CQM-C EXAM: CONSTRUCTION QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR CONTRACTORS
| VERIFIED ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS - MOST RECENT EDITION 2026
1. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a Quality Management Plan (QMP) on a
construction project?
A) To satisfy bonding requirements
B) To define how quality will be managed and assured throughout the project
C) To document subcontractor deficiencies
D) To fulfill OSHA reporting obligations
✓ Answer: B
2. Under the CQM-C framework, who bears ultimate responsibility for
quality on a construction project?
A) The Owner's Representative
B) The Design Engineer
C) The Prime Contractor
D) The Contracting Officer
✓ Answer: C
3. Which of the following BEST describes 'quality control' in construction?
A) Third-party auditing of completed work
B) Contractor's own process of inspecting and testing work to ensure
compliance
C) Government oversight of contractor operations
D) Design review by the engineer of record
✓ Answer: B
4. Quality assurance (QA) differs from quality control (QC) primarily in that
QA:
A) Focuses on testing finished products
B) Is performed only by the owner
C) Emphasizes process-oriented oversight to verify QC is functioning
D) Applies only to structural elements
✓ Answer: C
,5. Which document typically establishes the minimum quality requirements
that a contractor must meet?
A) The QMP
B) The contract specifications
C) The submittal register
D) The RFI log
✓ Answer: B
6. A 'preparatory inspection' in the Three-Phase Control System is
conducted:
A) After a definable feature of work is complete
B) Before any work on a definable feature begins
C) During the middle of a definable feature
D) Only when a deficiency is found
✓ Answer: B
7. Which phase in the Three-Phase Control System verifies that work meets
contract requirements as it is being performed?
A) Preparatory Phase
B) Follow-up Phase
C) Initial Phase
D) Acceptance Phase
✓ Answer: C
8. The Three-Phase Control System was developed by:
A) OSHA
B) ASCE
C) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
D) The Associated General Contractors
✓ Answer: C
9. What is a 'definable feature of work' (DFOW)?
A) Any task costing more than $10,000
B) A task that can be separately planned and inspected with a specific set of
controls
C) A submittal item requiring engineer approval
D) Any work performed by a subcontractor
✓ Answer: B
10. Which of the following is NOT typically part of a preparatory meeting?
, A) Review of contract requirements
B) Discussion of testing requirements
C) Punch-list walkthrough
D) Review of submittals and material approvals
✓ Answer: C
11. The follow-up phase of the Three-Phase Control System is BEST
described as:
A) A one-time final inspection
B) Ongoing daily checks to ensure initial phase standards are maintained
C) A review conducted before submitting the QMP
D) Post-construction documentation review
✓ Answer: B
12. Which of the following personnel is typically required to lead quality
control activities under CQM-C?
A) The project superintendent
B) The Contractor Quality Control (CQC) Manager
C) The owner's inspector
D) The safety officer
✓ Answer: B
13. The CQC Manager should be:
A) An independent third party hired by the owner
B) A contractor employee with authority to stop work and correct deficiencies
C) The project foreman
D) The contracting officer's representative
✓ Answer: B
14. Which of the following is a key component of the contractor's Quality
Management Plan?
A) The contractor's bid pricing breakdown
B) Organizational chart showing quality control responsibilities
C) List of approved change orders
D) Design calculations
✓ Answer: B
15. A 'nonconformance report' (NCR) documents:
, A) Budget overruns
B) Work that does not meet contract requirements
C) Safety violations
D) Subcontractor bid discrepancies
✓ Answer: B
16. Inspection hold points require:
A) Work to stop until the required inspection is performed
B) The contractor to submit additional paperwork
C) An independent laboratory to certify materials
D) A design change before work can continue
✓ Answer: A
17. Which type of inspection is performed by an authorized agency on
behalf of the government or owner?
A) Self-inspection
B) Third-party inspection
C) First-party inspection
D) Pre-design inspection
✓ Answer: B
18. What is the PRIMARY purpose of materials testing on a construction
project?
A) To satisfy insurance requirements
B) To verify that materials and workmanship meet specifications
C) To document contractor costs
D) To accelerate project schedules
✓ Answer: B
19. An independent testing laboratory should be:
A) Selected by the contractor without owner input
B) Accredited and free from conflicts of interest
C) Part of the contractor's corporate structure
D) Approved by OSHA
✓ Answer: B
20. Which document identifies all required tests, sampling frequencies, and
testing standards?
