Under what circumstance are oral RFPs authorized?

• A. For perishable items and contingency operations
• B. For procurements over a threshold only
• C. Never
• D. When processing a written solicitation would delay the acquisition to the Government's detriment

Answer: (D)

Oral RFPs are allowed only when time is so critical that waiting to issue or respond to a written solicitation would delay the acquisition to the Government’s detriment. This captures the essential exception to the usual practice of using written solicitations in negotiated procurements, ensuring the Government can move forward without harmful delays.

The other options don’t fit because the authorization isn’t about item type (perishables) or operation type, nor is it a matter of hitting a monetary threshold. It’s specifically about avoiding delay to the Government, which is why the correct choice emphasizes that potential detriment from processing a written solicitation is the trigger for using an oral RFP.