LARE SECTION 4 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
UPDATED 2026
# Term Definition
1 What is included in Division Zero?
Introductory Information, Bidding
Requirements, Contracting Requirements
2 Title Page Certifications Page Table of Contents
What is included in Division Zero in the
Introductory Information?
3 What is included in Division Zero in the
Bid Solicitation - advertisement and invitation to bid
Bidding Requirements?
Instructions to Bidders Information
Available to Bidders Bid Forms and
Supplements
4 What is included in Divison Zero in the
Agreement General Conditions of the Contract
Contracting Requirements?
Supplementary Conditions of the Contract
Bonds and Certificates
5 Specifications Divisions
Division Zero: Introductory Information, Bidding
Requirements, Contracting Requirements
Division 01: General Requirements Divisions
02-49: Technical Specifications
6 What is a Project Manual?
Volume or volumes of information about the projects
from bidding, contracting to technical specifications. No
project is too small for a project manual.
7 What is MasterFormat?
Organizes specifications sections under division based
on commonality. More complex and stringent the
requirements, more lengthy the specifications.
8 What are Technical Specifications?
Used to be separated by trade (for example, carpentry,
plumbing), but are now separated by construction
technology ( for example, wood door).
, 9 Only the General Contractor.
Who has a contract with the Owner?
# Term Definition
10 Are scopes of work established by the
No. Scopes of work are to be established by the
specifications?
General Contractor. Designers are not trained or
licensed to make such distinctions. The General
Conditions of the Contract state that the specifications
do not establish trade or subcontract jurisdiction.
General Contractor needs leeway to break down the
work into subcontracts and trade arrangements, except
in State Contracting for publicly funded projects
sometimes require segregation of portions of the work
(like HVAC from plumbing).
11 What are Sections?
Specify technical requirement for products and
installation and to specify related administrative
requirements such as submittals, quality controls and
warranties.
12 How to address a large complex project
through specifications? Increase specificity through Levels.
Narrowscope or Level one and two are good for small
projects. Broadscape and level three and level four are
good for larger projects, for example, to be able to
specify architectural concrete versus structural concrete.
13 What is the goal of the specifier?
To break down the specifications into appropriately
scaled units or Sections that are organized in accordance
with C.S.I.
MasterFormat Section numbers and titles.
14 Why would one break down the Project
Manual into multiple volumes? Large projects may have three hundred pages just for
Division zero and Division 01. A fast-track or phased
project may have different bidding phases. These can
be brought together at the end. Also may want to
address different delivery methods of a project such as
Design-Building. One risk in separating the Project
Manual is that essential information may be omitted or
may contain extraneous information.
,# Term Definition
15 Are Appendices part of the Project
Manual? They can be, but are not a formal part of CSI
MasterFormat. These can include documents that are
information to bidders (such as geotechnical reports,
hazardous materials reports, project schedule, existing
conditions photographs. It is also used to include hybrid
contract documents such as signage and graphics with
written and graphic descriptions that do not conform to
C.S.I. Appendices can also be used to include large or
complex tables such as Door Schedules, Door Hardware
Sets or Food Services/Medical Equipment Schedules.
16
What is the general process for grading 1\. Preparation of the site 2\. Topsoil Stripping
operations? 3\. Excavation and preparation of the subgrade
17 How should the initial site design and
Upon knowledge of the composition and other
eventual grading plan be prepared?
characteristics of the soil and or rock to be moved. This
data can be obtained from the NRCS. More specific
information can be collected through soil borings and
test pits.
18 It breaks into particles or chunks, which creates more
What happens when soil or rock is dug spaces and adds to its bulk.
or blasted out of its original position?
19 Prepare a preliminary site plan and related grading plan
How can one determine if there will
with cut and fill calculations.
be an imbalance of cut and fill on a
site?
20 The Grid Method.
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for the excavation of Building?
21 The average end-area method.
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for linear elements such as roads
and highways?
, 22 Contour Method
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for accurate estimates to make
final adjustments to the grading and
preparing cost estimates for landscape
architects?
# Term Definition
23 It is better to aim for the preferred rather than the
When grading outdoor areas, is it best
minimum gradients.
to grade for the minimum
recommended grade or?
24 What are the two major phases in
1\. Alignment of the road - giving it horizontal and
roadway design?
vertical direction 2\. Grading the adjacent landscape to
the road edge
25 What is the shape of a swale?
Typically, swales are shallow, have a prabolic cross
section, and are very side.
26 What is the shape of a ditch?
A ditch is deep and has a narrow geometric
configuration.
27 How does one prefer grass swales
from eroding? If velocities do not exceed four feet per second, grass
swales tend to not erode. If velocities exceed six feet per
second, then some form of nonvegetative material
should be used to construct the swale, such as gravel,
crushed stone, or riprap.
28
What are site grading techniques to By limiting the size, shape, length and gradient of
reduce volume and velocity of runoff? slopes and channels, runoff can be minimized.
29 What do gravel, crushed stone,
They allow flatter or steeper gradients than bare soil.
porous asphalt and other types of
However, they may not be radically different from
porous paving allow?
grading and drainage standards normally used in a
region.
