BICSI Outside Plant Designer (OSP) — Information & Free Practice

The authority publishes percentage ranges for each content area. The practice percentages below use the midpoint of each range, normalized to 100%; they are not exact percentages published by the authority. Practice question counts may differ slightly because of rounding.

• Pre-Design Preparation — Official range: 11–12% (Practice allocation: 12.04%)

  • Research types and capabilities of existing technology
  • Research existing infrastructure/information-gathering
  • Research geography
  • Determine financial parameters
  • Comply with local, state, and national regulations
  • Assess program/client requirements and forecast for the future
  • Interpret customer’s IT and facility master plan
• Perform Site Survey — Official range: 9–10% (Practice allocation: 9.95%)

  • Perform pre-job assessment for new and existing construction
  • Perform additional pre-job assessment for existing construction
  • Determine easements and requirements for right of way
  • Determine proposed routing
  • Verify network topology
• Select Media, Platform, and Cables — Official range: 13–14% (Practice allocation: 14.14%)

  • Select appropriate media
  • Select copper AWG and sizing
  • Select fiber mode and type
  • Select coaxial
  • Select splicing hardware
  • Select termination hardware
  • Select splitters
  • Select alternative media
• Design Underground Platform and Spaces — Official range: 14–15% (Practice allocation: 15.18%)

  • Design underground support structure-conduit
  • Design underground support structure-maintenance hole
  • Design underground support structure-hand hole/pull box
  • Design underground support structure-contained environmental vault
  • Design underground grounding systems
  • Design utility tunnel pathways
  • Design transition structures
• Design Buried Platform and Spaces — Official range: 14–15% (Practice allocation: 15.18%)

  • Design buried application-trench
  • Design buried application-plowed
  • Design buried application-bore
  • Design buried grounding systems
• Design Aerial Platform and Spaces — Official range: 14–15% (Practice allocation: 15.18%)

  • Design aerial support structure-existing
  • Design aerial support structure-new construction
  • Design aerial support structure-messenger
  • Design aerial support structure-anchors and guys
  • Design aerial structure grounding-multiground neutral distribution system
  • Design aerial structure grounding based on delta systems
  • Design aerial structure grounding based on wye systems
  • Design aerial structure grounding-special situations
  • Determine space allocation on pole
  • Select cable attachment method and associated hardware
  • Design aerial-to-underground transition structures
  • Design optical ground wire structures
  • Design all dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) support structures
• Prepare Design — Official range: 8–9% (Practice allocation: 8.9%)

  • Prepare preliminary design
  • Prepare critical design review scope/design development
  • Prepare final design (construction) package
  • Prepare rough order magnitude (ROM)
• Quality Control Process — Official range: 7–8% (Practice allocation: 7.85%)

  • Develop quality control process
  • Implement design change process
  • Identify common mistakes
  • Design betterments/optimization
• Professional Responsibilities — Official range: 1–2% (Practice allocation: 1.57%)

  • Perform pre-award responsibilities
  • Perform post-award responsibilities