The original approved project schedule that all future updates and delays are measured against.
A baseline schedule is the original, owner-approved project schedule established at the beginning of a project against which all subsequent progress and delays are measured. It includes all planned activities, durations, logic relationships, and milestones as agreed upon in the contract. The baseline is never changed; a revised or updated schedule is compared to it to document schedule deviations and support delay claims.
The baseline schedule is the contractual reference point for every progress payment, delay analysis, and time-extension request, so getting it right protects both the GC's cash flow and its defense against liquidated damages. Estimators and schedulers must ensure the baseline reflects the actual means, methods, and durations that were priced in the bid, because a baseline that omits long-lead procurement or assumes unrealistic crew sizes undermines later delay claims. Owners scrutinize and formally approve it, making it a key risk-allocation document rather than a planning formality.
After award, the GC's scheduler builds the CPM baseline from the bid assumptions, sequences long-lead switchgear procurement ahead of rough-in, and submits it for owner approval so any later owner-caused delays can be measured against an accepted plan.
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