition guides. What became clear quickly was that the exam is mostly scenario-based. You will not get a question that simply asks "What is the simplified acquisition threshold?" You will get a scenario where someone is buying office supplies from one vendor versus buying a specialized piece of equipment from two vendors, and you have to pick the correct procedure. The distinction matters because the documentation and evaluation criteria change entirely depending on whether you are treating the purchase as commercial or non-commercial.

Con 2370 Simplified Acquisition Procedures Exam

The exam itself is typically administered through the Defense Acquisition University or service-specific training portals. You get a set number of questions with a time limit that is generous enough that most people finish without rushing. The pass rate is generally around 70-75% on the first attempt for those who have done the reading, and significantly lower for people who try to wing it. The material is dense because it references multiple regulatory sections simultaneously. Simplified acquisitions below $150,000 for commercial items follow a streamlined path. You obtain quotes, you evaluate based on price and any other factors the contracting officer deems relevant, and you award without the full formal solicitation process. Above $150,000 and up to the SAT, the rules shift slightly. You may need three quotes instead of two, and the evaluation criteria must be documented more carefully. The exact threshold changes depending on whether the purchase is set aside for small businesses or follows other special programs. One thing that catches people off guard is the requirement for a written justification when purchases exceed certain amounts but still fall under simplified procedures. The form and content of that justification are tested directly. I got tripped up on a practice question where the scenario involved a $175,000 non-commercial purchase that required a justification for using simplified procedures instead of formal contracting. The correct answer hinged on whether the contracting officer had properly documented market research showing that formal methods were not necessary. Without that market research on file, the simplified procedure was not appropriate regardless of the dollar amount.

Another area that requires attention is the evaluation of commercial items. The FAR allows contracting officers to use simplified evaluation criteria for commercial products, but only when the item genuinely qualifies as commercial. I encountered an edge case during my own preparation where a piece of equipment was advertised as "commercially available" but actually had significant custom modifications. The correct procedure was to treat it as non-commercial and apply the full evaluation requirements. The exam will test your ability to distinguish between items that are truly commercial and items that are merely sold in commercial quantities but modified for government use.

Common Pitfalls and What Actually Works

The biggest mistake I see people make is conflating micro-purchase procedures with simplified acquisition procedures. Micro-purchases under the current threshold can be made without competition in most cases. Simplified acquisitions above the micro-purchase level generally require some form of competition. The exam will present scenarios where both paths seem plausible, and you have to pick the one that matches the dollar amount and the commercial status of the item. A second common error involves the documentation standards. For purchases under simplified procedures, the contracting officer must maintain a file that includes the quote, the evaluation, and the rationale for the award. Some test-takers overlook that the file must also show the basis for determining that the price is reasonable. This is especially important when the purchase exceeds $50,000 and involves non-commercial items. I recommend working through the actual DFARS clauses rather than relying solely on summary materials. The exam questions reference specific regulatory language, and having read the actual text makes it easier to recognize the correct answer when it is phrased in technical terms. Practice questions from reputable sources are useful, but they often simplify the scenarios too much. The real exam tends to include additional details that change the correct answer, like whether the purchase is for contingency operations or whether it falls under the Small Business Set-Aside program.

Study Strategy That Actually Works

Read the relevant FAR parts in order. Start with FAR Part 13, which covers simplified acquisition procedures, then move to FAR Part 22 if the exam includes provisions related to small business participation. DFARS Part 213 and Part 217 supplement these with defense-specific rules. The acquisition portal for your specific service branch may also have additional guidance that appears on the exam. Do not try to memorize every threshold number. Instead, understand the logic behind them. Why does the requirement for three quotes kick in at a certain dollar amount? Why does the justification requirement exist? When you understand the reasoning, you can work through scenarios even if you forget the exact number. The exam rewards procedural thinking, not rote memorization. Take the practice tests multiple times under timed conditions. The first time through you will probably miss questions you thought you knew. The second and third times reveal the gaps in your understanding. Focus your review on the areas where you consistently lose points rather than reviewing material you already understand well.

Limitations of This Approach

Going through the regulations is the most reliable method, but it is also the most time-consuming. If you are preparing while working full-time, you may only have a few weeks to cover the material. In that case, prioritize the sections on commercial item acquisitions, the documentation requirements for awards above $50,000, and the differences between micro-purchase and simplified acquisition thresholds. These three areas account for the majority of scenario-based questions on the exam. The main weakness of self-study is that some nuances only become clear after you have handled actual acquisition files. The exam will test practical judgment calls that are difficult to anticipate from reading alone. If you have access to a contracting officer who can walk you through real examples, use that opportunity. Otherwise, focus on the regulatory text and practice questions until the patterns become familiar.