CCC Quality Assurance & Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cost consultant identifies a systematic overestimation of labor productivity in multiple project estimates. This type of recurring error is BEST characterized as:
- Random error
- Systematic bias (Correct answer)
- Scope gap
- Schedule float
Correct answer: Systematic bias
Recurring errors in the same direction across multiple estimates indicate systematic bias, which must be corrected through process improvement or calibration.
Question 2: Which AACE Recommended Practice provides guidance on the required content and format for a basis of estimate document?
- RP 10S-90
- RP 34R-05 (Correct answer)
- RP 17R-97
- RP 58R-10
Correct answer: RP 34R-05
AACE RP 34R-05 specifically addresses the required content and structure for a basis of estimate document in cost engineering.
Question 3: An owner requires that all cost estimates submitted by contractors be independently validated. This requirement is an example of which quality management function?
- Quality control
- Quality assurance (Correct answer)
- Quality planning
- Continuous improvement
Correct answer: Quality assurance
Requiring independent validation of estimates is a quality assurance function, as it ensures systematic processes are in place to maintain estimate reliability.
Question 4: Which statistical tool is MOST useful for identifying whether cost estimate variations are within acceptable control limits over time?
- Pareto chart
- Control chart (Correct answer)
- Cause-and-effect diagram
- Scatter plot
Correct answer: Control chart
Control charts track process performance over time and display upper and lower control limits to identify whether variations are within acceptable ranges.
Question 5: A contractor submits a change order supported by cost data from a similar but much larger project. What quality concern does this raise?
- The change order may lack proper authorization
- The unit costs may not be scalable and may not reflect the actual scope (Correct answer)
- The change order format does not meet contract requirements
- The contractor may have included overhead twice
Correct answer: The unit costs may not be scalable and may not reflect the actual scope
Cost data from projects of significantly different scale may not translate accurately due to economies or diseconomies of scale, making the comparison unreliable.
Question 6: In the context of earned value management, which metric directly indicates whether the project's cost performance is meeting quality thresholds?
- Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
- Cost Performance Index (CPI) (Correct answer)
- Estimate at Completion (EAC)
- Budget at Completion (BAC)
Correct answer: Cost Performance Index (CPI)
The Cost Performance Index (CPI) measures cost efficiency and directly indicates whether the project is performing within its approved cost quality thresholds.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of calibrating historical cost data before using it in a new estimate?
- To inflate past costs to account for contractor profit margins
- To adjust historical costs for location, time, and scope differences to make them comparable (Correct answer)
- To eliminate all projects with cost overruns from the database
- To reassign overhead costs from indirect to direct categories
Correct answer: To adjust historical costs for location, time, and scope differences to make them comparable
Calibration adjusts historical data for factors like location, time period, and scope differences so that it is a valid basis for new estimates.
CCC Quality Assurance & Compliance 3
A cost consultant identifies a systematic overestimation of labor productivity in multiple project estimates.
This type of recurring error is BEST characterized as: