The CSI

CDT Exam

Candidate

Handbook

Spring 2013

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

110 South Union Street, Suite 100 | Alexandria, VA 22314

(P) 800.689.2900 | (F) 703.236.4600 | (E) csi@csinet.org | (W) www.csinet.org

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Summary Summary Eligibility Requirements Candidate Profile

4-­­5 Exam Application Application Period

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

Application Extension/ Special Exam Arrangements Exam Application Fees Applying for an Exam Scheduling an Exam with Prometric

6 Exam Format Format Exam Specifications

7-­­9 Exam Content Outline Construction Project Fundamentals Project Planning and Delivery Design

Design Construction Documents Specifications Drawings Procurement Construction

Post Construction

10 Exam Development

11 Exam Reference Materials

12 Exam Study Resources

13 CSI Certificate Policies

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

Summary

SUMMARY 3

The objective of the Construction Documents Technologist Program is to improve construction

documentation. We encourage individuals to become familiar with the fundamentals and the

principles of construction specifications and the organization of construction documents as

recommended by CSI.

The program allows individuals to demonstrate their knowledge of CSI's recommended practices in:

• Construction

• Contractual Relationships

• Relationships and Organization of Construction Documents.

A Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) is a person who has demonstrated the basic knowledge

of construction fundamentals and the formats of construction documentation as prescribed by CSI and

the general conditions of the contract for construction.

Eligibility Requirements There are no formal eligibility requirements for the CDT program. Membership in CSI is not required,

however CSI members have access to a number of exam-­­taking benefits including reduced rates for

exam registration study material purchase, and CSI event registration. For a complete listing of CSI

benefits go to http://www.csinet.org/Main-Menu-Category/Membership/Individual-

Membership/Quick-Tasks-Individual-Membership/Benefits-of-CSI-Membership-PDF.pdf

Candidate Profile

REQUIREMENTS

Education No educational requirements

Experience No work experience requirements

Job Training No job training requirements

CAREER INFORMATION

Typical Job Titles Architect, Engineer, CAD Technician, Designer, Assistant or Associate Designer, BIM Modeler, Architect Intern, Field Engineer, Construction Administration Staff, Product Sales/Technical Representative, A/E/C Firm Support Staff, Student, Educator, Code Official, Commissioning Agent, Project Manager, Construction Manager, Specifier, Construction Attorney

Related Experience Construction Field Experience, Development of Contract Documents, Performance of Contract Administration or Project Engineering, Project Management, Product Representation, A/E/C Office Experience, Construction Arbitration

Typical Education Paths

An architectural or engineering related degree; a construction related degree; a secondary school education or equivalent

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

Application Period EXAM APPLICATION 4

Spring 2013 Exam Dates: April 01 -­­ 27, 2013 Spring 2013 Registration Period: December 03 to February 28, 2013

Early registration deadline: January 31, 2013

Final registration deadline: February 28, 2013

Application Extension/ Special Exam Arrangements Please contact CSI directly by calling 800-­­689-­­2900 to set up exam dates that fall outside of the

regularly scheduled testing windows.

Exam Application Fees Member Price before January 31 $240 (Non-­­member $375)

Member Price after January 31 $295 (Non-­­member $430)

Student Price $105

Registration includes the exam application fee and this CDT Candidate Handbook.

It does not include the CDT Study Workbook, CDT Practice Exam, Project Delivery Practice Guide, or the

AIA A-­­201 or EJCDC C-­­700 exam source materials, which may be purchased separately.

Applying for an Exam

1. Exam applications may be completed online or by mail.

2. To register by mail, or fax or e-­­mail, obtain a preprinted CSI Membership Application Form

or go online to the CSI website at www.csinet.org and select the Certification/CDT tab. Under

Quick Tasks select the Download CDT Exam Form (PDF) and download form.

A. Print out the form. Follow the directions to fill out and send in the form.

B. Complete payment details. If paying by check, make check payable to CSI. If paying by

credit or debit card, indicate credit or debit card type, number, expiration date, and card

holder name and billing address of the credit or debit card with which you will pay the

non-­­refundable application fee. Once your payment has been received and processed,

it cannot be refunded. Please ensure that you are applying for the correct exam before

proceeding.

