CLC Project Budgeting & Specification 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When writing a lighting specification, which document section defines the acceptable manufacturer substitutions?
- Scope of Work
- Or-Equal Clause (Correct answer)
- Bill of Materials
- Submittal Schedule
Correct answer: Or-Equal Clause
The Or-Equal Clause outlines the conditions under which a different manufacturer's product may be substituted while meeting spec intent.
Question 2: A luminaire has a listed price of $480 and the project receives a 35% contractor discount. What is the net unit cost?
- $168.00
- $312.00 (Correct answer)
- $145.00
- $336.00
Correct answer: $312.00
$480 × (1 − 0.35) = $480 × 0.65 = $312.00 net unit cost.
Question 3: Which lighting specification format uses open, performance-based language to encourage competitive bidding?
- Proprietary specification
- Descriptive specification (Correct answer)
- Reference standard specification
- Prescriptive specification
Correct answer: Descriptive specification
A descriptive specification defines performance criteria and characteristics without naming a specific manufacturer, enabling competitive bidding.
Question 4: A project's lighting budget is $120,000. If fixture costs represent 60% and controls represent 15%, how much remains for labor and miscellaneous?
- $24,000
- $30,000 (Correct answer)
- $18,000
- $36,000
Correct answer: $30,000
60% + 15% = 75% allocated, leaving 25% × $120,000 = $30,000 for labor and miscellaneous.
Question 5: In CSI MasterFormat, Division 26 covers which trade?
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical (Correct answer)
- Fire Protection
Correct answer: Electrical
Division 26 in CSI MasterFormat covers Electrical systems, including lighting fixtures and controls.
Question 6: What is the purpose of an allowance in a lighting project budget?
- To lock in final fixture prices before bidding
- To reserve funds for items not yet fully defined at bid time (Correct answer)
- To account for contractor profit margin
- To cover warranty replacement costs
Correct answer: To reserve funds for items not yet fully defined at bid time
An allowance sets aside a fixed dollar amount for scope items that cannot be fully specified at bid time, such as owner-furnished fixtures.
Question 7: Which submittal type requires the specifier to verify that a proposed product meets all specification requirements before approval?
- Shop drawing
- Product data sheet
- Sample
- Substitution request (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Substitution request
A substitution request requires detailed comparison showing the proposed alternate meets or exceeds every specification requirement.
CLC Project Budgeting & Specification 2
When writing a lighting specification, which document section defines the acceptable manufacturer substitutions?