PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are the project manager for a construction project. A key vendor notifies you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project by at least two weeks. The vendor was already on the risk register with a contingency plan. What should you do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to reactive actions like finding a new vendor or updating the schedule, forgetting that the risk register already contains a pre-approved response that should be executed first.
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
✓
Activate the contingency plan outlined in the risk register
D is correct because the risk was already identified and documented in the risk register with a pre-defined contingency plan. According to the PMBOK Guide, when a risk occurs, the first action is to implement the contingency plan if one exists, as it is the planned response to the specific risk event. This ensures a structured, pre-approved approach without unnecessary delays or escalation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Immediately contact alternative vendors to find a replacement
Why it's wrong here
While finding alternative vendors might be part of a potential solution, immediately contacting them without first consulting the project's risk register is a reactive approach that bypasses established risk management planning. A project manager's initial response to an identified risk event should always be to review and activate the pre-planned contingency strategy, if one exists, to ensure a controlled and efficient resolution. This prevents ad-hoc decision-making and ensures alignment with the project management plan.
- ✗
Update the project schedule to reflect the delay and notify stakeholders
Why it's wrong here
Updating the project schedule and notifying stakeholders are crucial steps in managing the impact of a risk event, but they represent a subsequent phase after the initial risk response. The primary and immediate responsibility of the project manager upon a risk's occurrence is to implement the pre-defined contingency plan to mitigate the risk's impact and restore project progress. Only after the response is underway and its effects are understood can accurate schedule adjustments and stakeholder communications be made.
- ✗
Inform the project sponsor of the delay and ask for guidance
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the project sponsor for guidance is appropriate when a risk event occurs for which no contingency plan exists, or when the planned response exceeds the project manager's authority or resources. However, in this scenario, the risk was identified and a contingency plan is outlined in the risk register. The project manager's role is to execute that plan first, demonstrating proactive management and only escalating if the planned response proves ineffective or insufficient.
- ✓
Activate the contingency plan outlined in the risk register
Why this is correct
Activating the contingency plan outlined in the risk register is the most appropriate and professional response when a known risk event occurs. This demonstrates effective proactive risk management, as the project team has already identified the risk, analyzed its potential impact, and developed a specific, pre-approved response strategy. Implementing this plan ensures a structured and efficient mitigation effort, minimizing disruption and leveraging prior planning to address the issue directly.
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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.