Which procurement method gets limited use and is essentially non-competitive?

Which procurement method gets limited use and is essentially non-competitive?

• A. RFP
• B. RFQ
• C. Sole Sourcing
• D. LPTA

Answer: (C)

Sole sourcing means awarding a contract to a single supplier without going through a competitive bidding process. This approach is used only in limited, special cases where there is a compelling reason to bypass competition—such as a unique capability or proprietary technology, a preexisting exclusive arrangement, or urgent time constraints that make competitive sourcing impractical. Because it bypasses bidding, sole sourcing is essentially non-competitive and is therefore used sparingly. In contrast, other procurement methods involve competition. Requests for Proposal invites multiple vendors to submit proposals and be evaluated against criteria, Requests for Qualifications pre-qualify vendors before bidding, and the lowest-price technically acceptable approach remains competitive by selecting based on price while meeting defined technical requirements.

Sole sourcing means awarding a contract to a single supplier without going through a competitive bidding process. This approach is used only in limited, special cases where there is a compelling reason to bypass competition—such as a unique capability or proprietary technology, a preexisting exclusive arrangement, or urgent time constraints that make competitive sourcing impractical. Because it bypasses bidding, sole sourcing is essentially non-competitive and is therefore used sparingly.

In contrast, other procurement methods involve competition. Requests for Proposal invites multiple vendors to submit proposals and be evaluated against criteria, Requests for Qualifications pre-qualify vendors before bidding, and the lowest-price technically acceptable approach remains competitive by selecting based on price while meeting defined technical requirements.