Free CCM Exam Flashcards

Design-Bid-Build (DBB). Design is 100% complete before bidding, so the owner gets a firm, competitively bid price, but construction cannot start until design and procurement are finished.

Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR). The CM joins during design to advise on cost and constructability, then converts to a GMP contract for construction, while the designer stays under a separate agreement with the owner.

CMAR keeps the designer and the CM under two separate contracts with the owner; Design-Build merges design and construction responsibility into a single contract with one entity, giving the owner one point of responsibility.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). All key parties sign one agreement, align incentives around shared project outcomes, and collaborate from early design through closeout.

The owner holds separate direct contracts with each prime trade contractor instead of one general contractor; a CM may coordinate the trades, but contractual privity runs to the owner.

Pre-Design, then Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Procurement, Construction, and finally Closeout. Each phase increases design detail before bidding and building begin.

It decomposes the total project scope into progressively smaller, manageable work packages, which become the basis for cost estimates, schedules, and assigning responsibility.

Project management controls the scope, schedule, and budget of a single project; program management oversees multiple related projects together, coordinating shared resources, priorities, and strategic goals across the portfolio.

The Owner's Rep acts on the owner's behalf to manage day-to-day decisions, communications, and approvals, protecting the owner's interests throughout design and construction.

DBOM extends single-entity responsibility beyond construction into long-term operations and maintenance, aligning the builder's incentives with the facility's lifecycle performance, not just completion.

A ROM estimate uses historical data and minimal project information to give a wide-range early cost figure, while a detailed estimate is built from a full quantity takeoff once design is far along, giving much tighter accuracy.

Guaranteed Maximum Price. The contractor is reimbursed actual costs plus a fee, but total owner payment cannot exceed the GMP ceiling; savings below the GMP are typically shared per the contract terms.

A contingency reserve is money set aside in the budget for unknown risks and unforeseen conditions that are likely but not yet specifically identified, distinct from a defined scope allowance.

CV = EV - AC = $800,000 - $900,000 = -$100,000. A negative CV means the project has spent more than the value of work actually completed -- it is over budget.

CPI = EV / AC measures cost efficiency; SPI = EV / PV measures schedule efficiency. A CPI below 1.0 means the project is over budget for the work done, and an SPI below 1.0 means the project is behind schedule.

The critical path is the longest sequence of dependent activities through the schedule; every activity on it has zero total float, so any delay on the critical path delays the whole project finish date.

Total float is the amount an activity can slip without delaying the overall project finish date, so a 3-day delay (less than the 5-day float) will not push out the project completion date.

Free float is how much an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of its immediate successor activity; total float is how much it can be delayed without delaying the overall project finish.

This is fast-tracking -- overlapping normally sequential phases to save time. Crashing instead adds resources (labor, equipment) to shorten activity durations; fast-tracking increases rework and coordination risk, while crashing increases direct cost.

A look-ahead schedule is a short-term, detailed schedule (typically 2-6 weeks) used to sequence near-term field activities and coordinate trades, sitting beneath the overall baseline schedule.

This is a Request for Information (RFI). An RFI only seeks clarification of design intent -- it does not by itself authorize any change in cost or schedule; that requires a separate change order.

A submittal (such as a shop drawing or product data sheet) is provided by the contractor to confirm that proposed materials or fabrication comply with the specifications, while an RFI asks a question to clarify design intent.

A PCO documents a proposed scope or cost change that has been identified but not yet priced and approved; it becomes a Change Order only once the owner formally approves the added scope, cost, and/or time.

Retainage is a percentage of each progress payment withheld by the owner until substantial completion or final acceptance, giving the owner leverage to ensure the contractor finishes the work and corrects deficiencies.

A punch list is the list of remaining minor defects or incomplete items identified near the end of construction; it is compiled during closeout inspections and must be resolved before final payment and acceptance.

QA is process-focused and proactive -- it establishes procedures to prevent defects before they occur. QC is product-focused and reactive -- it inspects and tests completed work to detect defects that already exist.

A mock-up is a physical sample of an assembly (like a curtain wall or finish) built and approved in advance so the team can verify appearance, performance, and workmanship standards before full-scale installation begins.

Commissioning verifies that building systems (such as HVAC, electrical, and life safety) are installed, function, and perform according to the owner's project requirements and design intent before turnover.

This is a non-conformance. It must be documented, and the contractor must correct, repair, or obtain a formal deviation or waiver for the work before it can be accepted.

An ITP defines the specific inspection and testing steps, hold points, and acceptance criteria required to verify that a scope of work meets specified quality requirements.

The Competent Person. OSHA requires this designated individual to have the training and authority to identify hazardous conditions and stop or correct unsafe work.

A JHA breaks a task into its individual steps, identifies the hazards associated with each step, and defines the controls needed to eliminate or reduce those hazards before work starts.

OSHA generally requires fall protection for work performed at heights of six feet or more above a lower level in construction.

A toolbox talk is a brief, informal safety briefing held before work begins each day (or shift) to review specific hazards, controls, and reminders relevant to that day's tasks.

The OSHA 300 Log records work-related injuries and illnesses that meet OSHA's recordability criteria, serving as the employer's official injury and illness record for the year.

Transfer. Insurance policies, bonds, or contract clauses (such as indemnification) shift financial responsibility for the risk to an insurer or another party rather than eliminating or reducing it directly.

Mitigation reduces the likelihood or impact of a risk while still accepting that some exposure remains; avoidance eliminates the risk entirely, typically by changing the plan, scope, or method that created the exposure.

A Bid Bond guarantees that a bidder will honor its bid and sign the contract if awarded, protecting the owner before contract award. A Performance Bond guarantees the contractor will complete the work per the contract, protecting the owner after award.

A Payment Bond guarantees that the contractor's subcontractors and suppliers will be paid for labor and materials, protecting them -- and the owner from liens -- if the contractor fails to pay.

A risk register is the project's living log of identified risks, including their likelihood, potential impact, assigned owner, and planned response, used to track and manage risk throughout the project.

RIC stands for Responsible-In-Charge experience -- the candidate must show they held decision-making authority and accountability for construction management functions on real projects, not just supporting or observational involvement.

Fiduciary duty means the CM must act in the owner's best interest, exercising loyalty, good faith, and full disclosure, even when that duty could conflict with the CM's own interests.

The CMAA SOP is the industry-recognized description of construction management functions and responsibilities across all project phases; CCM exam scenarios test whether a candidate's judgment aligns with these established practice standards.

Standard of care is the level of skill and diligence that a reasonably competent CM would exercise under similar circumstances; a CM is judged against this benchmark, not against perfection.

The candidate agrees to abide by CMCI's ethical and professional conduct standards, including honesty in the application and exam process; violations can result in disqualification or revocation of certification.

Clash detection automatically scans the combined 3D BIM model to find physical conflicts between building systems (such as ductwork and structural members) before construction, reducing costly field rework.

A CDE is the single shared digital repository where a project's models, drawings, and data are stored, managed, and accessed by all project participants, ensuring everyone works from the same current information.

A BIM model represents the design and as-built condition of a facility, while a digital twin is a live virtual replica that is continuously updated with real operating data to mirror the asset's actual current performance.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a USGBC green building rating system that certifies a building's design, construction, and operational performance against sustainability criteria such as energy, water, and materials use.

An LCA evaluates a building's or material's environmental impact across its entire life cycle -- from raw material extraction and construction through operation and eventual demolition or disposal.