Supply planning, transport, stock and procurement…

United Nations agency · Written recruitment test

Technical test (MCQ) · Officer level

Logistics and Supply Officer

Duty station: Bay region (Somalia)
Time allowed: 30 min
Marks: 25 questions
Pass mark: 70 %
Profile: Officer, 2 to 5 years of experience

Instructions

The test has 25 questions and lasts 30 minutes. The timer starts when the test is opened and the test closes automatically when the time is up.
Each question has a single correct answer out of the four proposed. Some questions require a calculation or a judgement: read each question to the end.
A wrong or missing answer scores zero, with no negative marking. A calculator is allowed.
Any outside help (another person, shared document, artificial intelligence) is forbidden. The pass mark is 70% (18 correct answers out of 25).

Original practice test, built on the format of written tests used by United Nations agencies and international NGOs. The context and figures are fictitious.

Question 11 marks

A central warehouse consumes 12,000 units of an item per year. Each order costs USD 150 (administrative and transport costs) and the holding cost is USD 2 per unit per year. What is the economic order quantity (Wilson formula)?

A. About 949 units B. About 1,800 units C. About 6,000 units D. About 1,342 units

Question 21 marks

Average consumption: 60 units per day. Standard deviation of daily consumption: 20 units. Replenishment lead time: 16 days. Target service level: 95% (z = 1.65). What reorder point should be used?

A. 960 units B. 1,092 units C. 1,488 units D. 1,020 units

Question 31 marks

Stock on hand: 4,500 units. Average monthly consumption: 1,800 units. Order in transit: 2,000 units. Policy sets a maximum stock of 4 months of consumption. What quantity should be ordered?

A. 2,700 units B. 7,200 units C. 700 units D. 2,500 units

Question 41 marks

12 cartons of 60 × 40 × 50 cm, weighing 14 kg each, are shipped by air. The volumetric ratio is 1 kg per 6,000 cm³ and the rate is USD 4.50 per chargeable kg. What is the freight cost?

A. USD 756 B. USD 1,836 C. USD 1,080 D. USD 540

Question 51 marks

For 2,000 units: supplier A offers USD 18.00 per unit, delivered to Baidoa. Supplier B offers USD 16.50 per unit ex Mogadishu, plus USD 2,400 for transport and 1% losses en route to be replaced at the unit price. Both offers are technically compliant. Which offer is cheaper in total cost?

A. B: USD 35,730 against USD 36,000 for A B. A: USD 36,000 against USD 37,400 for B C. B: USD 33,000 against USD 36,000 for A D. Both offers have exactly the same total cost

Question 61 marks

Rental of a vehicle with driver, fuel included: USD 3,000 per month for 2,500 km. Owned vehicle: depreciation of USD 45,000 over 5 years, driver USD 600 per month, maintenance USD 0.15/km, fuel USD 0.20/km. What is the cost per kilometre of each option (excluding insurance)?

A. Rental USD 1.20/km; owned vehicle USD 0.35/km B. Rental USD 1.20/km; owned vehicle USD 0.89/km C. Rental USD 0.83/km; owned vehicle USD 0.89/km D. Rental USD 1.20/km; owned vehicle USD 0.54/km

Question 71 marks

1,400 tonnes of cereals must be transported in 10 days. Each truck carries 22 tonnes and completes a full round trip in 2 days. What is the minimum number of trucks needed?

A. 7 trucks B. 12 trucks C. 13 trucks D. 64 trucks

Question 81 marks

You need to store 2,400 bags of 50 kg, at 20 bags per pallet (1.2 m × 1.0 m) and 2 pallets stacked. Aisles and handling areas take up 40% of the total area. What total warehouse area is needed?

A. 100.8 m² B. 120 m² C. 144 m² D. 72 m²

Question 91 marks

A transport framework agreement provides that 30% of the rate is indexed to the price of fuel. The base rate is USD 25.00 per tonne and the price of fuel has risen by 12%. What is the new rate?

A. USD 25.90 per tonne B. USD 28.00 per tonne C. USD 25.36 per tonne D. USD 26.50 per tonne

Question 101 marks

CIF value of a consignment of equipment: USD 40,000. Customs duties: 5% of the CIF value. VAT: 15% calculated on the CIF value plus duties. Clearing charges: USD 800. If the exemption requested is not obtained, what is the landed, cleared cost?

A. USD 48,800 B. USD 49,100 C. USD 48,300 D. USD 46,800

Question 111 marks

Kits must be available in Baidoa on 15 March 2027. Estimated lead times: procurement procedure 3 weeks, manufacturing 6 weeks, sea freight 4 weeks, customs clearance 2 weeks, road transport 1 week. What is the latest date for raising the purchase request?

A. 14 December 2026 B. 30 November 2026 C. 9 November 2026 D. 23 November 2026

Question 121 marks

Successive receipts: 500 units at USD 10, then 300 units at USD 12. You issue 400 units. What is the value of the issue using weighted average cost (WAC), and then using the first in, first out (FIFO) method?

A. USD 4,400 using WAC; USD 4,000 using FIFO B. USD 4,300 using WAC; USD 4,600 using FIFO C. USD 4,000 using WAC; USD 4,300 using FIFO D. USD 4,300 using WAC; USD 4,000 using FIFO

Question 131 marks

An order is placed EXW (Ex Works, Incoterms 2020) with a supplier in Nairobi. Who must complete the export customs formalities?

A. The buyer B. The seller C. The carrier chosen by the seller D. The freight forwarder in the destination country, at the seller's expense

Question 141 marks

In which case can a direct award (single supplier, without competition) be justified?

