CDT Test Questions 2024 Graded A+
1. What establishes the relationship between the Contractor and the Architect/Engineer (A/E)?
A - National laws
B - Signed agreements
C - Third-party obligations
D - Special conditions - ANSWERSAnswer: C - Third-party obligations. The Contractor and the A/E do not
have any signed agreements, the general terms and conditions of their respective contracts with the
Owner provide them with third party obligations to each other.
Reference: See PDPG Section 7.10.1 ("PDPG 7.10.1") and PDPG Figure 7.1
2. In the substitution process, the onus for researching and documenting the acceptability of the
proposed substitution is the responsibility of the:
A - Contractor
B - Owner
C - A/E
D - Entity requesting substitution
Reference: See PDPG 15.11.3 (during construction) and PDPG 13.4.2.7 (during bidding). Also see CCAPG
8.3 and CSPG 7.5.2. - ANSWERSAnswer: A - Contractor. Because the Contract documents typically already
indicate equipment and materials that are acceptable to the A/E, the A/E and/or Owner have already
specified what they would use, the onus is on, and it is the responsibility of, only the Contractor to prove
that another product could be used.
PDPG 13.4.2.7 implies, and CCAPG 8.3 states that, during the bidding (procurement to CSI) process proof
of equality rests with the Bidder and adequate supporting information must accompany the Bid. Also see
EJCDC C-700 Paragraph 7.05, and AIA A201 Paragraph 3.4.2.
,The answer is not "D, Entity requesting the substitution", because the Contractor's team is typically
comprised of the Contractor and several subcontractors and suppliers, each of whom may have other,
lower-tier subcontractors and/or suppliers. The initial request for a substitution can, and often does,
originate with one of the subcontractors or suppliers. Thus, the entity requesting the substitution is
often not actually the Contractor, although to follow lines of contractual privity, communication, and
responsibility, the request to the substitution request can be submitted to the A/E only by the Contractor
not by a subcontractor or supplier, who should not be communicating directly with the A/E at all.
PDPG 15.11.3 implies that the Owner may initiate a substitution request during construction. While this
is, technically speaking, true, if the Owner wants a different item in the Work, all they need do is direct
the A/E to design the change. The Owner does not, of course, apply to the A/E via a formal process to
seek the A/E's approval of the Owner-preferred "substitute" item.
The A/E retains the sole responsibility for approving or rejecting a proposed substitution. By definition a
substitution is something not contemplated or included in th
3. Whose duty is it to ascertain that the Contract Documents are in accordance with applicable building
codes?
A - Subcontractor
B - Contractor
C - Owner
D - A/E
Reference: PDPG 6.1 and PDPG 6.3. Also see CCAPG 3.5 and CSPG 1.3.3. - ANSWERSAnswer: D - A/E. It is
the A/E's responsibility to ensure that the Contract Documents prepared by the A/E are in accordance
with applicable building codes and other applicable laws and regulations. However, it is the Contractor's
contractual responsibility to ensure that the Work is built in accordance with all applicable Laws and
Regulations, including applicable building codes. If the Contractor becomes aware that the construction
Contract Documents have some element not in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
(including building codes), the Contractor is to bring such suspected non-compliance to the attention of
the A/E.
PDPG 6.3.3 states that the Project's construction documents must demonstrate compliance with the
building code. The A/E is responsible for preparing the construction documents; for Owner-A/E
requirements regarding compliance with laws and regulations, see EJCDC E-500 (Owner-Engineer
,Agreement), Paragraph 6.01.E, and AIA B101 (Owner-Architect Agreement), Paragraph 3.2.1. For
contractual requirements obligating the Contractor to comply with Laws and Regulations, see EJCDC C-
700 Paragraph 7.10 and AIA A201 Section 3.7. For the Contractor's obligation to evaluate the Contract
Documents and bring potential conflicts or non-compliance (of which the Contractor is aware) with laws
and regulations to the A/E's attention, see EJCDC C-700 Paragraphs 3.03 and 6.09, and AIA A201 Section
3.2.3.
Again: The correct answer to this particular question is "D", A/E, in accordance with PDPG 6.1 and PDPG
6.3. It is part of the design stage and as such, a requirement of the A/E to meet the codes, regulatory
requirements, and standards adopted by the authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) at the location of the
Project.
4. Instructions to Bidders:
A - Are used only on private projects
B - Frequently are standard printed forms
C - May include the geotechnical report as an attachment
D - Are binding upon the Contractor
Reference: PDPG 12.2.2. - ANSWERSAnswer: B - Frequently are standard printed forms. Both AIA and
EJCDC offer standard Instructions to Bidders (EJCDC C-200, and AIA A701). If necessary, when using AIA
standard documents, a Supplementary Instructions to Bidders can customize the Instructions to suit
Project requirements.
This is something of an outdated question. Neither the AIA nor EJCDC sells "standard, printed forms"
anymore; rather, both provide electronic documents protected by user license agreements and, in the
case of AIA, a complex software platform. In the Twentieth Century, AIA's and EJCDC's standard
documents were printed by their respective organizations and sold as paper originals. If a user needed
50 copies of Division 00 documents to bid a project. They had to purchase 50 originals from, for example,
the AIA. This is the likely genesis of the somewhat outdated language of question no. 4.
5. Which of the following would be included in the Information Available to Bidders?
A - Bid Security information
, B - Environmental Impact Statement
C - Time of completion to construct the Project
D - Description of the Work
Reference: PDPG 12.2.3, and CSI MasterFormat 00 03 00. - ANSWERSAnswer: B - Environmental Impact
Statement. The information available to Bidders is the place to provide reference information that does
not belong in the "Contract Documents".
Bid security information is included in the Instructions to Bidders.
Time of completion ("Contract Times" in EJCDC, "Contract Time" in AIA documents) is an important
contractual obligation—where would you think it should go? (Hint: in neither the Instructions to Bidders
nor the information available to Bidders). Okay...we'll tell you. It's in the Owner-Contractor Agreement.
Description of the Work is included throughout the construction Contract Documents, and is
summarized in a Division 01 Specifications can you name the Division 01 Section? (Hint: It's in a section
called, "Summary of Work").
What constitutes the "Contract Documents" is a very important concept, and we'll share some
supplemental information on that very soon. Also important is the concept of "information available to
bidders"—such as information on subsurface conditions (like soil borings), information on the presence
of hazardous substances at the Site, and use of existing record documents. We will also distribute some
supplemental information on this important topic as well.
6. The contractual relationship governed by the Conditions of the Contract is between:
A - Owner and Contractor
B - Architect/Engineer and Contractor
C - Owner and Subcontractors
D - Architect/Engineer and Subcontractors
Reference: PDPG 12.3.3. Also see CSPG Chapter 6 and CCAPG 1.3. - ANSWERSAnswer: A - The Owner and
the Contractor. The Owner and the Contractor are the parties to the construction Contract, and hence
