PK0-005 Project Life Cycle Practice Question
A project manager is executing a project when a team member reports that a critical vendor has missed a delivery deadline, threatening the project schedule. Which action should the project manager take FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is jumping straight to escalation or vendor negotiation before assessing the actual impact, which can lead to unnecessary changes, costs, or damaged relationships.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Assess the impact on the project schedule and evaluate possible corrective actions.
When a vendor misses a delivery deadline, the project manager should first assess the impact on the project schedule and then evaluate possible corrective actions. This analysis informs whether the issue can be resolved internally or requires escalation. Documenting the issue, negotiating with the vendor, or escalating to the sponsor are subsequent steps that depend on the assessed impact and available options.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Assess the impact on the project schedule and evaluate possible corrective actions.
Why this is correct
The project manager's first step is to assess the impact of the vendor delay on the project schedule and then evaluate possible corrective actions. This analysis determines whether the delay can be absorbed, whether fast tracking or crashing is possible, or whether escalation is needed. Taking action without understanding the impact could lead to unnecessary changes or costs.
- ✗
Meet with the vendor to negotiate a new delivery date and revise the contract.
Why it's wrong here
Negotiating a new delivery date may be part of the response, but it should not be the first action. The project manager must first understand the impact on the schedule and evaluate options. Meeting the vendor without this understanding could result in agreeing to a date that does not align with project needs. Assessment precedes negotiation.
- ✗
Update the risk register with the vendor delay and document the impact.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the risk register is important, but it is not the first action. The project manager should first assess the actual impact and determine the best response before documenting it. If the issue is already occurring, it becomes an issue rather than a risk, and the project manager may need to log it in an issue log. Documentation follows assessment and response planning.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the sponsor and request additional budget to hire a new vendor.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the sponsor immediately may be premature. The project manager should first assess the impact, evaluate options, and determine whether the issue can be resolved within the project manager's authority. Escalation is appropriate if the issue exceeds the project manager's authority or requires additional funding, but it should follow analysis and consideration of alternatives.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.