- A
Update the project management plan with the new delivery date
The plan should be updated after assessing impact.
- B
Ask the team to work overtime to compensate for the delay
Why wrong: Overtime may not solve the issue if the component is not available.
- C
Notify the project sponsor and other key stakeholders of the delay and potential impacts
Transparency with stakeholders is crucial.
- D
Immediately terminate the vendor contract
Why wrong: Termination is extreme and may not be the best first step.
- E
Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and critical path
Understanding the impact is essential before taking action.
Question 149 of 892
Vendor Delay on Critical Path: Risk Response Steps
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project. You need to decide on next steps. Which THREE actions are most appropriate?
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
✓
Update the project management plan with the new delivery date
Updating the project management plan with the new delivery date is correct because it formally documents the revised schedule baseline, which is a key output of the integrated change control process. This ensures all project artifacts reflect the current reality, enabling accurate tracking and communication. Without this update, the plan becomes obsolete and misaligns with actual project execution.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Update the project management plan with the new delivery date
Why this is correct
The plan should be updated after assessing impact.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Ask the team to work overtime to compensate for the delay
Why it's wrong here
Overtime may not solve the issue if the component is not available.
- ✓
Notify the project sponsor and other key stakeholders of the delay and potential impacts
Why this is correct
Transparency with stakeholders is crucial.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Immediately terminate the vendor contract
Why it's wrong here
Termination is extreme and may not be the best first step.
- ✓
Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and critical path
Why this is correct
Understanding the impact is essential before taking action.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates mistakenly treat 'asking the team to work overtime' as a valid corrective action without recognizing it requires a formal change request and impact analysis, or they assume terminating the vendor contract is the first step instead of evaluating the schedule impact first.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, the critical path method (CPM) calculates the longest sequence of dependent tasks; a delay on the critical path directly extends the project finish date. Evaluating schedule impact (Option E) involves recalculating float and identifying if the delay is on the critical path, which then triggers a change request to update the baseline. Real-world scenarios often require a trade-off analysis between crashing (adding resources) and fast-tracking (parallel execution) to mitigate delays.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
People — Leading Projects practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PMP questions
892 questions across all exam domains
- →
Project Management Professional PMP study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PMP practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PMP practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
People — Leading Projects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to People — Leading Projects.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Process — Managing Technical Aspects.
Business Environment — Strategy and Value practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment — Strategy and Value.
Business Environment: strategy and project benefits practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to Business Environment: strategy and project benefits.
PMP fundamentals practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP fundamentals.
PMP scenario practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP scenario.
PMP troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PMP questions linked to PMP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PMP practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Update the project management plan with the new delivery date — Updating the project management plan with the new delivery date is correct because it formally documents the revised schedule baseline, which is a key output of the integrated change control process. This ensures all project artifacts reflect the current reality, enabling accurate tracking and communication. Without this update, the plan becomes obsolete and misaligns with actual project execution.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on PMP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A key vendor has informed you that they cannot deliver a critical component for another two weeks, which will delay your project. The component is on the critical path. What should you do first?
medium- A.Ask the team to work overtime to make up for the delay
- B.Penalize the vendor as per the contract
- C.Immediately notify the sponsor and request a schedule extension
- ✓ D.Update the risk register and review the response plan for this risk
Why D: Option D is correct because the first action when a known risk materializes is to consult the risk register and execute the pre-defined response plan. Since the vendor delay is a risk that was likely identified and documented, updating the register and reviewing the planned response ensures a structured, data-driven approach rather than a reactive one. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on implementing risk responses as the immediate next step after risk occurrence.
Variation 2. A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time due to a supply chain disruption. This risk was identified and included in the risk register. What should you do first?
easy- A.Escalate the issue to the steering committee for guidance
- ✓ B.Implement the contingency plan that was defined for this risk
- C.Brainstorm new solutions with the team since the risk was not anticipated
- D.Wait to see if the vendor can resolve the issue before taking action
Why B: Since the risk was identified and included in the risk register, a contingency plan should have been defined. The correct first action is to implement that pre-planned contingency plan to address the supply chain disruption, as it is the most efficient and proactive response to a known risk.
Keep practising
More PMP practice questions
- During a sprint review, the product owner rejects a completed user story because it does not meet the acceptance criteri…
- During a daily standup, a developer mentions she is blocked by a dependency from another team. The issue was not previou…
- A project manager is leading a digital transformation initiative. Midway through the project, a new regulation is introd…
- Your project is a large infrastructure build. You have completed the planning phase, but the sponsor has put pressure on…
- You are managing a software development project using a hybrid approach. During a sprint review, the product owner reque…
- Your agile project has been experiencing declining velocity over the last three sprints. During the retrospective, the t…
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.