Last edited 06 Oct 2020

Contractor's working schedule

Some construction contracts, in particular in the USA, require that the contractor produces a contractor’s working schedule. This is a critical path method (CPM) logic diagram used by the contractor, not only to plan the works, but also to record actual progress and to show how the remaining works will be completed. This is not a static schedule but is maintained by the contractor throughout the duration of the works and published periodically as a form of reporting.

In the UK, the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) Contract for Complex Projects (CPC 2013), requires that the contractor produces a working schedule, (sometimes referred to as the contractor’s working schedule) which CIOB describe as ‘a resource and cost-loaded critical path network’.

The working schedule is a digital, quality-controlled, critical path network, used to manage time, and updated with progress data such that it automatically calculates the construction end date for the works.

Cost management is carried out by reference to values attributed to the activities in the schedule, such that the schedule constantly calculates the value of work done to date and predicts the out-turn cost of the works. Payment is based upon work properly done according to the working schedule.

CIOB suggest that the working schedule is prepared at three levels of density. At low and medium density, activity durations may be estimated and linked with activity-related logic. At high density (the short-term look ahead) activity durations are calculated by reference to resources and achievable productivity and linked by resource and location-related logic.

NB In November 2015, the Complex Projects Contract was updated and renamed the Time and Cost Management Contract.