Schedule Diagnostics Based on DCMA 14 Point Assessment

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics mandates the use of an integrated master schedule (IMS) for US government contracts with cost of at least $20 million. Defense Contract Management Administration (DCMA) is responsible to ensure that the quality integrated master schedules are used. DCMA developed the 14 Point Assessment to assess the quality of integrated master schedules on the consistent basis. Although 14 Point Assessment was developed for US government contacts, it can be useful for all schedules. DCMA Point Assessments is especially useful to check project schedule before Monte Carlo risk analysis, because quantitative analysis of low quality baseline project schedule may cause misleading results.

DCMA 14 point Schedule Assessment description can be found at: https://www.dcma.mil/Portals/31/Documents/Policy/DCMA-PAM-200-1.pdf?ver=2016-12-28-125801-627.

DCMA Point Assessments includes the following tests

• DCMA 1: Logic
• DCMA 2: Leads
• DCMA 3: Lags
• DCMA 4: Relationships
• DCMA 5: Hard Constraints
• DCMA 6: High Float
• DCMA 7: Negative Float
• DCMA 8: High Duration
• DCMA 9A: Invalid Forecast Dates
• DCMA 9B: Invalid Actual Dates
• DCMA 10: Resources
• DCMA 11: Missed Tasks
• DCMA 12: Critical Path
• DCMA 13: Critical Path Length Index (CPLI)
• DCMA 14: Baseline Execution Index (BEI)