You are a Federal agency Contraction Officer working on a complex procurement. Your should cost team has discussed their analysis of the requirement with you. You are concerned because the should cost estimate exceeds what you understand to be funds available. You discuss the issue with the PM. The PM believes the should cost estimate is off and his technical people are certain that the procurement can be executed with funds available. You have the should cost team review their estimate. Following the review, the should cost team affirms their first estimate. They believe the project has considerable risk and that the proposed fixed price contract strategy will force offerors to cover that risk in their proposals. Ultimately the strategy is your call. What is the path forward?

R& m chatelaine is one of the largest tax-preparation firms in the united states. it wants to acquire the tax experts, a smaller rival. after the merger, chatelaine will be one of the two largest income-tax preparers in the u.s. market. what should chatelaine include in its acquisition plans? it should refocus its attention from the national to the international market. in addition to acquiring the tax experts, it should also determine the best way to drive independent "mom and pop" tax preparers out of business. chatelaine will need to explain to the federal trade commission how the acquisition will not result in an increase in prices for consumers. chatelaine should enter a price-based competition with its other major competitor to force it out of business and become a monopoly.