GovCon: DCMA 14 Point Assessment
The DCMA 14-Point Assessment is a set of guidelines established by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) to evaluate the technical quality and integrity of a project schedule
Why Would A Customer Use This?
For a customer—particularly in a high-stakes environment like GovCon or Aerospace & Defense—the DCMA 14-Point Health Check acts as a "truth serum" for a project. It moves the conversation from "trust me, we're on track" to "here is the mathematical proof that our plan is sound."
1. Predictability and "No Surprises"
The primary value to the customer is reliability. If a schedule fails the health check (e.g., too many "Hard Constraints" or "Missing Logic"), it means the finish date is likely a manual entry rather than a calculated result.
Value: The customer can trust that if Task A slips by two days, the final delivery date will automatically reflect that reality, allowing them to manage their own downstream dependencies.
2. Risk Identification (Early Warning System)
Many of the 14 points are designed to flush out hidden risks.
High Float: Tells the customer that tasks are poorly defined and could slip for months without "triggering" an alarm.
Leads and Lags: Often used to "hide" resource shortages or force a schedule to fit a desired end date.
Value: The customer sees the "cracks" in the plan while there is still time to fix them, rather than discovering a 6-month delay two weeks before delivery.
3. Objective Performance Measurement
In Earned Value Management (EVM), the schedule is the "denominator" for all progress. If the schedule is broken, the cost and performance metrics (CPI/SPI) are meaningless.
Value: The BEI (Baseline Execution Index) and CPLI (Critical Path Length Index) give the customer a numeric score on how well the team is executing against the original promise.
4. Efficient Resource Utilization
When a schedule is logic-driven, it reveals exactly where people are needed.
Value: The customer isn't paying for "bench time" or sudden, expensive "fire drills" caused by poor planning. It ensures the taxpayer or the organization's capital is being used efficiently.
Customer Concern | DCMA Health Check Solution |
"Is the deadline real?" | Critical Path Test: Proves the end date is tied to work, not a wish. |
"Are they hiding delays?" | Negative Float Check: Flags tasks that are already behind schedule. |
"Is the plan too rigid?" | Constraint Check: Ensures the plan can adapt to real-world changes. |
"Can they actually do this?" | Resource Check: Confirms every task has a "who" assigned to it. |
What are the 14 Points of Assessment?
Most of these tests use a 5% threshold, meaning if more than 5% of your tasks fail the criteria, the entire schedule "fails" that health check.
Group 1: The Logic & Relationship Tests
These ensure the schedule is a dynamic "network" where every task is connected.
1. Logic (Missing Predecessors/Successors): Checks for "dangling" tasks. Every task (except the start and finish) must have at least one link.
Threshold: Max 5% missing logic.
2. Leads (Negative Lag): Checks for tasks starting before their predecessor finishes using a negative value. This is physically impossible in most cases and distorts the critical path.
Threshold: 0% (Prohibited).
3. Lags (Positive Lag): Checks for forced delays between tasks (e.g., "Wait 3 days for concrete to dry"). Excessive lags hide logic and make the schedule rigid.
Threshold: Max 5%.
4. Relationship Types: Checks if tasks use Finish-to-Start (FS). Other types (SS, FF, SF) make the schedule harder to read and calculate.
Threshold: Min 90% must be Finish-to-Start.
Group 2: The Constraint & Flexibility Tests
These ensure the schedule can move and breathe when delays occur.
5. Hard Constraints: Checks for fixed dates (e.g., "Must Finish On"). These "pin" tasks to the calendar and prevent the schedule from recalculating naturally.
Threshold: Max 5%.
6. High Float: Checks for tasks with more than 44 days of "slack." High float often means a task is missing a successor, meaning a delay won't show an impact on the end date.
Threshold: Max 5%.
7. Negative Float: Checks for tasks that are already behind their required finish dates. This indicates the schedule is already "broken" or unachievable.
Threshold: 0%.
8. High Duration: Checks for tasks longer than 44 working days (approx. 2 months). These should be broken into smaller sub-tasks for better tracking.
Threshold: Max 5%.
Group 3: Data Integrity & Resource Tests
These ensure the "who" and the "when" are accurate.
9. Invalid Dates: Checks for "Actual" dates in the future or "Forecast" dates in the past. This is a data entry error.
Threshold: 0%.
10. Resources: Checks if all tasks have labor or costs assigned. If a task has no resource, it isn’t a real plan; it's just a wish.
Threshold: 0% (All tasks must have resources).
Group 4: Performance & Forecast Tests
These measure how well the team is actually executing against the plan.
11. Missed Tasks: Compares actual finish dates to the Baseline finish dates. It measures the "slip" of the project.
Threshold: Max 5%.
12. Critical Path Test: A manual "stress test." If you intentionally delay the first task on the Critical Path, does the final project finish date move? If not, your logic is broken.
Threshold: Must Pass (100%).
13. CPLI (Critical Path Length Index): Measures the "health" of the finish date. It calculates if the remaining work can actually fit into the remaining time.
Target: >/=0.95.
14. BEI (Baseline Execution Index): A ratio of tasks actually completed vs. tasks that should have been completed by now according to the baseline.
Target: >/= 0.95.
For more information the 14 Point Assessment, and the logic that Cora uses, see the Defense Acquisition University on Schedule Health Assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did my schedule "Fail" the Logic test if every task has a date?
A "Pass" in logic isn't about having dates; it’s about dependencies. If a task has a date but is not linked to a predecessor and a successor, it is a "dangling" task. If that task slips, it won't push the rest of the schedule, making your forecast unreliable
What is the difference between "Hard" and "Soft" constraints?
Hard Constraints: (e.g., Must Finish On, Must Start On) prevent the schedule from moving even if tasks are completed early or late. These are penalized because they "break" the logic.
Soft Constraints: (e.g., Start No Earlier Than) are generally acceptable as they allow the schedule to push forward if there is a delay.
Why is "Negative Float" an automatic failure?
Negative float means your schedule is mathematically impossible—you are already behind your required finish date. DCMA requires a 0% threshold here because a schedule with negative float is no longer a "plan," it’s a record of a missed deadline.
My project is 90% complete; why am I failing the "Resources" check?
The DCMA check typically looks at all incomplete tasks. Even if you are near the end of a project, every remaining task must have a resource (labor or cost) assigned to it to prove that you have the capacity to finish the work.
What does the "Critical Path Test" actually do?
This is a "stress test." The tool intentionally adds a massive delay (e.g., 600 days) to the very first task on your critical path. If your final Milestone date doesn't move by the same amount, it proves your logic is broken somewhere in the middle.
Can I change the 5% threshold?
No. Cora follows the guidelines set by DCMA standard is 5%
Why are "Lags" and "Leads" discouraged?
Leads (Negative Lag): Are physically impossible (starting something before the cause is finished).
Lags (Positive Lag): Are "invisible" time. DCMA prefers you create a specific task (e.g., "Concrete Curing Time") rather than hiding that time in a relationship link, as it makes resource planning clearer
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