C. Make a copy of the form for your records.

D. Mail form and your check if paying by check to: The Construction Specifications Institute

110 South Union Street, Suite 100 Alexandria, VA 22314

E. If paying by credit card, fax form to: 703-­­236-­­4600

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

EXAM APPLICATION 5

F. To register by e­­mail and pay by credit card, scan form and send as an e-­­mail

attachment to: csi@csinet.org with 'CDT Exam Candidate' placed in the Subject

line.

3. To register online, go to the CSI website at www.csinet.org and select the Certification/CDT

tab. Under Quick Tasks, select Register online to take the CDT exam! by completing the

following steps:

A. Login to the CSI website. If you are a new user, create a user name and password or

register without joining.

B. Complete the demographic information form and select the next button.

C. Verify your registration information is correct.

D. Select exam type.

E. Review certification examination policies.

F. Proceed to check out.

a. Select credit or debit card type.

b. Enter the card number, expiration date, card-­­holder name, and billing address of the

credit or debit card with which you will pay the non-­­refundable application fee.

c. Press “Process Payment.” Once your payment has been processed, it cannot be

refunded; please verify that you are applying for the correct exam before

proceeding.

G. You will receive an on-­­screen notification that your application is complete, and you will

be provided with your application reference number.

4. You will receive notice within seven days of receipt of your completed form with payment

that your application has been approved.

Scheduling an Exam with Prometric

The CDT is a computer-­­based exam administered at Prometric test centers throughout the US and

Canada.

Once your application is approved by CSI, you will receive an email notification with instructions how

to schedule your exam at a Prometric test center using your individual authorization number.

Go to the Prometric website: http://www.prometric.com/CSI/default.htm. Select "Start" to view the

available Prometric test centers and schedule an exam.

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

Subject Matter Area No. 3: DESIGN ................................................................ 37%

Subject Matter Area No. 4: PROCUREMENT ................................................... 10%

Subject Matter Area No. 5: CONSTRUCTION .................................................. 20%

Subject Matter Area No. 6: ST CO ST CTIO ........................................ 5%

Format EXAM FORMAT 6

The CDT exam is a computer-­­based test that contains 120 multiple-­­choice questions. Twenty of the 120

are pre-­­test questions that have been included for statistical validation purposes. These additional

questions will not be counted when scoring the exam. Candidates have two hours to complete the

exam.

Exam Specifications

The proportion of the exam dedicated to each subject matter area is as follows:

Subject Matter Area No. 1: CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FUNDAMENTALS.......... 8%

Subject Matter Area No. 2: PROJECT PLANNING AND DELIVERY ...................... 20%

