Betinna Monthieux

Below are a few guidelines that you should take into consideration while getting ready for an upcoming IBR. First we’ll talk about what an Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) is and then, equally importantly, what an IBR is not.

An IBR is a thorough evaluation of the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB). It is:

Below is a list of items demonstrating what an IBR is not:

Now that we’ve established what an IBR is or is not, we’ll show the key objectives of the IBR in terms of what basic stakes in the ground are established during the IBR process.

The IBR importance is often underestimated by organizations that have not experienced one before or have never implemented an Earned Value Management System (EVMS). An IBR:

Next we’ll illustrate the elements to be reviewed in the IBR process and what aspects will be reviewed within each of them.

Each of the following elements is rigorously reviewed during the IBR process:

Confirm compliance with the following key business rules:

Finally, we’ll circle back and show what ultimate objectives of the above reviews are to provide to both the Customer and the Contractor in terms of the overall execution of the Contract.

Both the Customer and the Contractor should be in complete alignment regarding the following:

This should give a Contractor with an impending IBR some basic framework as to what the content of an IBR should be. While it is not the intention of this article to accommodate the level of detail that will be required in each of the above areas, it will hopefully give you some basic guidelines. In the event that any Contractor needs assistance in preparation for their respective IBR, specific considerations will need to be given to the type of Contract, the contracting agency and the Contractor’s prior experience in order to better scope the level of efforts required to be ready to proceed into the Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) process.