BCM Trivia 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which US federal law requires contractors on public works projects to pay prevailing wage rates?
- The Davis-Bacon Act (Correct answer)
- The Fair Labor Standards Act
- The Walsh-Healey Act
- The Norris-LaGuardia Act
Correct answer: The Davis-Bacon Act
The Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 mandates that contractors on federally funded construction pay workers prevailing local wage rates.
Question 2: What does the acronym 'RFI' stand for in construction project management?
- Request for Information (Correct answer)
- Report of Field Inspection
- Request for Invoice
- Record of Final Inspection
Correct answer: Request for Information
An RFI (Request for Information) is a formal process used by contractors to seek clarification from designers or owners about project documents.
Question 3: The 'critical path' in a construction schedule refers to:
- The longest sequence of dependent activities determining project duration (Correct answer)
- The most dangerous route through a job site
- The primary access road for deliveries
- The sequence with the highest budget allocation
Correct answer: The longest sequence of dependent activities determining project duration
The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks; any delay on it directly delays the project completion date.
Question 4: Which type of contract places the most financial risk on the owner?
- Cost-plus contract (Correct answer)
- Lump-sum contract
- Unit-price contract
- GMP contract
Correct answer: Cost-plus contract
In a cost-plus contract, the owner reimburses all actual costs plus a fee, so cost overruns fall entirely on the owner.
Question 5: What is 'float' (also called slack) in project scheduling?
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project (Correct answer)
- The buffer funds held in escrow by the owner
- Extra materials ordered to account for waste
- The lag between design completion and construction start
Correct answer: The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project
Float is the flexibility in scheduling; a task with zero float is on the critical path.
Question 6: In construction, what is a 'punch list'?
- A list of incomplete or defective work items to be corrected before final payment (Correct answer)
- A daily log of workers who punched in on site
- A list of subcontractors bidding on a project
- A schedule of equipment deliveries
Correct answer: A list of incomplete or defective work items to be corrected before final payment
A punch list documents all outstanding items the contractor must address before the project is considered substantially complete.
Question 7: Which organization publishes the CSI MasterFormat used to organize construction specifications?
- Construction Specifications Institute (Correct answer)
- American Institute of Architects
- Associated General Contractors
- National Institute of Building Sciences
Correct answer: Construction Specifications Institute
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) developed and maintains MasterFormat, the standard numbering system for construction documents.
BCM Trivia 2
Which US federal law requires contractors on public works projects to pay prevailing wage rates?