The contracting officer should request field pricing assistance when:

• A. The information available at the buying activity is inadequate to determine a fair and reasonable price
• B. The information is readily available
• C. The vendor asks for it
• D. Only for commercial items

Answer: (A)

When determining price reasonableness, you bring in field pricing assistance when the information available at the buying activity is not enough to judge whether the price is fair and reasonable. This external input provides independent analysis to supplement your price analysis, helping ensure the government isn’t paying more than necessary. If the information is already adequate and can support a determination of fairness and reasonableness, there’s no need to involve field pricing. Merely because the vendor asks for it or because the item is commercial does not by itself create the requirement; the trigger is the lack of adequate information to make a sound determination.