NASA-LLIS-1409

Abstract

<strong>Abstract:</strong> <br>Earned value management (EVM) is a technique used throughout the aerospace industry. An EVM system requires the establishment of a controlled Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) against which cost, schedule, and technical performance can be integrated and assessed. However, it has only been relatively recently that the rigorous methodologies of EVM have been applied to small projects and/or to in-house Government activities. "Small" projects may be defined as those with a total dollar value of less than $5M, although this is subjective and must be put in the greater context of an individual project and its organizational environment. <br>A set of NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) projects with a dollar range from approximately a few hundred thousand to a few million dollars implemented earned value management as part of a pilot initiative. At least a portion of the work was in-house Government activity. The objectives were to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of EVM for projects of that type and size and to determine what obstacles would stand in the way of EVM implementation. The pilot would identify solutions to these obstacles, if possible. The value of the KSC pilot was to collect data in a structured way rather than just relying on defining issues anecdotally. <br>While there has been much verbal discussion on the subject, a literature search produced little dealing explicitly with what size of projects to apply EVM. Government policy and related documents have traditionally dictated total contract value dollar thresholds for the application of EVM and state that it is optional below those thresholds. There is often no discussion as to why the thresholds are what they are versus a lower or a higher number.