CSI Contract Administration & Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under AIA A201 General Conditions, what is the contractor's obligation when it discovers a conflict between the drawings and specifications?
- Proceed with the lower-cost interpretation
- Notify the architect in writing before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Follow the drawings, as they always take precedence
- Follow the specifications, as they always take precedence
Correct answer: Notify the architect in writing before proceeding
The contractor must promptly notify the architect in writing upon discovering conflicts so the architect can issue a clarification.
Question 2: A Construction Change Directive (CCD) is most appropriately used when:
- The owner and contractor fully agree on price and time for a change
- Immediate work is needed but agreement on cost or time has not been reached (Correct answer)
- The architect wants to clarify a drawing detail with no cost impact
- A subcontractor requests additional compensation
Correct answer: Immediate work is needed but agreement on cost or time has not been reached
A CCD directs the contractor to proceed with a change before cost and time adjustments are agreed upon, allowing work to continue without delay.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'substantial completion' under standard AIA contract terms?
- 100% of all punch list items are corrected
- The stage when the Work is sufficiently complete for the owner's intended use (Correct answer)
- Issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy by the authority having jurisdiction
- Payment of 95% of the contract sum
Correct answer: The stage when the Work is sufficiently complete for the owner's intended use
Substantial Completion occurs when the Work is sufficiently complete so the owner can occupy or use it for its intended purpose.
Question 4: Who is responsible for maintaining and distributing the official RFI log on a construction project?
- The owner's lender
- Typically the contractor, with copies to the architect (Correct answer)
- The local building department
- The project's insurance broker
Correct answer: Typically the contractor, with copies to the architect
The contractor typically maintains the RFI log and distributes it to the architect and owner to track status and responses.
Question 5: In CSI specification writing, a 'basis of design' product listed in a specification section most directly communicates what to bidders?
- The only product the architect will approve
- A reference standard that establishes required performance characteristics
- A product whose attributes define the minimum acceptable quality for substitutions (Correct answer)
- An owner-furnished item excluded from the contract
Correct answer: A product whose attributes define the minimum acceptable quality for substitutions
A basis-of-design product sets the quality, performance, and aesthetic benchmark against which substitution requests are evaluated.
Question 6: When a subcontractor submits a shop drawing, the general contractor's stamp of review signifies:
- The GC accepts full design responsibility for the item
- The GC has reviewed the submittal for conformance with construction means and methods (Correct answer)
- The subcontractor's work is complete
- The architect's approval is no longer required
Correct answer: The GC has reviewed the submittal for conformance with construction means and methods
The contractor's review stamp confirms the submittal has been checked for coordination, dimensions, and construction requirements before architect review.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a 'field report' prepared by the architect during site observations?
- To replace the contractor's daily log
- To document observations, open items, and conversations as a contemporaneous record (Correct answer)
- To certify that work meets safety regulations
- To formally reject non-conforming work
Correct answer: To document observations, open items, and conversations as a contemporaneous record
Field reports provide a contemporaneous written record of site conditions, observations, and discussions that may later serve as project documentation.
CSI Contract Administration & Communication 3
Under AIA A201 General Conditions, what is the contractor's obligation when it discovers a conflict between the drawings and specifications?