The project management plan requires the acquisition of a special part available from a supplier...

According to the PMBOK® Guide (6th Edition), specifically within the Plan Procurement Management process, Source Selection Criteria are used to rate or score seller proposals. When a project requires a specific item that can only be provided by a single supplier—such as a " special part " only available from one source abroad—the method used is Sole Source.

Detailed Analysis of Sole Source:

Definition: Procurement from a specific vendor even though other vendors may exist in the market (though in many " special part " cases, they are the only ones capable of providing it).

Justification: This is often used when there is a unique technical requirement, a patent, or a specific specialty that only one supplier possesses.

Risk: Sole sourcing reduces the project manager ' s negotiating power because there is no competition; however, it is a necessity when the part is a " special " requirement of the project management plan.

Analysis of Distractors:

A (Least cost): This method is used for standard or commodity items where the quality is well-defined and the only differentiating factor between sellers is the price. A " special part " implies more than just price is at stake.

B (Qualifications only): This method is typically used for small assignments where the cost of evaluating full proposals is not justified. The project manager selects the firm with the best credentials and then negotiates a contract.

D (Fixed budget): This involves disclosing the available budget to invited sellers and selecting the highest-ranking technical proposal that fits within that budget. It is not used when the primary constraint is the unique availability of a specific part.

Key Document Reference: Section 12.1.2.4 of the PMBOK® Guide identifies various selection methods. Sole source is explicitly categorized under non-competitive procurement where the project manager bypasses the typical bidding process due to the unique nature of the requirement or provider.