Construction-Manager Certified Construction Manager (CCM) Questions and Answers

According to theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP), underChapter 2 – Project Management, the process of shifting a project from the construction phase to full operational use by the owner is referred to as“Turnover.”

The CMAA definesturnoveras:

“The formal process of transitioning a completed facility or project from the construction phase to the owner’s operations and maintenance organization. This process ensures that all systems, documentation, warranties, and training have been completed and accepted in accordance with contract requirements.”

This stage signifies theend of construction management responsibilitiesand thebeginning of the owner’s operational phase. The Construction Manager’s role during turnover includes verifying that:

All contractual deliverables and closeout documents are completed.

Operations and maintenance manuals are submitted.

Training for facility staff has been conducted.

The owner has formally accepted the project for occupancy and use.

While terms such as “O&M” (operations and maintenance), “move-in,” and “beneficial occupancy” are related concepts, they describe specific activities or conditions within the broader turnover process. The CMAA recognizes“turnover”as the overarching term describing the transition from construction completion to owner operations.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 2 – Project Management, Section: “Project Closeout and Turnover,” pp. 28–30.

CMAA CM Study Guide, Project Management Domain, Objective 2.6: “Manage project turnover and closeout in accordance with contract requirements.”

According to theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, underContract Administration – Procurement Phase, the CM must “review and verify bid compliance and take action consistent with the instructions to bidders.” The CM is also responsible for maintaining integrity and fairness throughout the procurement process.

The SOP states:

“Any irregularity or deviation from bid requirements must be reported to the Owner immediately. The CM shall not make unilateral determinations on bid validity but should refer to the Owner’s procurement policy or instructions to bidders for guidance.”

Accepting or rejecting a bid without Owner consultation could jeopardize the fairness and legality of the bidding process. Therefore, the CM shouldinform the Owner immediatelyandreview the instructions to biddersfor direction.

According to theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP), Chapter 5 – Quality Management, commissioning is the process of verifying that all systems and components of a facility are designed, installed, tested, and maintained according to the owner’s operational requirements.

The CMAA defines that:

“The commissioning plan must identify each party’s responsibilities, including sequencing, scheduling, documentation, and verification procedures required to confirm that systems perform as intended.”

Therefore, a complete commissioning plan outlineswhen and in what sequenceactivities occur,how they are scheduled,what documentation is required, andhow verification is performedto ensure that design and performance criteria are achieved.

Under the CM at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, the CM often assumes responsibilities similar to a general contractor during the construction phase, including coordination of schedule, means and methods, and sequence of work. The CM transitions from advisory role during design to performance role during construction, which involves enforcing construction coordination and methods. The CMAA “Owner’s Guide to Project Delivery Methods” explains that in CMAR, the CM “acts as consultant… during the design phases, but as the equivalent of a general contractor during the construction phase.”

Because in DBB or Multi-Prime, the general contractors or multiple contractors would handle means and methods, and in DB the design-builder handles those responsibilities. The CM at Risk is the form where schedule coordination and enforcement of means & methods is typically assigned to the CM.

TheCMAA Standards of Practice (Chapter 6 – Contract Administration)describes that the CM’s role in contract administration includes planning for theimplementation of drawings, specifications, and applicable standards. It states:

“Contract administration includes establishing and maintaining procedures for the implementation of drawings, specifications, standards, and contract requirements.”

Standards ensure that construction meets established technical and performance criteria. The CM must integrate these elements to maintain quality and compliance during the execution phase.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 6 – Contract Administration, Section “Planning for Contract Implementation.”

CMAA CM Study Guide, Contract Administration Domain, Objective 6.1: “Plan and implement contract requirements including drawings, specifications, and standards.”

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

According to theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP)underChapter 9 – Risk Management, responsibility for resolvingdesign and construction coordination riskslies with the entity that holds contractual control over both the design and construction portions of the project. In aDesign-Build (D-B)delivery method, that entity is theDesign-Build Team.

The CMAA specifies:

“Under the Design-Build delivery method, the design-builder assumes single-point responsibility for both design and construction. The design-builder manages coordination among subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals to ensure that design solutions are constructible and that conflicts are resolved without direct owner intervention.”

