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Certified Construction Manager (CCM) Exam
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
Certified Construction Manager (CCM) Exam
Point-Form Exam Coverage (Based on CMAA Standards of Practice – 10 Domains)
Based on the CMAA Certification Exam Content Outline, the exam covers 10 domains derived from the
CMAA Standards of Practice :
1. PROGRAM & PROJECT MANAGEMENT (15%)
• Project initiation and scope definition
• Project delivery methods (DBB, DB, CMAR, IPD, EPC)
• Stakeholder management and communication
• Integration of project phases (pre-design through closeout)
• Early CM involvement (pre-design phase provides greatest risk mitigation opportunity)
2. COST MANAGEMENT (15%)
• Estimating classes (Class 5 through Class 1)
• Earned Value Management (EV, PV, AC, CPI, SPI, EAC, TCPI)
• Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Change order management and budget control
3. TIME MANAGEMENT (12%)
• Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling
• Total float and free float concepts
• Schedule baseline development and recovery schedules
• Float ownership (shared project resource, not owned by any party)
4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION (12%)
• Contract types and hierarchy
• Procurement and bidding procedures
• Claims, change management, and dispute resolution
• Bonds, insurance, and risk mitigation
5. QUALITY MANAGEMENT (10%)
• Quality Assurance (QA) vs. Quality Control (QC)
• Non-conforming work identification and documentation
• Inspection and Testing Plans (ITPs), hold/witness points
• Commissioning process (sequencing, scheduling, documentation, verification)
6. SAFETY MANAGEMENT (8%)
• OSHA 1926 regulations (Focus Four hazards)
• Hierarchy of controls
• Written safety program requirements (must meet contractual requirements)
• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA / AHA)
7. RISK MANAGEMENT (8%)
• Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies
• Insurance and bonding requirements
• Contingency planning
8. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE & ETHICS (7%)
• CMAA Code of Ethics
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• Professional conduct and responsibilities
• Sustainability and LEED/WELL principles
9. SUSTAINABILITY (6%)
• Green building practices
• LEED certification requirements
10. TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (7%)
• Building Information Modeling (BIM): LOD, EIR, BEP
• Data mining and Business Intelligence (requires digitized source data)
• Lean construction principles
Question 1
During the design phase of a design-bid-build project, the CM reviews the architect's schematic design
and notices that the estimated cost exceeds the owner's budget by 15%. What is the CM's most
appropriate FIRST action?
A) Direct the architect to redesign the project to meet the budget
B) Document the cost variance and notify the owner with options for value engineering
C) Proceed with design development; costs often decrease during later phases
D) Reduce the CM's fee to offset the budget overrun
Answer: B
CMAA Standards of Practice require the CM to document variances and notify the owner promptly,
providing professional recommendations. The CM does not have authority to direct the architect's work.
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Question 2
A CM is analyzing the contractor's monthly progress payment application. The earned hours reported
are significantly higher than the budgeted hours for this reporting period. This MOST likely indicates
what about project status?
A) The project is ahead of schedule
B) The project is behind schedule (contractor is catching up on previously delayed work)
C) The contractor is making more profit than anticipated
D) The CM has miscalculated the budget
Answer: B
An unexpected spike in earned hours relative to budget typically suggests the contractor is back-loading
progress to mask prior schedule slippage, indicating the project is behind schedule .
Question 3
Who owns the float in a typical project Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule?
A) The contractor who created the schedule
B) The owner who funded the project
C) The construction manager who manages the schedule
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D) The project as a whole (shared resource)
Answer: D
CMAA Standards of Practice specify that float is a shared project resource belonging to the project as a
whole, not to any single party .
Question 4
A construction manager is responsible for bid review on a $50 million hospital project. All bids must be
submitted by 2:00 PM. One contractor's bid was submitted a day earlier to a receptionist and time-
stamped after the deadline. What should the CM do?
A) Include the bid as a courtesy since it was submitted early
B) Reject the bid without further discussion
C) Inform the owner immediately and review the instructions to bidders for guidance
D) Return the unopened bid to the contractor
Answer: C
CMAA Standards require the CM to notify the owner immediately of any bid irregularity and refer to
procurement documents for direction before taking independent action .
