CDT Project Delivery Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the role of the Construction Manager as Advisor (CMa) in relation to the owner?
- The CMa holds all trade contracts and bears construction risk
- The CMa provides management advice and coordination but the owner holds separate trade contracts (Correct answer)
- The CMa replaces the architect as design authority
- The CMa issues the Guaranteed Maximum Price
Correct answer: The CMa provides management advice and coordination but the owner holds separate trade contracts
A CMa acts as the owner's agent, providing scheduling, coordination, and cost advice, while the owner retains separate prime contracts with trade contractors.
Question 2: Which project delivery approach is most likely to result in the lowest competitive bid price?
- Design-Build
- CMAR with GMP
- Design-Bid-Build with competitive bidding (Correct answer)
- Integrated Project Delivery
Correct answer: Design-Bid-Build with competitive bidding
Traditional Design-Bid-Build with open competitive bidding typically produces the lowest initial contract price because multiple contractors compete for the work.
Question 3: In fast-track construction, what is the primary schedule strategy used?
- All design phases must be 100% complete before any construction begins
- Construction of earlier phases begins while later phases are still being designed (Correct answer)
- The contractor designs the project concurrently with construction
- Design and bidding occur simultaneously to shorten procurement
Correct answer: Construction of earlier phases begins while later phases are still being designed
Fast-track overlaps design and construction phases — foundations may be built while upper floors are still being designed — to compress the overall schedule.
Question 4: What type of owner typically benefits most from Design-Build delivery?
- An owner who wants maximum control over design quality and aesthetics
- An owner prioritizing schedule certainty and single-point accountability (Correct answer)
- A public owner required by law to use competitive bidding
- An owner with limited construction experience who wants multiple advisors
Correct answer: An owner prioritizing schedule certainty and single-point accountability
Design-Build benefits owners who prioritize schedule, single-entity accountability, and cost certainty over granular design control.
Question 5: What is a bridging document in a Design-Build project?
- A structural detail connecting two building sections
- Partial design documents prepared by the owner's criteria architect to define scope before the design-builder takes over (Correct answer)
- A contract provision bridging cost gaps between GMP and final cost
- A transitional document used during project closeout
Correct answer: Partial design documents prepared by the owner's criteria architect to define scope before the design-builder takes over
Bridging documents are preliminary design documents created by an owner's architect to define project requirements and criteria that the design-builder then develops into construction documents.
Question 6: Which delivery method best supports early contractor involvement in constructability review?
- Hard-bid Design-Bid-Build
- Design-Build or CMAR (Correct answer)
- Multiple prime contracting
- Lump sum competitive bidding
Correct answer: Design-Build or CMAR
Both Design-Build and CMAR engage the contractor during the design phase, enabling real-time constructability reviews that can reduce costly field changes.
CDT Project Delivery Methods 2
What is the role of the Construction Manager as Advisor (CMa) in relation to the owner?