Baseline programme
A baseline programme may be prepared by a contractor at the beginning of a project. This is a detailed view of how they will divide the works into activities, the duration of those activities, and logic links to preceding and succeeding activities. This programme should be practicable and realistic, showing when the contractor intends to carry out each part of the works and identifying the resources they intend to use.
Under NEC3 contracts, the contractor’s programme is then submitted to the project manager, and if the project manager accepts it, it becomes the ‘accepted programme’ identified in the contract data.
The contractor’s programme is likely to be updated throughout the course of the works and when accepted by the project manager, that updated programme becomes the new accepted programme.
NEC4 introduces the new concept of ‘treated acceptance’, by which the project manager has a specified period of time to notify the contractor whether their programme has been accepted or not. If they fail to notify the contractor within this period, the programme is deemed to be accepted.
NB The CIOB Planning Protocol 2021 (CIOB PP21), a technical information sheet published by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) in February 2021, defines a baseline programme as: ‘A programme typically prepared prior to the commencement of a project, representing a contractor’s planned intention for sequencing the works. This programme is later used as a baseline for measuring the contractor’s actual progress and performance.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.