Prior to holding the actual Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) meeting, you should prepare and review key program artifacts. Typically, these artifacts are shared with the customer’s IBR team four (4) weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. In some cases, it may be feasible to share the documents prior to that four-week deadline; it just depends on the document. This gives the customer team time to review the documents and formulate questions. This also gives both the customer and contractor teams an opportunity to clarify simple questions about the data so time is not wasted at the meeting itself on nits.
The documents include:
- Process Documentation
- EVMS System Description
- Risk Management Plans
- Change Control Procedures
- Subcontractor Management Procedures
- Contract Award and Modifications
- Subcontract Statement(s) of Work (SOWs) & Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) List
- Control Account Manager (CAM) Interview List
- Work Authorization Documents (WADs)
In addition to the above, the following documents should be delivered in machine-readable formats (Excel, UN/CEFACT, XML, MSP) so they can be imported into the customers tools for analysis.
- Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) & CWBS Dictionary
- Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
- Basis of Estimates (BOE)
- Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR) at least 2 periods
- Control Account Plan (CAP)
- Bill Of Materials (BOM)
- Management Reserve & Undistributed Budget Logs
- Current Risk Management Database Listing
Many of these documents will be available to both the contractor and customer prior to the four week pre-IBR data drop, but it helps to make sure the latest and greatest copies are included in the data package in case there have been any updates since the award. It does not take much to include them and it avoids confusion around versions down the line.
When you look at the number of people who will attend an IBR, the length of the meeting and throw in the amount of travel expenses, the IBR meeting is not a cheap endeavor. Making sure this information is shared in a timely manner and reviewed prior to the IBR meeting will help ensure the costs associated with holding the meeting will be for the maximum benefit possible.