Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPCM Practice Questions and Study Guide

In a contract, the buyer is defined as the party that requires goods and/or services. This party expresses a need for a product or service and seeks to fulfill that need through the contractual agreement. By identifying the buyer as the entity that requires these goods or services, we recognize the fundamental purpose of contracts: to facilitate the exchange where one party provides something that the other party needs.

The other options can be understood in context but do not encapsulate the core definition of the buyer. While the seller fulfills the goods, they do not represent the purchasing interest; they are instead fulfilling the needs of the buyer. The party who initiates the contract might be the buyer, but not exclusively—buyers often negotiate and initiate contracts through representatives or agents. Lastly, the agent representing the buyer acts on behalf of the buyer but is not defined as the buyer themselves. Thus, the most accurate description of the buyer in a contract is the party that specifically requires goods or services, which aligns perfectly with the chosen answer.