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE 7

Exam Content Outline

1. Construction Project Fundamentals

A. Job roles and responsibilities of the four project teams

B. Factors that contribute to an effective team

C. Stages of facility life cycle with associated activities and documents

D. Project stages with associated activities and documents

2. Project Planning and Delivery

A. Programming, planning, and pre-­­design

B. Feasibility and impact studies, and facility evaluations

C. Site selection activities and purposes

D. Project budget

E. Project scheduling

F. Green facilities

G. Design and construction services and documentation required

H. Tripartite relationships among owner, contractor, and A/E

I. Factors affecting project delivery

J. Contract types

K. Delivery methods

L. Team selection process

M. Commissioning process

3. Design

A. Design

a. Schematic design documentation

b. Design development documentation

c. Quality assurance/quality control requirements

d. Procedures to control project variables

e. Cost estimates and estimating techniques used during design phase

f. Life cycle costs and value analysis

g. Documentation of decision-­­making process

h. Design considerations

1) Aesthetics

2) Regulatory requirements

3) Functional requirements

4) Sustainability

5) Constructability

6) Budget

i. Product evaluation and selection

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

B. Construction Documents

a. 4C’s of communication

b. Elements of construction documents

c. Elements of procurement documents

d. Elements of contract documents

e. Procurement requirements

1) Solicitation

2) Instructions for procurement

3) Available information

4) Procurement forms

f. Contracting requirements

1) Contracting forms

2) Project forms

3) Conditions of the contract

4) Revisions and clarifications

EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE 8

g. Coordination between graphic and written documents

h. Legal interpretations and/or conflicts of contract documents

i. Modifications

j. Warranties

k. Insurance

C. Specifications

a. OmniClass

b. UniFormat

c. MasterFormat

d. Elements of project manual

e. SectionFormat

f. PageFormat

g. Methods of Specifying

h. Specification Language

i. Hierarchy of general, administrative, and procedural requirements

j. GreenFormat

D. Drawings

a. Contract drawings

1) Role and function

2) Categories

3) Features

4) Formats

5) Trends

b. Resource drawings

EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE 9

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

4. Procurement

A. Procurement process

B. Pricing and purchasing terminology

C. Pricing considerations

D. Distribution and control of project information

E. Execution of agreement

F. Substitution requests during bidding

G. Addenda

5. Construction

A. Communications identified in the general conditions

B. Roles and responsibilities

C. Performance and payment bonds

D. Construction by owner or by separate contract

E. Contract time

F. Substitutions during construction

G. Contract modifications

H. Site visits, observations, meetings, and inspections

I. Submittals

J. Quality assurance/quality control implementation

K. Uncovering and correction of work

L. Payments and completion

1) Progress payments

2) Substantial completion

3) Final completion

4) Final payment

M. Protection of persons and property

N. Termination or suspension of the contract

O. Claims and disputes

6. Post Construction

A. Role and responsibilities of facility manager during project closeout

B. Correction period

C. Operations and maintenance

D. Resource materials

E. Facility evaluations

F. Commissioning activities

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

Exam Development

EXAM DEVELOPMENT 10

The CDT exam reflects the results of a professional Body of Knowledge Analysis (BoKA) that

determined the subject matter areas (knowledge domains) that are important for a Construction

Documents Technologist to master. The purpose of a BoKA is to thoroughly review and update the

definition of the subject matter to be tested on the exam so that it reflects the current state of the

industry and evolving trends in project delivery, design, construction documentation, construction

contract administration, and facility management.

As a result of the intensive work of CSI's CDT BoKA task teams and its professional consultants, the CDT

exam includes content not reflected in previous exams. Among the major updates to the CDT, which

have been included in the Project Delivery Practice Guide (PDPG), are:

• Sustainability, as reflected in green building. Sustainability is a critical imperative driving design

and construction in the 21st century. The BoKA recognized the need for CDT holders to have a

basic grasp of sustainability concepts.

• New technologies and methods. These hold the promise of transforming design and

construction. These developments include building information modeling (BIM) and integrated

project delivery (IPD).

The BoKA identified a need for the CDT to accentuate deeper knowledge of the activities and

documents associated with the construction stage of a project, along with more exposure to the

considerations that go into design, to give CDT holders a better grounding in the day-­­to-­­day realities of

project development.

The current CDT test forms represent a significant commitment by CSI to provide an examination that

reflects current practice and cutting edge developments that affect construction documents and

project delivery.

Development of CDT updates are the foundation of appropriate future updates to the advanced

certification (CCS, CCCA, CCPR) programs.

Congratulations to all who are participating in the CDT program!

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

Exam Reference Materials

EXAM REFERENCE MATERIALS 11

The CDT examination is based solely on the following documents:

CSI DOCUMENTS

• Project Delivery Practice Guide (PDPG)

• MasterFormat

• UniFormat

• SectionFormat

• PageFormat

• GreenFormat

Many of the CSI documents have been updated in recent years. Candidates are cautioned that older

versions, such as MasterFormat 1995, are no longer supported by CSI and should not be relied upon in

preparing for the exam.

CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT

AIA Document A201 – 2007 OR EJCDC C-­­700 – 2007

American Institute of Architects National Society of Professional Engineers

1735 New York Avenue, NW 1420 King Street

Washington, DC 20006-­­5292 Alexandria, VA 22314-­­2794

Ph: (800) 242-­­3837 Fax: (202) 626-­­7547 Ph: (703) 684-­­2800 Fax: (703) 836-­­4875

www.aia.org

SUSTAINABILITY/GREEN BUILDING

www.nspe.org

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/about.htm

• GreenFormat

www.greenformat.com

Spring 2013 CDT Candidate

CDT Study Workbook

EXAM STUDY RESOURCES 12

CDT Study Workbook is available for purchase at www.csinet.org.

The CDT Study Workbook is a guide to help candidates prepare for the CDT Exam. The workbook

facilitates a clear understanding of the fundamentals and formats of construction documents, and

is comprised of exercises, examples, and practice questions that address the development of

facilities and the ins and outs of the process. The structure of the CDT Study Workbook follows the

CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide with an emphasis on the CDT Subject Matter Area specifications.

It is not a practice exam. CDT Webinars

View recorded webinars for CDT 101 at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT9kjD8311Y&list=UUYqewLEPXjAmzEzhm2vE69w&feature=pl

CSI Chapter CDT Courses

Don’t hesitate to ask your local chapter to help you prepare for an exam. Many CSI chapters offer

CDT prep programs. Contact your local chapter for information about their prep courses. To find a

Chapter Study Course go to: http://www.csinet.org/chapterprep

On-­­Demand CDT Prep Course

CSI offers an On-­­Demand Webinar for the CDT Prep Course that provides an overview of the

fundamentals and formats of construction documents as promulgated by CSI and the general

conditions of the contract for construction. The CDT Prep Course lays the groundwork for

understanding the development of facilities and the ins and outs of the process and, most

importantly, helps prepare students for taking the CDT exam. Total instructional time is 10 hours.

CDT http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/csi/category.php?cat_id=78

Project Delivery Practice Guide (PDPG) Flash Cards

Use Project Delivery Flash Cards to review for your CDT exam. PDPG flash cards are available for

iPhone, http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/csipdflash/id477047114?mt=8

iPad, http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/csipdflash/id477047114?mt=8 or

Android, https://market.android.com/details?id=org.csinet.PDflash&feature=search_result#?t=W2

51bGwsMSwxLDEsIm9yZy5jc2luZXQuUERmbGFzaCJd, and as a

Download, http://www.csinet.org/Main-­­Menu-­­Category/CSI-­­Store/11/567d6fff-­­930c-­­e111-­­8852-­­

0019b9e160b2.txt

CDT Candidate Spring 2013

CSI Certificate Policies

CSI CERTIFICATE POLICIES 13

CSI exam application fees are non-­­transferable to another individual.

Candidates who are unable to sit for a scheduled exam may request rescheduling within the same

exam window or cancellation with the possibility of a refund of the application fee. Cancellation

requests must be submitted to the Institute in writing using the appropriate request form. The form is

available at www.csinet.org. Also a scheduled appointment with Prometric must be cancelled

separately through Prometric via www.prometric.com/csi or 1-­­800-­­503-­­8991.

Candidates who do not request a cancellation and do not sit for the exam forfeit all fees. Candidates

who then wish to sit for the next exam window must submit a new application and fee.

• Cancellation requests received at least 14 calendar days prior to the first day of the test

window will be refunded 100% of the exam fee.

• Cancellation requests received from 13 to 6 calendar days prior to the first day of the test

window will be refunded 50% of the exam fee.

• Cancellation requests received less than 5 calendar days prior to the first day of the test

window will not be refunded any portion of the exam fee.

Those who are not successful in passing an exam may retest after 30 days but may not take the test

more than two times in 12 months. Retests require a new application and registration fee.

A list of passing candidates will be posted at www.csinet.org

Once the CDT exam is passed and a CDT Certificate is obtained, the certificate holder has achieved one

mandatory prerequisite for pursuing any one of the higher CSI certifications including:

• CCS -­­ Certified Construction Specifier

• CCCA -­­ Certified Construction Contract Administrator

• CCPR -­­ Certified Construction Product Representative

Achieving the CDT Certificate is a lifetime achievement.

Issued December 3, 2012