CMAA Certified Associate Construction Manager (CACM) Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• In deriving a contractor's EMR, which factor is most important?
• Which items are included in a quality management plan?
• Which BIM dimension adds cost data to the model?
• Which item is typically included in a quality management plan?
• Which contract stipulation would have the potential for conflict of interest between the owner and an Agency CM?
• What is the CM's first priority when advising on sustainability?
• What inefficiencies can result from the improper management of technology in project delivery?
• The owner wants the completed facility to meet the standards for LEED Gold but does not want to formally register the project. What is your recommendation?
• Which of the following constitutes ethical behavior for a construction management firm during project execution?
• For three parallel projects with the following requirements—A must stay within budget, B requires minimal risk exposure to claims, and C must be fast-tracked with low-bid bidder selection—which delivery method set would you recommend?
• Which of the following principles describes a construction manager's ethical behavior?
• In an arrangement where the CM is involved before construction and guarantees a maximum price, what is this delivery method called?
• The experience modification rate (EMR) is based on recordable case rates over how many years?
• What is the consequence of unethical conduct by construction managers?
• In a PM agency contract scenario, the CM generally represents whose interests?
• In an agency CM arrangement, the CM's financial responsibility is limited to what?
• As a best practice, how often should safety representatives inspect construction activities?
• A claim in the context of a construction contract refers to a formal request by a contractor for additional compensation, time, or other relief, based on the terms and conditions outlined in the contract documents.
• Which expression correctly represents the incidence rate formula given N as injuries, EH as total hours, and 200,000 as the base?
• What helps the project team analyze, assess, revise, and communicate the construction process virtually, as well as benefiting the owner's facility management team in the future?
• Which written plan outlines a project's scope, organization and the specific approach that the CM will take to accomplish the various management tasks?
• Which method of compensation for CM services is inconsistent with the agency CM's fiduciary relationship to its owner?
• A cost that is very difficult, if not impossible, to capture accurately through a change order is known as what type of cost?
• Who is MOST commonly responsible for implementing quality control during construction?
• The most reliable estimate is a:
• Which document should the CM review first when a change request could affect LEED compliance and project schedule?
• What is your BEST response if you discover a sibling works for a GC bid on a municipal project?
• Which item is normally considered a direct cost?
• Which document guides sustainability goals and objectives within a project?
• In prequalification, which information is considered to assess past safety performance?
• Unique site conditions that may affect the construction sequence usually require the CM to:
• After the team determines the impacts a risk will have on the project, what is the next best step?
• Which organization is commonly used as the reference for normal weather patterns in schedule planning?
• Which document addresses sustainability procedures for all project phases?
• Which participants should be involved in a value engineering study to maximize value?
• During an airport project shutdown that causes revenue losses to multiple parties, the total liquidated damages equal the sum of all listed losses. If Airline Lost Revenue is $60,000, Concession Lost Revenue $10,000, Airport Owner Lost Revenue $10,000, and Penalties Lost Revenue $20,000, what is the total liquidated damages?
• A new risk is identified with very low probability but high impact; the owner decides not to redesign and the project proceeds. This is an example of:
• At the described stage, which statement about equipment connections in the mechanical model is true?
• In a quality management plan, which element is defined?
• Which statement applies to both CM as Agent and CM at-Risk contract types?
• An effective cost management plan includes which phases' costs?
• Which delivery method provides the owner with a guaranteed maximum price and scheduled performance by the CM?
• From the changes between schedule version 1 and version 2, which change was made?
• Which option best reflects a recommended approach when an owner wants LEED Gold compliance but will not pursue formal LEED registration?
• What is the most effective method for a construction manager to capture aerial imagery of a large site to estimate earthwork quantities?
• Risk management planning is best conducted at what stage of a project?
• In the described critical path scenario involving scaffold erection and plaster repairs, what should the CM recommend for a scheduled time extension and compensation?
• Which practice can the CM recommend to avoid disputes regarding weather delays when developing schedule specifications?
• What is it called when an owner occupies a project before it is 100% complete?
• In the incidence rate formula, which base value is used for full-time equivalent workers?
• In force account work, who typically facilitates daily verification and ensures project requirements are met?
• The owner wants the BIM model to link the project cost and schedule and include sustainability features. Which BIM model type is described?
• Which term best describes the systematic turning of raw data into actionable information for decision making?
• A claim in construction contracts is based on which of the following?
• When the CM performs forward pricing, which of the following factors should be considered in evaluating production rates?
• Building Information Modeling (BIM) provides benefits beyond construction by aiding which function after project completion?
• The CM should request a _______ when the general contractor's progress is no longer in compliance with the contract completion date.
• Which of the following owner objectives is most important for the CM to clarify with the owner?
• Which days provide the next break results after a 7-day concrete strength test?
• What is the primary purpose of a CPM schedule in construction management?
