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NYC DCAS Principal Construction Project
Manager Exam | Latest Verified Questions and
Detailed Answers
OVERVIEW DESCRIPTION:
This Comprehensive set of multiple choice questions is designed for the NYC DCAS Principal
Construction Project Manager Exam, a highly competitive civil service examination administered
by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) for high-level
public works management roles across agencies such as DDC, DOB, DOT, and NYCHA. The exam
uses scenario-based, real-life situational questions to assess applied judgment rather than rote
memorization, covering core domains including construction laws and regulations, cost
estimation and budget control, project management fundamentals, safety management and
compliance, contract administration, and project initiation and risk strategies. Candidates are
tested on NYC Construction Codes, zoning and DOB filing processes, labor compliance, cost
analysis and municipal financial reporting, CPM scheduling, stakeholder engagement, OSHA and
local site-safety protocols, incident reporting, hazard mitigation, PPB procurement rules,
contract negotiation and dispute resolution, feasibility studies, site evaluation, risk management,
and quality control systems.
QUESTION 1
A NYC agency is preparing to award a construction contract for a new public library. The
low bidder's price is 22% below the engineer's estimate, and two unit prices are
mathematically unbalanced. Which action is most defensible under the Procurement
Policy Board (PPB) Rules?
A) Reject the bid as non-responsive and award to the next lowest bidder.
B) Award the contract as-is, since the bid is lowest and responsive.
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C) Request a written justification from the bidder for the unbalanced unit prices and
evaluate the risk of front-loading before award.
D) Conditionally award the contract, but withhold 10% retention until the unbalanced
items are completed.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
EXPERT RATIONALE: PPB Rules require agencies to evaluate mathematically unbalanced
bids for material unbalancing that could result in the City paying more than the fair
value for the work. Requesting written justification and evaluating the risk of front-
loading is the most defensible action before award.
QUESTION 2
A Principal Construction Project Manager is reviewing a CPM schedule submitted by the
contractor for a major renovation project. The schedule shows the critical path running
through steel erection, but the contractor has assigned a large float to concrete
foundation work. Which statement best describes the primary purpose of CPM in this
context?
A) CPM identifies the longest sequence of activities to establish the minimum project
duration and highlights where float exists.
B) CPM guarantees that the project will finish on time if the contractor follows the
schedule.
C) CPM is primarily used to allocate resources evenly across all activities.
D) CPM eliminates all project risks by identifying the critical path.
CORRECT ANSWER: A
EXPERT RATIONALE: CPM is a network analysis technique that predicts project duration
by analyzing the sequence of activities with the least scheduling flexibility, known as the
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critical path. Float on non-critical activities indicates scheduling flexibility but does not
guarantee on-time completion.
QUESTION 3
During a site inspection, a NYC Department of Buildings inspector observes that a
contractor has installed a site-enclosing fence that is only 6 feet high adjacent to a
public walkway. According to NYC Building Code Chapter 33, what is the minimum
required height for a standard construction fence in this location?
A) 6 feet
B) 8 feet
C) 10 feet
D) 12 feet
CORRECT ANSWER: B
EXPERT RATIONALE: NYC Building Code Section 3307.7 mandates that a site-enclosing
fence must be at least 8 feet high when enclosing a site adjacent to a public walkway. A
6-foot fence does not comply with this requirement.
QUESTION 4
A project manager is preparing a cost estimate for a new NYC municipal building. The
estimate is at a Class 5 level per AACE Cost Estimate Classification. According to DDC
cost estimating templates, what is the minimum design contingency that should be
included?
A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 20%
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CORRECT ANSWER: C
EXPERT RATIONALE: DDC cost estimating templates require a minimum 15% design
contingency for Class 5 estimates, which are high-level estimates used during early
project planning. This contingency accounts for the uncertainty inherent in early-stage
estimates.
QUESTION 5
A contractor on a NYC public works project has submitted a change order request for
additional work. Under the PPB Rules, which of the following is the correct principle
governing contract changes?
A) Change orders are permitted for any work the contractor deems necessary.
B) Change orders are permitted only for work necessary to complete the work included
in the original scope of the contract and for non-material alterations.
C) Change orders are automatically approved if they are under $50,000.
D) Change orders are prohibited once the contract is awarded.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
EXPERT RATIONALE: PPB Rules state that contract changes are permitted only for work
necessary to complete the original scope and for non-material alterations. Material
alterations in the scope of work are not permitted through change orders.
QUESTION 6
A Principal Construction Project Manager is conducting a pre-construction meeting with
a contractor. The contractor asks about the City's policy on prompt payment. Under the
PPB Rules, within how many days must the City pay its bills after receipt of a proper
invoice?
