Under noncompetitive awards over $100,000 totaling $50 million or more a year, agencies may implement the structured approach as follows.

• A. Shall use a structured approach for profit objectives in those acquisitions, exemptions may be prescribed, and agencies may also use another agency's structured approach
• B. Must always use the most conservative approach
• C. May not use another agency's structured approach
• D. Is optional for all acquisitions

Answer: (D)

The test is about whether the structured approach for pricing in noncompetitive awards is mandatory or optional. The key idea is that the government uses the structured approach as a discretionary tool, not a requirement. When the rule says agencies “may implement the structured approach,” it signals that agencies have the option to apply it if they choose, rather than being forced to use it in every applicable case. This reflects a policy of offering a structured method to price such contracts, but not mandating its use across the board.

So, the best answer is that its use is optional in these noncompetitive situations because the language describes it as something agencies may implement, giving them discretion rather than imposing an obligation. The other options imply mandatory requirements or restrictive conditions that aren’t supported by the governing language, which emphasizes choice rather than compulsion.