• Snow plowing scenario: Local records show 20 full days of snow plowing on average per winter; this winter there were 45 days. For the 45 days, the contractor was on critical path. In the last 15 of those days, equipment broke preventing work. How many days of time extension is the contractor entitled to?
• In the BIM process described, which sequence is correct for model development?
• A contractor's proposed schedule of values that provides for inequitably excessive payments at the beginning of the project is typically known as:
• The primary focus of the Project Procedures Manual (PMP) is to clearly define:
• Which aspect does a constructability review primarily scrutinize in the construction documents?
• Which activity ensures that building systems operate as intended after turnover?
• Which delivery method involves contracting with multiple primes for different parts of the project under one project?
• An owner asks the CM to provide a detailed report of the program's potential construction bidding climate. This best describes:
• Ethics and standards of practice training in CM organizations should focus on what?
• During construction, which are the three basic types of team meetings?
• Which of the following risk categories would normally represent the greatest severity?
• Which milestone marks the date when the building can be occupied for its intended use, with minor work still remaining?
• A constructability review focuses on
• The total dollar amount allocated by the owner for a project/program is known as the:
• Which party is primarily responsible for including the contractor's sustainability requirements in the contract documents?
• The major advantage to the owner of using multiple prime contracts is savings on what?
• An SPI of 0.8 means that the project is:
• The date when the facility may be used for its intended purposes, even though all work is not fully completed is:
• An owner wishes to consider contractor safety records as a prequalification criterion. Which information should be requested from bidders?
• Which of the following is typically part of a quality management plan?
• In forward pricing, which factor should be considered in evaluating production rates?
• As the agency program manager, what is the next step when a proprietary digital system for daily site inspections is slow and integration with the contractor's system could improve visibility?
• What is the term used for the project analysis process used to determine how best to meet the necessary function, performance, and reliability at the minimum life cycle cost?
• Who typically shares float in construction contracts?
• Which activity is normally in the pre-design phase?
• The EMR is primarily influenced by which factor?
• A CM's primary obligation to the client is to always:
• Which activity verifies and documents the performance of building systems to ensure they operate as intended before occupancy?
• The CM monitors which of the following during a periodic safety audit of a contractor?
• Which contract term attempts to shift the risk, or burden of risk, from one party to another?
• A sum of money that a contractor agrees to pay for project delays is referred to as:
• A formal demand for compensation by a contractor in accordance with the contract documents can be described as a:
• Which schedule type is commonly used to plan and control construction projects, showing critical paths and activity durations?
• Which statement about Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is correct?
• On a construction site, if a worker on a 40-foot scaffold lacks guard rails and toe boards, what is the proper CM action?
• The CM's preliminary cost estimates are generally based on the following information:
• In determining the consistency of freshly made concrete, which test is usually conducted?
• The placement of quality concrete will require special measures when the outdoor ambient temperature exceeds:
• Who's responsibility is it to include the contractor's specific sustainability requirements in the contract documents?
• Which contract type typically requires the CM to coordinate trade contractors and deliver the project within a Guaranteed Maximum Price?
• A bidder reports 3 work-related injuries and illnesses over 624,000 hours. The calculated EMR is approximately what?
• Program management provides benefits such as:
• For a sustainability certification goal, when should the CM collect documentation for waste recycling, waste reduction, and emissions mitigation?
• When performing force account work, daily verification of the contractor's work is typically performed by which parties?
• What establishes the construction start date and authorizes construction to begin?
• CM organizations should provide training to all employees in which topic?
• Which schedule is used as the benchmark for tracking progress changes?
• What MUST accompany a project budget to clearly identify any assumptions, clarifications, inclusions, or exclusions the team made while preparing the budget?
• Using the spreadsheet, what changes were made to schedule version 1 to create schedule version 2?
• In a BIM workflow, to support developing a conceptual electrical model, what is the mechanical design's minimum LOD that must show equipment size, shape, spacing, and location but not connections?
• What is a method of checking for physical conflicts between building components within a building model?
• When a CM is acting as the owner's agent, the CM has a responsibility to:
• What term describes a facility that is ready for its intended use but not all work is complete?
• If the Vice President is unavailable to sign a change order, who should sign on behalf of the contractor?
• What is a key distinction between CM as Agent and CM at-Risk contracts?
• Which statement best reflects the fiduciary duty of an agency CM toward the owner?
• What term describes using a digital model as the authoritative source of project information for all stakeholders?
• Which of the following delivery systems usually allows project fast-tracking?
• Which option is NOT one of the four major risk responses?
• Which action helps limit your project liability?
• In agency CM, which statement best describes the CM's fiduciary responsibility?
• The Project Procedures Manual (PMP) primarily defines which of the following?
• What is the BEST time to identify and assess risks in a construction project lifecycle?
• You recommend that the owner and builder first refer a dispute to an impartial third party to facilitate voluntary, non-binding negotiations. This best describes:
• On a complex hospital project, what technology can you use to track data and material installation onsite, providing a single point of truth?
