Lecture Notes: DCMA 14-Point Assessment

Introduction

• DCMA (Defense Contract Management Agency) 14-Point Assessment
  • Includes 14 checks for CPM (Critical Path Method) schedule quality.
  • Focuses on planned or in-progress activities, excluding summary tasks, milestones, or level of effort activities.

Checks Overview

1. Logic Check

   • Ensure project sequence logic makes sense.
   • Avoid excessive logic to reduce complications from delays.

2. Leads Check

   • Leads (negative lag) should not be present as they affect date calculations.

3. Lags Check

   • Lags (positive delay) should be limited to less than 5% of activities.
   • Avoids managing complications and hiding schedule details.

4. Logic Types Check

   • At least 90% of logic links should be "Finish to Start."
   • Allows examination and validation of chosen relationships.

5. Hard Constraints Check

   • Constraints are artificial dates set to activities.
   • Two-way constraints should be avoided; one-way constraints can have valid purposes.
   • No more than 5% of constrained activities should use hard constraints.

6. High Float Check

   • Total float should not exceed 44 days.
   • Limit tasks with high float to 5% of incomplete tasks.

7. Negative Float Check

   • Negative float indicates a schedule is behind.
   • Requires a well-documented plan to avoid delays.

8. High Duration Tasks Check

   • Activities should be less than two months in duration.
   • Break down long activities to provide detail.
   • Limit to 5% of incomplete tasks.

9. Invalid Dates Check

   • Ensure dates are accurate with no future start dates for progressed activities.
   • No past finish dates for tasks that need completion.

10. Resource and Cost Loading Check

    • Not mandatory but recommended for all activities except milestones.

11. Missed Tasks Check

    • Compare against a baseline to ensure no more than 5% slip from baseline dates.

12. Critical Path Integrity Test

    • Delay in critical path activity should affect the project end date.

13. Critical Path Length Index Check

    • Measure ratio of project critical path length plus total flow to the critical path length.
    • Target index: 1; less than 0.95 indicates failure.

14. Baseline Execution Index Test

    • Measure completed tasks vs. planned tasks.
    • BEI of 1 indicates on-track; less than 0.95 is concerning.

Conclusion

• The DCMA 14-point assessment is a starting point for ensuring schedule quality.

• Helps identify early warning signs to mitigate issues.

• Does not guarantee project success but is a useful tool.

• Additional Resources

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