A) The submittal log
B) The testing plan or inspection and test plan (ITP)
| VERIFIED ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS - MOST RECENT EDITION 2026
1. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a Quality Management Plan (QMP) on a
construction project?
A) To satisfy bonding requirements
B) To define how quality will be managed and assured throughout the project
C) To document subcontractor deficiencies
D) To fulfill OSHA reporting obligations
✓ Answer: B
2. Under the CQM-C framework, who bears ultimate responsibility for
quality on a construction project?
A) The Owner's Representative
B) The Design Engineer
C) The Prime Contractor
D) The Contracting Officer
✓ Answer: C
3. Which of the following BEST describes 'quality control' in construction?
A) Third-party auditing of completed work
B) Contractor's own process of inspecting and testing work to ensure
compliance
C) Government oversight of contractor operations
D) Design review by the engineer of record
✓ Answer: B
4. Quality assurance (QA) differs from quality control (QC) primarily in that
QA:
A) Focuses on testing finished products
B) Is performed only by the owner
C) Emphasizes process-oriented oversight to verify QC is functioning
D) Applies only to structural elements
✓ Answer: C
,5. Which document typically establishes the minimum quality requirements
that a contractor must meet?
A) The QMP
B) The contract specifications
C) The submittal register
D) The RFI log
✓ Answer: B
6. A 'preparatory inspection' in the Three-Phase Control System is
conducted:
A) After a definable feature of work is complete
B) Before any work on a definable feature begins
C) During the middle of a definable feature
D) Only when a deficiency is found
✓ Answer: B
7. Which phase in the Three-Phase Control System verifies that work meets
contract requirements as it is being performed?
A) Preparatory Phase
B) Follow-up Phase
C) Initial Phase
D) Acceptance Phase
✓ Answer: C
8. The Three-Phase Control System was developed by:
A) OSHA
B) ASCE
C) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
D) The Associated General Contractors
✓ Answer: C
9. What is a 'definable feature of work' (DFOW)?
A) Any task costing more than $10,000
B) A task that can be separately planned and inspected with a specific set of
controls
C) A submittal item requiring engineer approval
D) Any work performed by a subcontractor
✓ Answer: B
10. Which of the following is NOT typically part of a preparatory meeting?
, A) Review of contract requirements
B) Discussion of testing requirements
C) Punch-list walkthrough
D) Review of submittals and material approvals
✓ Answer: C
11. The follow-up phase of the Three-Phase Control System is BEST
described as:
A) A one-time final inspection
B) Ongoing daily checks to ensure initial phase standards are maintained
C) A review conducted before submitting the QMP
D) Post-construction documentation review
✓ Answer: B
12. Which of the following personnel is typically required to lead quality
control activities under CQM-C?
A) The project superintendent
B) The Contractor Quality Control (CQC) Manager
C) The owner's inspector
D) The safety officer
✓ Answer: B
13. The CQC Manager should be:
A) An independent third party hired by the owner
B) A contractor employee with authority to stop work and correct deficiencies
C) The project foreman
D) The contracting officer's representative
✓ Answer: B
14. Which of the following is a key component of the contractor's Quality
Management Plan?
A) The contractor's bid pricing breakdown
B) Organizational chart showing quality control responsibilities
C) List of approved change orders
D) Design calculations
✓ Answer: B
15. A 'nonconformance report' (NCR) documents:
, A) Budget overruns
B) Work that does not meet contract requirements
C) Safety violations
D) Subcontractor bid discrepancies
✓ Answer: B
16. Inspection hold points require:
A) Work to stop until the required inspection is performed
B) The contractor to submit additional paperwork
C) An independent laboratory to certify materials
D) A design change before work can continue
✓ Answer: A
17. Which type of inspection is performed by an authorized agency on
behalf of the government or owner?
A) Self-inspection
B) Third-party inspection
C) First-party inspection
D) Pre-design inspection
✓ Answer: B
18. What is the PRIMARY purpose of materials testing on a construction
project?
A) To satisfy insurance requirements
B) To verify that materials and workmanship meet specifications
C) To document contractor costs
D) To accelerate project schedules
✓ Answer: B
19. An independent testing laboratory should be:
A) Selected by the contractor without owner input
B) Accredited and free from conflicts of interest
C) Part of the contractor's corporate structure
D) Approved by OSHA
✓ Answer: B
20. Which document identifies all required tests, sampling frequencies, and
testing standards?
A) The submittal log
B) The testing plan or inspection and test plan (ITP)
