IPA IP 2020 Question 1
A question IPA Japan published in 令和2年度 10月 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問1, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.
Same question on ITPEC: Oct 2025 Q99
Which of the following is the appropriate combination of words or phrases to be inserted into blanks A and B in the description below concerning documentation that is created in the procurement of an information system?
The document that sets out the overview, what is being asked for, procurement conditions, and other such information for an information system to be procured and asks for a proposal to be submitted is the A. And the document that asks for the provision of relevant information by indicating the computerization purpose, a business overview, and other such information is the B.
Explanation
A: RFP, B: RFI — the proposal request states what is to be procured; the information request asks what vendors can offer.
- •RFP (Request for Proposal): sent to candidate vendors with the system overview, the requirements, the procurement conditions such as delivery date and contract terms, and asks each to submit a proposal. That is blank A.
- •RFI (Request for Information): sent earlier, it gives the purpose of computerization and an outline of the business and asks vendors for information on applicable technology, products and past cases. That is blank B.
In a procurement the RFI comes first, to learn what is possible, and the RFP follows, built on what the RFI returned.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- •(a) RFI, RFP — swaps the two: the document asking for a proposal is the RFP, not the RFI
- •(b) RFI, SLA — wrong in both blanks: A is the RFP, and an SLA is not an information request
- •(d) RFP, SLA — A is right, but an SLA (service level agreement) is the agreement between a service provider and its customer on service levels such as availability; it asks vendors for nothing
Key rule: RFI gathers information, RFP requests proposals, in that order; an SLA belongs to service management, not to procurement documents.
System Planning · AI-written, may contain errors
This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.