• What type of review checks a project's contract documents to eliminate ambiguities and errors with respect to procurement in the local construction market?
• What is the primary role of a BIM integrator in a construction project?
• The liquidated damages example includes losses for multiple parties. Which option correctly represents the total losses?
• Leadership on a successful project is BEST described as:
• To support sustainability certification, which data should be collected related to waste and emissions?
• In processing a payment requisition, the contractor includes an unapproved change order item. What should the CM do?
• What analysis takes into account capital, operating, and maintenance costs to verify that the most effective design solution has been achieved?
• For force account work, daily verification is performed to monitor which aspects?
• What does BIM stand for in construction technology?
• Constructability reviews should be performed at which stage(s) of design completion?
• During the design phase, Design Development is typically associated with which of the following?
• What term describes the defined boundaries of work, objectives, and deliverables in a project?
• A risk valued at $650,000 with a 25% probability of occurrence; transferring risk would cost $150,000. What is recommended?
• At the ________ estimate stage, the design contingency is generally the ________.
• What is the primary purpose of the daily verification of force account work by the CM and the Owner?
• Which of the following is a key characteristic of at-risk construction management?
• On sustainable projects, a system or procedure for handling requests for additional information or credit interpretations should be discussed and agreed to at:
• A CM with a Program Management (PM) agency contract generally acts in the interests of whom?
• Who is responsible for the jobsite safety program on a project?
• Which practice enables stakeholders to access appropriate information from digital systems while protecting data from unauthorized access?
• On a design-bid-build project, a new construction risk is valued at $500,000 with a 20% probability of occurrence. Transferring the risk would cost $125,000. As construction manager, what is your recommended course of action to the owner?
• A CM is always responsible for the safety of which group's personnel?
• Which contract term is designed to shift risk from one party to another?
• Which delivery method is best suited for fast-tracking and low-bid selection?
• A cost management plan should cover costs across which lifecycle phases?
• If a payment requisition includes a new item for an unapproved change order, what should the CM do?
• What does the acronym NTP stand for in contract terms?
• If construction has begun and no value engineering study was performed during design, what is the best recommendation for the owner?
• The dollar and time amount allocated by the owner for a project is defined as what?
• What is a systematic approach of transforming raw data into actionable information?
• What does Integrated Project Delivery emphasize?
• A revised project schedule is treated similarly to which schedule for monitoring?
• In risk management, which option best describes 'transfer the risk'?
• The CM's most basic professional role is to
• Which term describes the project analysis process used to determine how best to meet the necessary function, performance, and reliability at the minimum life cycle cost?
• Which BIM dimension is typically associated with facility management after turnover?
• In a CM at-risk contract, who typically develops and controls the schedule?
• Which method best informs the project team of the project's overall status?
• Which delivery method allows the CM to join before construction, guarantees a maximum price, and manages trade partners?
• For a project where the owner prioritizes the lowest price and the design and construction teams will have separate contracts, which delivery method is typically most appropriate?
• EMR is a measure used by insurers to adjust workers' compensation premiums based on claims history.
• The construction phase normally begins with which type of letter?
• Before the work begins, what is the critical path's total float?
• The CM should help the owner to establish a project's sustainability goals during which phase of a project?
• Which of the following is the identification of all requirements of a project or contract?
• In a project using multiple prime contracts, which outcome is typically gained by the owner?
• If a contractor is served with a termination notice, when should work stop?
• In the BIM workflow described, the mechanical design's minimum LOD requires showing the mechanical equipment's size, shape, spacing, and location, with no requirement to show connections.
• The NorthRidge Townhomes Project illustrates which project delivery method?
• After a 7-day cylinder strength test shows below the minimum specification, what is the recommended CM action?
• Which meeting type is not among the three basic types of team meetings during construction?
• What is the total float of an activity on the baseline schedule's critical path?
• An addendum is normally issued when?
• A document that outlines training, sustainability certifications and requirements, installation and functional testing requirements, and operational requirements after turnover is a
• When should final review and verification of construction scope, schedule and quality requirements by the parties occur?
• Which description best captures Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects?
• If a contractor receives a contract termination notice, what is their expected action?
• Which item is NOT typically considered a direct cost on a construction project?
• The process of evaluating the construction documents for clarity, consistency, completeness, and ease of construction to facilitate the achievement of project objectives is called a
• Which of the following is a compensation method that aligns with the agency CM's fiduciary relationship by focusing on effort and time rather than project cost?
• In a Design-Bid-Build project, which component is a typical part of a sustainable project?
• Value engineering is most effectively performed during which project phase?
• In BIM, which statement best describes the purpose of clash detection?
• Progress payments should be based on what?
• When a study is conducted on materials, systems, equipment and accessories it is commonly known as:
• In this BIM scenario, after which information can the team develop a conceptual electrical model?
• In a design-bid-build project, who is typically responsible for recommending risk responses to the owner when a new risk is identified?