CAPM Practice Question: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts
A construction project manager, Maria, is overseeing the building of a bridge. The project has a fixed budget and schedule. During the execution phase, the quality audit reveals that the concrete used does not meet the specified strength requirements. The concrete supplier insists that the concrete meets industry standards. However, the project specifications require a higher strength grade. Maria must decide on corrective action. What should she do?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Stop work and request the supplier to provide concrete that meets the project specifications.
The project specifications are the authoritative requirements. Non-conforming material must be rejected to ensure safety and quality. Maria should stop work and require the supplier to provide concrete that meets the project specifications. Option D is correct. Option A (document and proceed) ignores the issue. Option B (revise specifications) is inappropriate as the specifications were established based on design requirements. Option C (accepting the concrete) violates specifications.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Document the situation in the issue log and proceed with construction.
Why it's wrong here
Logging the non-conformance and continuing leaves defective concrete in the bridge, breaching the specification and quality baseline. The issue log records problems; it does not correct them. This would be right for tracking a minor observation pending review, not a strength failure requiring rework.
- ✗
Revise the project specifications to match the delivered concrete's strength.
Why it's wrong here
Rewriting the specification to legitimise substandard concrete inverts change control: the specification is the quality baseline, and the delivered material must conform to it. Specification changes require approved change requests with impact assessment. This would suit a customer-requested scope change, not supplier non-conformance.
- ✗
Accept the concrete as is because it meets industry standards.
Why it's wrong here
Industry standards are a floor, not the contractual requirement; the project specification demands a higher grade, so acceptance breaches the quality baseline and creates structural risk. Acceptance suits validated deliverables meeting criteria. Here the concrete must be rejected and replaced or remediated.
- ✓
Stop work and request the supplier to provide concrete that meets the project specifications.
Why this is correct
The concrete fails the contractual strength grade, so Maria must halt affected work and require conforming material. Supplier claims about generic industry standards do not override the project specifications. Stopping work prevents rework and satisfies the fixed budget and schedule constraints.
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