UPDATED 2026
# Term Definition
1 What is included in Division Zero?
Introductory Information, Bidding
Requirements, Contracting Requirements
2 Title Page Certifications Page Table of Contents
What is included in Division Zero in the
Introductory Information?
3 What is included in Division Zero in the
Bid Solicitation - advertisement and invitation to bid
Bidding Requirements?
Instructions to Bidders Information
Available to Bidders Bid Forms and
Supplements
4 What is included in Divison Zero in the
Agreement General Conditions of the Contract
Contracting Requirements?
Supplementary Conditions of the Contract
Bonds and Certificates
5 Specifications Divisions
Division Zero: Introductory Information, Bidding
Requirements, Contracting Requirements
Division 01: General Requirements Divisions
02-49: Technical Specifications
6 What is a Project Manual?
Volume or volumes of information about the projects
from bidding, contracting to technical specifications. No
project is too small for a project manual.
7 What is MasterFormat?
Organizes specifications sections under division based
on commonality. More complex and stringent the
requirements, more lengthy the specifications.
8 What are Technical Specifications?
Used to be separated by trade (for example, carpentry,
plumbing), but are now separated by construction
technology ( for example, wood door).
, 9 Only the General Contractor.
Who has a contract with the Owner?
# Term Definition
10 Are scopes of work established by the
No. Scopes of work are to be established by the
specifications?
General Contractor. Designers are not trained or
licensed to make such distinctions. The General
Conditions of the Contract state that the specifications
do not establish trade or subcontract jurisdiction.
General Contractor needs leeway to break down the
work into subcontracts and trade arrangements, except
in State Contracting for publicly funded projects
sometimes require segregation of portions of the work
(like HVAC from plumbing).
11 What are Sections?
Specify technical requirement for products and
installation and to specify related administrative
requirements such as submittals, quality controls and
warranties.
12 How to address a large complex project
through specifications? Increase specificity through Levels.
Narrowscope or Level one and two are good for small
projects. Broadscape and level three and level four are
good for larger projects, for example, to be able to
specify architectural concrete versus structural concrete.
13 What is the goal of the specifier?
To break down the specifications into appropriately
scaled units or Sections that are organized in accordance
with C.S.I.
MasterFormat Section numbers and titles.
14 Why would one break down the Project
Manual into multiple volumes? Large projects may have three hundred pages just for
Division zero and Division 01. A fast-track or phased
project may have different bidding phases. These can
be brought together at the end. Also may want to
address different delivery methods of a project such as
Design-Building. One risk in separating the Project
Manual is that essential information may be omitted or
may contain extraneous information.
,# Term Definition
15 Are Appendices part of the Project
Manual? They can be, but are not a formal part of CSI
MasterFormat. These can include documents that are
information to bidders (such as geotechnical reports,
hazardous materials reports, project schedule, existing
conditions photographs. It is also used to include hybrid
contract documents such as signage and graphics with
written and graphic descriptions that do not conform to
C.S.I. Appendices can also be used to include large or
complex tables such as Door Schedules, Door Hardware
Sets or Food Services/Medical Equipment Schedules.
16
What is the general process for grading 1\. Preparation of the site 2\. Topsoil Stripping
operations? 3\. Excavation and preparation of the subgrade
17 How should the initial site design and
Upon knowledge of the composition and other
eventual grading plan be prepared?
characteristics of the soil and or rock to be moved. This
data can be obtained from the NRCS. More specific
information can be collected through soil borings and
test pits.
18 It breaks into particles or chunks, which creates more
What happens when soil or rock is dug spaces and adds to its bulk.
or blasted out of its original position?
19 Prepare a preliminary site plan and related grading plan
How can one determine if there will
with cut and fill calculations.
be an imbalance of cut and fill on a
site?
20 The Grid Method.
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for the excavation of Building?
21 The average end-area method.
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for linear elements such as roads
and highways?
, 22 Contour Method
What earthwork estimating method is
useful for accurate estimates to make
final adjustments to the grading and
preparing cost estimates for landscape
architects?
# Term Definition
23 It is better to aim for the preferred rather than the
When grading outdoor areas, is it best
minimum gradients.
to grade for the minimum
recommended grade or?
24 What are the two major phases in
1\. Alignment of the road - giving it horizontal and
roadway design?
vertical direction 2\. Grading the adjacent landscape to
the road edge
25 What is the shape of a swale?
Typically, swales are shallow, have a prabolic cross
section, and are very side.
26 What is the shape of a ditch?
A ditch is deep and has a narrow geometric
configuration.
27 How does one prefer grass swales
from eroding? If velocities do not exceed four feet per second, grass
swales tend to not erode. If velocities exceed six feet per
second, then some form of nonvegetative material
should be used to construct the swale, such as gravel,
crushed stone, or riprap.
28
What are site grading techniques to By limiting the size, shape, length and gradient of
reduce volume and velocity of runoff? slopes and channels, runoff can be minimized.
29 What do gravel, crushed stone,
They allow flatter or steeper gradients than bare soil.
porous asphalt and other types of
However, they may not be radically different from
porous paving allow?
grading and drainage standards normally used in a
region.