Certified Construction Manager (CCM) Exam
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
Certified Construction Manager (CCM) Exam
Point-Form Exam Coverage (Based on CMAA Standards of Practice – 10 Domains)
Based on the CMAA Certification Exam Content Outline, the exam covers 10 domains derived from the
CMAA Standards of Practice :
1. PROGRAM & PROJECT MANAGEMENT (15%)
• Project initiation and scope definition
• Project delivery methods (DBB, DB, CMAR, IPD, EPC)
• Stakeholder management and communication
• Integration of project phases (pre-design through closeout)
• Early CM involvement (pre-design phase provides greatest risk mitigation opportunity)
2. COST MANAGEMENT (15%)
• Estimating classes (Class 5 through Class 1)
• Earned Value Management (EV, PV, AC, CPI, SPI, EAC, TCPI)
• Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Change order management and budget control
3. TIME MANAGEMENT (12%)
• Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling
• Total float and free float concepts
• Schedule baseline development and recovery schedules
• Float ownership (shared project resource, not owned by any party)
4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION (12%)
• Contract types and hierarchy
• Procurement and bidding procedures
• Claims, change management, and dispute resolution
• Bonds, insurance, and risk mitigation
5. QUALITY MANAGEMENT (10%)
• Quality Assurance (QA) vs. Quality Control (QC)
• Non-conforming work identification and documentation
• Inspection and Testing Plans (ITPs), hold/witness points
• Commissioning process (sequencing, scheduling, documentation, verification)
6. SAFETY MANAGEMENT (8%)
• OSHA 1926 regulations (Focus Four hazards)
• Hierarchy of controls
• Written safety program requirements (must meet contractual requirements)
• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA / AHA)
7. RISK MANAGEMENT (8%)
• Risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies
• Insurance and bonding requirements
• Contingency planning
8. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE & ETHICS (7%)
• CMAA Code of Ethics
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• Professional conduct and responsibilities
• Sustainability and LEED/WELL principles
9. SUSTAINABILITY (6%)
• Green building practices
• LEED certification requirements
10. TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (7%)
• Building Information Modeling (BIM): LOD, EIR, BEP
• Data mining and Business Intelligence (requires digitized source data)
• Lean construction principles
Question 1
During the design phase of a design-bid-build project, the CM reviews the architect's schematic design
and notices that the estimated cost exceeds the owner's budget by 15%. What is the CM's most
appropriate FIRST action?
A) Direct the architect to redesign the project to meet the budget
B) Document the cost variance and notify the owner with options for value engineering
C) Proceed with design development; costs often decrease during later phases
D) Reduce the CM's fee to offset the budget overrun
Answer: B
CMAA Standards of Practice require the CM to document variances and notify the owner promptly,
providing professional recommendations. The CM does not have authority to direct the architect's work.
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Question 2
A CM is analyzing the contractor's monthly progress payment application. The earned hours reported
are significantly higher than the budgeted hours for this reporting period. This MOST likely indicates
what about project status?
A) The project is ahead of schedule
B) The project is behind schedule (contractor is catching up on previously delayed work)
C) The contractor is making more profit than anticipated
D) The CM has miscalculated the budget
Answer: B
An unexpected spike in earned hours relative to budget typically suggests the contractor is back-loading
progress to mask prior schedule slippage, indicating the project is behind schedule .
Question 3
Who owns the float in a typical project Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule?
A) The contractor who created the schedule
B) The owner who funded the project
C) The construction manager who manages the schedule
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D) The project as a whole (shared resource)
Answer: D
CMAA Standards of Practice specify that float is a shared project resource belonging to the project as a
whole, not to any single party .
Question 4
A construction manager is responsible for bid review on a $50 million hospital project. All bids must be
submitted by 2:00 PM. One contractor's bid was submitted a day earlier to a receptionist and time-
stamped after the deadline. What should the CM do?
A) Include the bid as a courtesy since it was submitted early
B) Reject the bid without further discussion
C) Inform the owner immediately and review the instructions to bidders for guidance
D) Return the unopened bid to the contractor
Answer: C
CMAA Standards require the CM to notify the owner immediately of any bid irregularity and refer to
procurement documents for direction before taking independent action .
