General Contractor License Project Management and Supervision 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A subcontractor falls behind schedule on a critical-path activity. What is the MOST appropriate first step for the general contractor?
- Terminate the subcontractor immediately
- Issue a formal cure notice and schedule a recovery meeting (Correct answer)
- Absorb the delay and extend the project end date
- Bill the owner for additional supervision costs
Correct answer: Issue a formal cure notice and schedule a recovery meeting
A cure notice formally documents the deficiency and triggers the subcontractor's contractual obligation to recover, while a recovery meeting identifies a corrective action plan.
Question 2: Which scheduling technique identifies the longest path through a project network and determines the minimum project duration?
- Gantt chart analysis
- Resource leveling
- Critical Path Method (CPM) (Correct answer)
- Monte Carlo simulation
Correct answer: Critical Path Method (CPM)
CPM calculates early and late start/finish times for each activity, identifying the sequence of tasks that controls the project's total duration.
Question 3: A project owner requests a change that adds $45,000 in scope. Before proceeding, the general contractor should:
- Begin work immediately to maintain schedule
- Submit a written change order proposal and wait for written approval (Correct answer)
- Deduct cost from the contingency fund and proceed
- Notify only the architect, not the owner
Correct answer: Submit a written change order proposal and wait for written approval
All scope additions must be documented through a formal change order signed by both parties before work begins to protect payment rights.
Question 4: What does 'float' (also called slack) represent in a project schedule?
- The percentage of contingency funds remaining
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion (Correct answer)
- The overtime budget allocated to a task
- The difference between estimated and actual labor costs
Correct answer: The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion
Float is the scheduling flexibility available on non-critical activities; activities with zero float are on the critical path.
Question 5: When a project experiences a differing site condition, the contractor is MOST likely entitled to:
- Nothing, because site conditions are the contractor's risk
- An equitable adjustment in contract price and/or schedule (Correct answer)
- Termination of the contract for cause
- A penalty reduction on the owner's behalf
Correct answer: An equitable adjustment in contract price and/or schedule
Differing site condition clauses in most public and private contracts entitle the contractor to an equitable adjustment when conditions differ materially from those indicated in the contract documents.
Question 6: A daily construction log PRIMARILY serves which purpose?
- Satisfying insurance premium calculations
- Creating a contemporaneous record for dispute resolution and project documentation (Correct answer)
- Replacing formal submittal logs
- Tracking employee vacation time
Correct answer: Creating a contemporaneous record for dispute resolution and project documentation
Daily logs document weather, workforce, equipment, visitors, and events, providing contemporaneous evidence critical to resolving future claims or disputes.
Question 7: Which project delivery method gives the owner a single point of responsibility for both design and construction?
- Design-Bid-Build (DBB)
- Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR)
- Design-Build (DB) (Correct answer)
- Multiple Prime Contracting
Correct answer: Design-Build (DB)
In Design-Build, one entity holds contracts for both design and construction, creating a single point of accountability for schedule, cost, and quality.
