Free Practice Questions for IFMA CFM Exam

A feasibility study (Option B) is used to assess whether a proposed change strategy is viable and likely to succeed.

Why Option B is Correct?

A feasibility study evaluates potential risks, costs, benefits, and implementation challenges before making changes.

It helps facility managers determine whether the change is practical and achievable.

IFMA’s Leadership & Strategy Core Competency states that change initiatives should be assessed for feasibility before execution.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (GAP Analysis): A GAP analysis compares current performance against desired performance, but does not assess feasibility.

Option C (Customer Survey): Surveys collect feedback but do not analyze feasibility of a strategy.

A Cost Plus to a GMP contract (Option C) means that the contractor is selected early in the project based on their fee and general conditions, and they provide a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) once the project drawings are further developed.

Why Option C is Correct?

The GMP contract model ensures that the contractor is involved early in the project to provide cost estimates, budgeting input, and value engineering before the final design is completed.

Once drawings reach a more advanced stage, the contractor sets a GMP, meaning the owner will not pay more than the agreed maximum price, except for approved change orders.

This approach allows cost predictability and reduces financial risks for both the contractor and the owner.

IFMA’s Project Management Core Competency highlights that FM professionals must understand contract models that balance cost efficiency with project flexibility.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A: A GMP contract does allow cost increases for approved change orders; it is not entirely fixed beyond the GMP.

Option B: Contractors cannot simply charge all invoice amounts; costs must be within the GMP cap, and some costs are not reimbursable under the GMP model.

Testing the cooling tower water and adjusting the frequency of chemical balancing (B) is the correct action, ensuring proper water treatment to prevent biological growth.

Regular monitoring and chemical treatment prevent Legionella and other microbial growth.

Why not other options?

(A) Scraping the walls does not address the root cause.

(C) Conducting a health survey is not an immediate maintenance action.

(D) Draining and flushing with warm water is excessive and not always necessary.

A skills gap analysis (Option C) is the most effective method for developing a succession plan because it identifies competencies needed for leadership roles and helps design training programs.

Why Option C is Correct?

A skills gap analysis evaluates the current capabilities of employees and highlights areas for development.

This process helps align training programs with the competencies required for leadership positions.

IFMA’s Human Factors & Leadership Core Competency emphasizes proactive succession planning to ensure leadership continuity.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Interviews about promotion interest): Interest alone does not determine readiness or capability for leadership roles.

Option B (Reviewing staff goals and objectives): While useful, this does not provide the full picture of skills deficiencies and training needs.

Infrastructure resilience is the ability of a facility to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, and recover from disruptive events. The four key components of resilience are robustness (ability to withstand disruptions), resourcefulness (ability to identify and manage disruptions), rapid recovery (ability to restore functionality quickly), and redundancy (backup systems to prevent total failure). These factors ensure a facility can continue operations despite disasters or disruptions​.

The IFMA Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship competency highlights the importance of pilot testing sustainability initiatives to ensure operational effectiveness​.

Option B (Correct): Testing restrictors in select restrooms allows for user feedback and potential adjustments.

Option A (Implementing without review) may lead to negative customer experiences.

Option C (Installing and removing without informing the WPM) is unethical and violates internal governance.

Option D (Refusing installation outright) conflicts with sustainability initiatives.

Pilot programs balance sustainability goals with user experience​.

Negotiation (B) is the quickest and most cost-effective way to resolve disputes in a facility contract.

Negotiation fosters a direct dialogue to reach a mutual agreement before escalating to formal legal procedures.

Why not other options?

(A) Mediation involves a third party, which can prolong the process.

(C) Litigation is costly and time-consuming.

(D) Arbitration is binding and may remove flexibility in decision-making.

The first step in developing a strategic facility technology plan is to conduct an assessment of existing technology to establish a baseline. This includes:

Evaluating current systems and infrastructure to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Determining gaps between current and desired capabilities.

Understanding integration challenges with future technologies.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(A) Determining employee skills comes after identifying technological needs.

(B) Reviewing corporate plans for renovations is important but does not directly address technology planning.

(C) Researching new technologies is valuable but should be done after assessing what is currently in place​.

The IFMA Occupancy and Human Factors competency emphasizes that space planning and equipment layout are critical to operational efficiency, worker safety, and productivity​.

Option C (Space dimensions and equipment layout) is correct because it ensures proper workflow, safety compliance, and optimized use of space.

Option A (Desk-height outlets) is beneficial but not the primary factor in industrial design.

Option B (Sit-to-stand options) applies more to office environments, not industrial settings.

Option D (Lighting and monitors) improves ergonomics but does not define industrial workplace efficiency.

Industrial workplace design focuses on optimizing space for machinery, storage, and safety regulations​.

The IFMA Risk Management and Safety competency stresses that proactive hazard evaluation and corrective action are essential for safety culture​.

Option B (Correct): Identifying risks early prevents incidents and fosters a strong safety culture.

Option A (Waiting until after an incident) is reactive and increases liability.

Option C (Involving only senior management) excludes critical frontline staff insights.

Option D (Focusing only on near misses) ignores broader risk factors.

A proactive, organization-wide approach to safety minimizes risks and fosters accountability​.