DCMA Schedule Assurance — Preflight Checklist

Use before uploading an XER or issuing an assurance report.

XERR

Purpose: confirm that scope, calculations and evidence are controlled before interpreting any percentage or RAG status. This checklist supports review; it does not replace contractual requirements or competent planning judgment.

1. Analysis population

  1. Correct XER file, revision and data date confirmed
  2. Selected P6 projects and project boundaries declared
  3. Completed, LOE and WBS-summary inclusion rules recorded
  4. Baseline and current schedule roles confirmed
  5. Eligible activity denominator shown for every metric

2. Logic integrity

  1. Missing predecessor and successor findings reviewed
  2. Open starts and finishes justified or corrected
  3. Leads, lags and relationship types tested
  4. Task-dependent zero-day relationships reviewed
  5. External project links retained as boundary evidence

3. Float and criticality

  1. Negative float activities and drivers identified
  2. High-float threshold and unit declared
  3. Critical path or longest path basis confirmed
  4. Multiple float paths checked where relevant
  5. Calendar effects on float understood

4. Constraints and dates

  1. Hard and soft constraints separated
  2. Constraint justification and approval evidence available
  3. Invalid actual/forecast date combinations checked
  4. Activities on the data date reviewed
  5. Missed work and out-of-sequence progress assessed

5. Durations, calendars and resources

  1. Long-duration threshold declared and exceptions reviewed
  2. Calendar assignments and working hours checked
  3. Non-standard calendars justified
  4. Resource/cost inclusion rules recorded
  5. Milestones and zero-duration activities classified correctly

6. Evidence and reporting

  1. Every finding can drill down to affected activity IDs
  2. Numerator, denominator and formula are visible
  3. Threshold changes affect status—not the finding engine
  4. Filters used for the issued result are recorded
  5. Report date, source revision and reviewer are traceable