Pass the CIPS CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply L4M4 Questions and answers with CertsForce

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for a market basket of goods and services. It reflects price variations in specific geographical locations and tracks the weighted average prices of selected commodities, providing insights into inflation and cost of living.

Exact Extract from Study Guide:

"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracks variations in prices for a range of consumer goods and services over time, in a particular geographic location."

Explanation

Price and Quality are the two considerations when marking a competitive tender.

Location, distribution and reputation may be considered for SOME tenders, but these would be sub-categories that fall under 'quality questions.

Explanation

"yes- ethics and sustainability form part of 'value for money' " is the correct answer.

There are several factors that represent value for money and these are listed on p.3. These include; price, delivery, quality, ethics, sustainability and availability.

Explanation

96 is the correct answer- weighted point systems should add up to 100 (as in 100%)

Explanation

total life-cycle costs include; acquisition costs, maintenance and training.

Added value and functional fit are quality criteria that should also be evaluated when selecting a supplier, but do not fall under total life-cycle costs.

Note: total life cycle costs and whole life asset management are the same thing. You may see both terms used in the exam. I think CIPS is moving more towards Whole Life Asset Management now as the preferred vocabulary but they're the same thing.

Explanation

Futures exchanges are used to trade commodities. It's when a buyer and supplier agree a price and deal for something in the future. For example a carrot farmer may agree to sell his carrots to Gary in 3 months time when they're finished growing. It's used when the product / commodity isn't ready yet.

It's also used for hedging and other complex financial stuff- but you don't need to know that yet. Commodities and Future contracts are a big part of L5M4 to warn you though. Futures Contract Definition: Types, Mechanics, and Uses in Trading (investopedia.com)

Explanation

This is sole sourcing as there is only one supplier in the marketplace.

Be careful not to confuse single sourcing and sole sourcing. Single sourcing is when a buyer chooses to work with only one supplier (usually to achieve economies of scale), sole sourcing, on the other hand, is when the buyer doesn't have a choice- they work with one supplier because there is only one supplier in the market.

Types of sourcing is a key concept for this exam.

Explanation

you would use a restricted approach when interest is likely to be high. The buyer needs a method of de-selecting unsuitable bidders and creating a shortlist of acceptable organisations.

For complex requirements you could use both an open or restrictive tender- the difference between the approaches is about how many bids you're likely to get rather than the complexity of it.

CIPS members who adhere to the CIPS Code of Conduct gain insight into ethical business practices and retain their membership and access to CIPS resources. This commitment to ethical standards supports responsible sourcing by fostering a community of professionals who value integrity and best practices.

Explanation

"Meet current liabilities" is a posh way of saying "can you pay your bills". You're therefore looking for a liquidity ratio- a ratio that looks at assets vs liabilities (i.e. money in the bank vs money owed out). The Acid Test is a liquidity ratio. It's sometimes called the 'quick ratio'. Both terms come up on the exam. The other options are financial ratios but aren't for liquidity.