Best Practice 10 - Maintaining a Baseline Schedule

Under Best Practice 3, we discuss the importance of developing the PMB and establishing and maintaining a valid baseline schedule to ensure that EVM data are reliable. In Best Practice 10, we discuss the importance of maintaining a baseline schedule and the change control process that governs when and how technical and programmatic changes are applied to the baseline. We further say that the extent to which the IMS is subject to a change control process is decided by program management and depends on project size, scope, risk, and complexity. When EVM is required, the change control process is more restrictive, and the program or its contractor should have an approved change control process for PMB changes from authorized changes and replanning.

Authorized changes must be punctually recorded in the EVM system and incorporated into planning. Controlling documents must be updated before new work is started. EVM guidelines 28-32 address documenting and controlling changes to the PMB. The guidelines specifically discuss incorporating changes in a timely manner, reconciling current to prior budgets, controlling retroactive changes, preventing unauthorized revisions, and documenting PMB changes. The auditor should be able to identify the baseline schedule as well as the most recently statused schedule in order to verify that variances reported in the EVM system are valid.