In this case, themechanical ductwork conflictin the above-ceiling space is adesign coordination issue, involving both architectural and mechanical design elements. Because theDesign-Build Teamis contractually responsible for integrating the design and ensuring constructability, it must identify and resolve such conflicts.

TheCM as the owner’s representativemay monitor the issue, document its resolution, and advise the owner, but doesnothave the contractual authority to direct design or construction corrections. Likewise, theArchitect (DOR)in a D-B contract works under the design-builder, not directly for the owner, so they are not the final authority to resolve this type of issue.

Therefore, the entitybest-suited to resolve this riskis theDesign-Build Team.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition,Chapter 9 – Risk Management, Section: “Risk Allocation by Project Delivery Method,” pp. 88–90.

CMAA CM Study Guide,Risk Management Domain, Objective 9.2: “Identify and assign risk ownership in accordance with project delivery method and contractual relationships.”

TheCMAA Standards of Practice, Chapter 7 – Safety Managementstates that the Construction Manager’s role in reviewing safety submittals islimited to ensuring that the contractor’s safety program complies with the contractual and regulatory requirements, not to certify or approve safety programs.

CMAA clarifies:

“The Construction Manager’s review of safety submittals is for the purpose of verifying that the contractor’s plan meets the requirements set forth in the contract documents. The CM does not assume or accept responsibility for site safety.”

Therefore, the CM’s duty isreview and determination of contractual compliance, not approval or certification, and certainly not assumption of liability.

According to CMAA’s recommendedOwners Risk Reduction Techniques(when using a CM for owner’s risk control), one of the CM’s roles is to help the owner ensure clarity of site conditions and contract documents especially when prior history on the site includes claims for differing site conditions. The CM should engage the design team to verify whether the contract documents properly capture the known site risks in adequate detail before awarding a bid.

In a design-bid-build, lump sum contract, the contractors rely on the documents and specifications as the basis of their bids. If the apparent low bid is significantly below others (e.g., >10% lower), that discrepancy raises suspicion that the low bidder may have omitted or under-priced site risk mitigation. The CM should not directly interrogate bidders or conduct post-bid interviews that might create unfairness or violate procurement rules. Rather, the correct approach is for the CM to consult with the designer to confirm whether the bid documents adequately and clearly described the site challenges. If deficiencies or ambiguities are found, the owner may need to issue clarifications, addenda, or consider re-advertising.

Thus, the prudent and contract-compliant first step is:A. Ask the designer to verify that the technical specifications describing the site challenges in sufficient detail.

TheCMAA Standards of PracticeandCMAA Best Practices Guide for Building Information Modeling (BIM)identify the CM’s use of BIM as a tool for:

“Planning, coordination, and control of design and construction activities, integrating project information, and improving communication among all participants.”

BIM provides visualization and data integration to support project coordination, sequencing, clash detection, logistics planning, and schedule validation. Although BIM can contain data about cost, energy, and maintenance, itsprimary value to the CMlies in improvingproject planning, coordination, and controlacross disciplines during design and construction.

Thus, the correct answer isB. planning, coordination, and control of the project.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

According to theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP)underChapter 7 – Safety Management, theRecordable Incident Rate (RIR), also referred to as theRecordable Case Rate, is calculated using theOSHA standard formula:

Where:

200,000represents the number of hours worked by 100 employees in one year (based on 40 hours/week × 50 weeks/year).

The result reflects the number of recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers per year.

Calculation:

When rounded to the nearest whole number, theRecordable Case Rate = 286.

However, in practical safety reporting, theCMAA SOPnotes that extremely high values indicate unusually unsafe conditions. Among the provided options,D (700)would only result from a smaller denominator (e.g., fewer total hours worked). Since the given 35,000 hours yield approximately286, the correct answer, verified by the formula, isC. 286.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 7 – Safety Management, Section: “Safety Metrics and Performance Measurement,” pp. 72–73.

CMAA CM Study Guide, Safety Management Domain, Objective 7.4: “Calculate and interpret safety performance metrics (Recordable Incident Rate, Lost-Time Rate, and Severity Rate).”

