PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
During the execution phase of a construction project, you discover that a key vendor will not deliver steel beams on time, threatening the critical path. The risk was identified and the response plan was to use an approved backup supplier. What should you do NEXT?
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
✓
Contact the backup supplier immediately to activate the contract
Since the risk response plan already identified the backup supplier, the PM should implement the planned response. Activating the contingency plan is the correct proactive step. Communicating with stakeholders is important but secondary to executing the response.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ask the team to find a new vendor not on the approved list
Why it's wrong here
Asking the team to find a new vendor not on the approved list is inappropriate because it bypasses the established procurement process and the pre-approved risk response plan. This action introduces significant new risks, such as potential delays due to vetting, increased costs, or non-compliance with project standards, rather than leveraging the already identified and vetted backup supplier. Project managers must adhere to approved procedures to maintain control and manage risk effectively.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalating the issue to the project sponsor for a decision is unnecessary and demonstrates a lack of understanding of the project manager's authority and responsibility. Since a specific risk response plan, including a backup supplier, was already developed and approved, the project manager is empowered and expected to execute this pre-defined contingency. Escalation is reserved for issues outside the PM's authority or for risks without an existing, approved response.
- ✓
Contact the backup supplier immediately to activate the contract
Why this is correct
Contacting the backup supplier immediately to activate the contract is the correct and most proactive response when a known risk materializes and its contingency plan is already approved. This action directly implements the pre-defined risk response, minimizing the potential negative impact on the project schedule and objectives. A project manager's role includes promptly executing approved plans to maintain project progress and control.
- ✗
Update the risk register and wait for the vendor to confirm the delay
Why it's wrong here
Updating the risk register and waiting for the vendor to confirm the delay is a reactive approach that fails to leverage the proactive planning already completed. While updating the risk register is a necessary step for documentation and lessons learned *after* taking action, delaying the implementation of an approved contingency plan allows the risk's impact to worsen. The project manager should prioritize immediate action based on the approved response to mitigate the threat.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI 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 PMP exam.