A) 15 days
NYC DCAS Principal Construction Project
Manager Exam | Latest Verified Questions and
Detailed Answers
OVERVIEW DESCRIPTION:
This Comprehensive set of multiple choice questions is designed for the NYC DCAS Principal
Construction Project Manager Exam, a highly competitive civil service examination administered
by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) for high-level
public works management roles across agencies such as DDC, DOB, DOT, and NYCHA. The exam
uses scenario-based, real-life situational questions to assess applied judgment rather than rote
memorization, covering core domains including construction laws and regulations, cost
estimation and budget control, project management fundamentals, safety management and
compliance, contract administration, and project initiation and risk strategies. Candidates are
tested on NYC Construction Codes, zoning and DOB filing processes, labor compliance, cost
analysis and municipal financial reporting, CPM scheduling, stakeholder engagement, OSHA and
local site-safety protocols, incident reporting, hazard mitigation, PPB procurement rules,
contract negotiation and dispute resolution, feasibility studies, site evaluation, risk management,
and quality control systems.
QUESTION 1
A NYC agency is preparing to award a construction contract for a new public library. The
low bidder's price is 22% below the engineer's estimate, and two unit prices are
mathematically unbalanced. Which action is most defensible under the Procurement
Policy Board (PPB) Rules?
A) Reject the bid as non-responsive and award to the next lowest bidder.
B) Award the contract as-is, since the bid is lowest and responsive.
,2|Page
C) Request a written justification from the bidder for the unbalanced unit prices and
evaluate the risk of front-loading before award.
D) Conditionally award the contract, but withhold 10% retention until the unbalanced
items are completed.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
EXPERT RATIONALE: PPB Rules require agencies to evaluate mathematically unbalanced
bids for material unbalancing that could result in the City paying more than the fair
value for the work. Requesting written justification and evaluating the risk of front-
loading is the most defensible action before award.
QUESTION 2
A Principal Construction Project Manager is reviewing a CPM schedule submitted by the
contractor for a major renovation project. The schedule shows the critical path running
through steel erection, but the contractor has assigned a large float to concrete
foundation work. Which statement best describes the primary purpose of CPM in this
context?
A) CPM identifies the longest sequence of activities to establish the minimum project
duration and highlights where float exists.
B) CPM guarantees that the project will finish on time if the contractor follows the
schedule.
C) CPM is primarily used to allocate resources evenly across all activities.
D) CPM eliminates all project risks by identifying the critical path.
CORRECT ANSWER: A
EXPERT RATIONALE: CPM is a network analysis technique that predicts project duration
by analyzing the sequence of activities with the least scheduling flexibility, known as the
,3|Page
critical path. Float on non-critical activities indicates scheduling flexibility but does not
guarantee on-time completion.
QUESTION 3
During a site inspection, a NYC Department of Buildings inspector observes that a
contractor has installed a site-enclosing fence that is only 6 feet high adjacent to a
public walkway. According to NYC Building Code Chapter 33, what is the minimum
required height for a standard construction fence in this location?
A) 6 feet
B) 8 feet
C) 10 feet
D) 12 feet
CORRECT ANSWER: B
EXPERT RATIONALE: NYC Building Code Section 3307.7 mandates that a site-enclosing
fence must be at least 8 feet high when enclosing a site adjacent to a public walkway. A
6-foot fence does not comply with this requirement.
QUESTION 4
A project manager is preparing a cost estimate for a new NYC municipal building. The
estimate is at a Class 5 level per AACE Cost Estimate Classification. According to DDC
cost estimating templates, what is the minimum design contingency that should be
included?
A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 20%
, 4|Page
CORRECT ANSWER: C
EXPERT RATIONALE: DDC cost estimating templates require a minimum 15% design
contingency for Class 5 estimates, which are high-level estimates used during early
project planning. This contingency accounts for the uncertainty inherent in early-stage
estimates.
QUESTION 5
A contractor on a NYC public works project has submitted a change order request for
additional work. Under the PPB Rules, which of the following is the correct principle
governing contract changes?
A) Change orders are permitted for any work the contractor deems necessary.
B) Change orders are permitted only for work necessary to complete the work included
in the original scope of the contract and for non-material alterations.
C) Change orders are automatically approved if they are under $50,000.
D) Change orders are prohibited once the contract is awarded.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
EXPERT RATIONALE: PPB Rules state that contract changes are permitted only for work
necessary to complete the original scope and for non-material alterations. Material
alterations in the scope of work are not permitted through change orders.
QUESTION 6
A Principal Construction Project Manager is conducting a pre-construction meeting with
a contractor. The contractor asks about the City's policy on prompt payment. Under the
PPB Rules, within how many days must the City pay its bills after receipt of a proper
invoice?
A) 15 days
