ARE 5.0 Project Development and Documentation (PDD) · project-manual application
Specification Parts 1, 2 and 3: decide whether the whole substitution is supported
Map a substitution's submittals, products, installation and field verification to the project manual, then identify the missing acceptance evidence.
Reviewed for the current ReasonSpan™ exam profile · Updated October 11, 2026By the ReasonSpan™ editorial team · Our content standards
A matching product is only part of the decision
A contractor proposes an acoustic-panel substitution. Its report demonstrates the specified absorption for the intended mounting, but the installation sketch uses a different backing. The project section also requires a field mockup before production. The submission includes no mockup plan. Decide what must be resolved before accepting the package.
Compare the product evidence with the Part 2 requirements, then check Part 3 installation and field-quality requirements for the proposed backing and mockup. Part 1 identifies the applicable submittal and administrative requirements. Meeting the product rating alone does not establish that the proposed installation preserves it or that the field verification will occur.
| Evidence or decision | Primary location to inspect | Required coordination |
|---|---|---|
| Required report/shop-drawing submission | Part 1 · applicable submittal article | Check format, timing and the specification's actual requested records. |
| Product performance and factory evidence | Part 2 · products/source quality | Confirm the reported mounting and selected material match the proposal. |
| Backing, installation and field mockup | Part 3 · execution/field quality | Resolve the detail and schedule verification before production. |
Choose the defensible disposition
Request the missing installation and mockup evidence and route the technical review under the project's procedures. Do not accept solely because a cover sheet repeats the required acoustic number. Moving a requirement to a different part does not remove it, and a review mark does not authorize an undocumented scope or performance change.
Read the complete project section: three-part organization is a navigation aid, not proof that every contract places every requirement at an identical article number.
Change the condition
If the proposed backing matches the tested mounting and the submitted plan schedules the required mockup before production, those two gaps are addressed. The remaining review must still verify the product, interfaces, contractual authority and other applicable requirements.
These are original instructional givens, separate from timed mocks. State assumptions before calculating and check the source edition required for your exam or project.
Sources and further reading
Exam requirements can change. Confirm current details with the organization that administers your exam and use the cited sources for the preparation principles summarized here.