In the latest versions of the CMAAStandards of Practice, technology management (including BIM) is recognized as part of the CM’s advisory role. The CM should proactivelyassure the owner has consideredBIM as a tool, evaluate its benefits and risks, and integrate it into planning if appropriate. But the CM should not unilaterally impose or require BIM use without the owner’s acceptance, nor remain silent on its potential merits (i.e. D is too passive). Also, blanket rejection (B) is inconsistent with modern practice.

Hence the recommended stance is that the CMprompts the owner to consider BIM, educates on its advantages and limitations, and helps the owner decide whether and how to adopt it in that specific project context.

TheCMAA Standards of Practice (Chapter 7 – Safety Management)states:

“While the contractor has primary responsibility for implementing and enforcing the safety program, the Construction Manager bears a professional and ethical obligation to monitor, coordinate, and promote a safe working environment.”

CMAA also clarifies that the CM is not responsible for enforcing the contractor’s safety plan or certifying compliance, but must:

Verify that required safety plans and documentation are submitted.

Participate in safety meetings and hazard analyses.

Advise the owner of unsafe conditions or practices.

This represents ashared professional responsibility, ensuring that all parties collaborate toward a safe jobsite without overlapping legal authority.

Therefore, the correct answer isB. a professional obligation shared with others.

In theCMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP), underChapter 4 – Time Management, the process known as theForward Passis defined as the method used in Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling to determine theearliest possible start (ES)andearliest possible finish (EF)dates for all schedule activities. It also calculates thetotal project durationby progressing through the schedule network from the project start date to the project completion date.

The CMAA explains that:

“A Forward Pass calculates the earliest start and finish times for each activity in a schedule network diagram, thereby identifying the earliest date the project can be completed.”

This calculation is essential for establishing thecritical path—the sequence of activities that determines the project’s overall duration. The Forward Pass is always followed by theBackward Pass, which calculates the latest allowable start and finish times to identify float.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, Chapter 4 – Time Management, Section: “Schedule Development and Analysis,” pp. 47–50.

CMAA CM Study Guide, Time Management Domain, Objective 4.3: “Perform forward and backward pass calculations to determine the critical path.”

PerCMAA Standards of Practice (Chapter 5 – Quality Management and Chapter 6 – Contract Administration), when non-conforming work is discovered and the contractor fails to comply with approved corrective instructions, the appropriate procedure is for thecontractor to submit a proposed corrective action or repair detailfor review and approval by theengineer of recordand theowner.

The SOP emphasizes:

“The contractor is responsible for proposing a corrective action for nonconforming work. The CM shall ensure the proposal is reviewed and approved by the design professional and owner prior to implementation.”

Accepting the condition as-is (Option C) would be improper without formal approval, and unilateral removal or demolition (Options B or D) should only occur after the approved corrective process is completed.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 5 – Quality Management, Section “Nonconforming Work and Corrective Action.”

CMAA CM Study Guide, Quality Management Domain, Objective 5.4: “Coordinate the review and approval of corrective actions for nonconforming work.”

TheCMAA Cost Managementsection identifies several contract types and their profit implications. TheCost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF)contract type establishes a predetermined fixed fee for the contractor, regardless of actual cost fluctuations.

The SOP explains:

“A cost plus fixed fee contract provides the contractor reimbursement for actual allowable costs plus a fixed fee established at the outset of the contract. The fee does not vary with the actual cost, eliminating any incentive to increase costs for additional profit.”

In contrast:

Cost plus a percentage of costencourages higher spending because profit increases with cost.

Time and materialscontracts also risk cost escalation.

Unit pricecontracts carry risk of scope manipulation or overestimation.

Thus,Cost Plus Fixed Feebest limits profit incentive tied to cost growth.

According to CMAA’s Standards of Practice (Program Management section), the program manager should participate early in the program definition stage by “developing and making the initialstrategic, technical and business decisionsthat define and become the basis for the capital improvement program.”

Among the options given,business decisionsdirectly match that description. Safety, staffing, and jurisdictional decisions might be part of implementation, but the foundation-setting decisions include business choices (such as scope, funding, investment priorities).