The Certified Construction Manager (CCM) (Construction-Manager)

The CMAA Standards of Practice explain that Multi-Prime delivery involves multiple contractors each working under separate contracts directly with the Owner. The absence of a single point of contractual coordination can result in scope overlaps or gaps if the CM or Owner does not maintain tight coordination among all primes.

As noted in the SOP:

“The potential for duplication or omission of work scope is greatest in a multi-prime contracting arrangement, where the responsibility for interfaces between contracts must be clearly defined and managed by the Construction Manager.”

This risk is unique to the Multi-Prime method because, unlike CMAR or Design-Build, there is no single entity responsible for all construction coordination.

The CMAA Standards of Practice (Chapter 3 – Cost Management) identifies Add/Deduct Alternates as a common strategy to manage potential budget fluctuations. The SOP explains:

“Alternates, both additive and deductive, provide flexibility to adjust project scope to available funding at the time of bid or negotiation.”

This allows the owner to maintain control over project cost while preserving key design intent. Time and material alternates are not typical bid mechanisms, and phase or schedule alternates do not directly address budget mitigation.

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 3 – Cost Management, Section “Design Phase Cost Control and Alternates.”

CMAA CM Study Guide, Cost Management Domain, Objective 3.2: “Develop cost management strategies including alternates, allowances, and contingencies.”

According to the CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP) , under Chapter 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 defines turnover as:

“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 the end of construction management responsibilities and the beginning 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.”

In CMAA’s Standards of Practice under Contract Administration and Quality Management , the contractor is contractually obligated to perform all required tests and deliverables, as defined in the contract documents (including the owner’s QC plan). If a required test (such as functional performance testing of a specialized transmitter) fails to meet contractual requirements or is not documented, the risk and cost of ensuring compliance (including remobilization) generally rests with the contractor, unless the contract allocates it differently.

The CMAA SOP emphasizes that the Construction Manager must ensure that contractors comply with testing, inspection, and acceptance protocols, and that unresolved nonconformances remain the contractor’s responsibility. The CM would coordinate and enforce those requirements, but would not typically absorb the cost of remobilization if the contractor fails to deliver required performance tests.

Therefore, the contractor is responsible for remobilization costs to correct or retest the transmitter.

According to the CMAA Standards of Practice (Chapter 4 – Time Management) , when a schedule update shows significant delay or variance, the CM should require the contractor or design-build team to prepare a recovery plan . The SOP explains:

“If schedule performance indicates delay or slippage beyond acceptable limits, the contractor shall prepare a recovery schedule or recovery plan demonstrating the specific actions to be taken to regain lost time and complete the project within the contract duration.”

The baseline schedule establishes the original plan; it is not revised to reflect recovery actions. A short interval schedule may assist with detailed weekly planning, but the required formal corrective document is the recovery plan .

References (CMAA Construction Manager Documents / Study Guide):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, 2010 Edition, Chapter 4 – Time Management, Section “Schedule Updates and Recovery Plans.”

CMAA CM Study Guide, Time Management Domain, Objective 4.3: “Evaluate schedule performance and develop recovery plans when required.”

According to the CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, Chapter 10 – Risk Management , the fundamental components of the risk management process include:

Avoidance – Eliminating the risk entirely by altering plans or scope.

Mitigation – Reducing the likelihood or impact of a risk.

Transfer – Shifting risk responsibility to another party, typically through insurance or contracts.

Acceptance – Recognizing the risk and planning to manage its consequences.

CMAA defines risk management as:

“A systematic process of identifying, analyzing, responding to, and monitoring risks to minimize their impact on project objectives.”

These four response strategies—avoid, mitigate, transfer, and accept—are universally recognized as the essential framework for construction risk management.

CMAA’s Time Management guidance describes the Master Schedule as the overall controlling schedule for the project’s life cycle, which includes many elements. It also specifically notes that the Milestone Schedule is a subset or extract that highlights the key events or decision points:

“The Milestone Schedule acts as a ‘pull-out’ from the Master Schedule. The purpose of a Milestone Schedule is to highlight the key events in a project, as an executive-level summary. … The Master Schedule highlights major project milestones and details the front-end activities of the project during the Pre-Design and Design phases.”

Thus, while the Master Schedule covers everything, the Milestone Schedule is the one that provides details about front-end activities and highlights major milestones , exactly as asked.

According to CMAA Time Management standards, float is defined as the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the overall project completion date. The SOP specifies:

“Float is a shared resource belonging to the project as a whole. It is not owned exclusively by any single party — owner, contractor, or construction manager.”

This principle ensures fair schedule management and prevents disputes. Both the CM and the contractor should work collaboratively to optimize float use for the benefit of the entire project. Contract documents (e.g., general conditions) may further define float management policies, but unless specified otherwise, float is treated as a project resource , not the property of any one participant.

Therefore, the correct answer is C. Project.

The CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice (SOP) identifies the pre-bid (pre-proposal) conference as a key element of the procurement process. Its purpose is to clarify the scope of work, contract requirements, and bid instructions before bids are submitted.

CMAA states:

“A pre-bid conference provides prospective bidders with an opportunity to review the contract requirements, clarify ambiguities, and receive consistent responses to questions regarding scope, schedule, and procedures.”

By ensuring that all bidders receive the same information, the CM helps promote fair competition, minimize post-award claims, and reduce misunderstandings about scope—thereby indirectly helping to mitigate change orders and delays. However, the primary intent is to resolve any questions about contract requirements and scope of work .

Option B describes a benefit, but not the immediate intent; Option A concerns site investigation, which is typically handled in separate pre-bid site visits; Option C is contrary to public procurement policy.

Therefore, the correct answer is D .

References (CMAA Documents):

CMAA Construction Management Standards of Practice, Chapter 5 – Contract Administration, Section: “Procurement and Pre-Bid Activities.”

CMAA CM Study Guide, Contract Administration Domain, Objective 5.2: “Conduct pre-bid and pre-construction conferences to clarify contract requirements.”