Bid shopping is an unethical practice where a prime contractor discloses a vendor's bid price to other vendors to encourage them to underbid the original price quoted. This practice can lead to lower quality work or unfair pricing pressures on vendors and is generally frowned upon in the construction industry.
Option A: Costing refers to the process of determining the cost of a product or service, not the manipulation of bids.
Option B: Cost-price analysis involves evaluating the costs and prices of goods or services, not bid manipulation.
Option D: Negotiating a best and final offer is a legitimate practice in procurement to get the best price after initial bids are received but does not involve unethical disclosure of bid prices.
Therefore, C. Bid shopping is the correct answer as it describes the specific practice of using one vendor's bid to undercut prices from others.

In a fixed price contract, the contractor agrees to deliver the project at a set price, regardless of the actual costs incurred. This means that the contractor assumes all the performance risk, as any cost overruns must be absorbed by the contractor. If the project costs more than the fixed price agreed upon, the contractor cannot charge the owner more. Conversely, if the project is completed under budget, the contractor benefits by retaining the difference.

To calculate the increase in copper prices over 30 months (which is 2.5 years), we apply the inflation rates for the first two years and half of the third year:
Year 1: 1.0%
Year 2: 1.5%
Year 3 (half-year): 1.5% / 2 = 0.75%
The total percentage increase is calculated as:
Total Increase=(1+0.01)×(1+0.015)×(1+0.0075)-1\text{Total Increase} = (1 + 0.01) \times (1 + 0.015) \times (1 + 0.0075) - 1Total Increase=(1+0.01)×(1+0.015)×(1+0.0075)-1 \text{Total Increase} = 1.01 \times 1.015 \times 1.0075 - 1 \approx 1.066 - 1 = 0.066 \text{ or 6.6%} So, the correct answer is C. 6.6%.

Soft logic refers to the sequencing of project activities that is flexible, based on discretionary decisions about the order of activities. It is used in situations where the component activities are less defined, and the relationships between these activities are conditional rather than strictly dictated by the project's physical constraints. This approach allows for flexibility in project scheduling, accommodating changes in the sequence of activities without significantly impacting the project's overall timeline.
For example, if certain tasks can be performed in parallel or in a different sequence without affecting the project outcome, soft logic would apply. This contrasts with hard logic, where activities must occur in a specific order due to the physical or technical constraints of the project.