A. When the usual supplier gave satisfaction the previous year B. When only one supplier can technically meet the need, or in a documented emergency, with a written waiver approved at the required level C. When the programme manager considers the procedure too long D. When the amount is only just above the tender threshold

Question 151 marks

What is the main advantage of a framework agreement concluded after competitive bidding?

A. Placing orders quickly at prices and conditions already negotiated, without relaunching a full procedure for each need B. Being exempted from quality control on receipt C. Removing budget control over orders D. Being able to buy from any supplier at the same price

Question 161 marks

A sealed bid arrives 40 minutes after the deadline set in the tender dossier. The opening session has not yet started. What should be done?

A. Accept it, since the opening has not started B. Open it to check whether it is the cheapest C. Ask the other bidders for their opinion D. Reject it without opening it and record its late receipt in the minutes

Question 171 marks

Before awarding a transport contract in an area where groups subject to sanctions operate, which check is essential?

A. Only check that the supplier has a bank account B. Screen the supplier and its directors against the applicable sanctions lists, including the United Nations Security Council Consolidated List, and keep proof of the check C. Ask the supplier for a sworn declaration, with no other check D. None, if the supplier has already worked for another organisation

Question 181 marks

How should calcium hypochlorite (HTH) be stored in a warehouse?

A. With the hygiene kits, to make preparing distributions easier B. Next to the fuel stock, as both are dangerous goods C. In full sun, to stop it absorbing moisture D. Away from fuels, oils and organic products, in a dry, ventilated room protected from heat, because it is a powerful oxidiser

Question 191 marks

A transporter delivers 480 bags instead of the 500 listed on the waybill. The contract provides for losses to be deducted at replacement value. What do you do?

A. Receive the 480 bags, record the discrepancy and reservations on the waybill and the goods received note signed by both parties, then deduct the value of the 20 bags from the payment B. Refuse the entire delivery C. Sign the waybill without reservation and settle the discrepancy later by phone D. Record 500 bags on the stock card so as not to hold up payment

Question 201 marks

1,200 tonnes were loaded and 1,188 tonnes received. The contract tolerates 0.5% loss in transit; beyond that, losses are deducted at USD 450 per tonne. What amount should be deducted from the invoice?

A. USD 5,400 B. USD 2,700 C. USD 2,727 D. USD 0, because a 1% loss is still reasonable

Question 211 marks

A vehicle logbook shows 3,400 km driven and 748 litres of fuel consumed in the month. The vehicle's standard is 16 L per 100 km. What is the actual consumption and the excess compared with the standard?

A. 22 L per 100 km; 204 litres excess B. 22 L per 100 km; 6 litres excess C. 18 L per 100 km; 204 litres excess D. 22 L per 100 km; 108 litres excess

Question 221 marks

What is the main role of the Logistics Cluster in a humanitarian response?

A. To replace the logistics departments of each organisation B. To purchase supplies for all partners C. To coordinate actors, share logistics information (access, roads, bottlenecks) and, where gaps are identified, facilitate access to common services D. To set the rates of private transporters

Question 231 marks

At the end of a project, what should be done with equipment purchased under the grant (vehicles, generators)?

A. Sell it to staff at the best price B. Reassign it to another project without formalities C. Apply the rules of the grant agreement on disposal of assets and obtain, if they require it, the donor's written approval before any transfer, donation or sale D. Hand it over to the local partner without a transfer document

Question 241 marks

For a reliable cycle count in a warehouse, how should the count be organised?

A. Entrust it to the storekeeper alone, who knows the stock best B. Copy the quantities from the stock cards to save time C. Have it carried out by a person independent of day-to-day stock management, using a list without the theoretical quantities, then reconcile with the cards D. Limit it to items whose stock is almost zero

Question 251 marks

A customs clearance delay threatens a stock-out of hygiene kits in 3 weeks. Which response is most appropriate?

A. Wait until clearance is complete before informing the programme B. Buy locally without competition, since the emergency always justifies it C. Discreetly reduce the quantities per household at the next distributions D. Alert the programme immediately, propose options (formalised loan from another organisation, one-off local purchase in line with procedures) and follow the clearance closely

Other tests for this profession

Panel interview question for this profession

Describe a situation where you found a discrepancy between what had been ordered, delivered or distributed. How did you deal with it?

Competency assessed : Rigour and integrity in the receipt and tracking of goods

What the panel expects : A reconciliation of documents (purchase order, delivery note, goods received note, stock, lists), precise figures, compliance with the contractual procedure, a search for causes without hasty accusations, use of the anti-fraud channel if necessary and a lasting correction.

Possible follow-up questions

Which documents did you reconcile, and which one revealed the discrepancy?
Did the supplier or a colleague put pressure on you to close the file? How did you react?
Which control rule changed afterwards?

Strong answer

In Mali, while preparing a payment to a supplier of hygiene kits, I reconciled the purchase order, the goods received note and the invoice: the invoice was for 2,000 kits, the goods received note for 2,000, but the stock card recorded only 1,860. I did a physical count with the storekeeper and a finance colleague: 1,860 kits. The goods received note had been signed when the truck arrived, before the count. I suspended the payment, notified the supplier within the contractual deadline of five days and asked for the waybill. The supplier acknowledged a loading error and delivered the 140 missing kits, worth USD 3,080. I then had two rules adopted: the goods received note is signed only after a count, by two people, and payment is made only after three-way matching. Over the following twelve months, we had no unresolved discrepancies.

Weak answer

"A few cartons were missing, but the supplier is reliable and we have worked with him for a long time, so I paid and he promised to deliver them later." This answer shows payment for goods not received, without reconciliation or a written claim, and personal trust in place of control.

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Supply planning, transport, stock and procurement compliance

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