Construction Scheduling Services: CPM, P6, MS Project and Delay Analysis
Construction scheduling services produce the schedule artifact your bid, contract, or claim actually requires — not a generic bar chart. If your RFP asks for a CPM logic diagram with float shown, you need one deliverable; if the contract spec names Primavera P6 and a baseline approval cycle, you need a different one. This page separates the four scheduling services we provide by the trigger that calls for each: bid submission, owner-mandated baseline, an in-house Microsoft Project workflow, or a time extension claim after delay has occurred. All four start from the same inputs — plans, specs, scope narrative, and owner-mandated dates — so activity durations reconcile with the quantity takeoff instead of being guessed separately. Turnaround runs 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available, and files are issued in the format your contract names.
What this group covers and how the services differ
Each service below answers a different question. Pick by the trigger, not by the size of the job.
CPM Scheduling Services
This produces a critical path method network: activities, durations, logic ties (FS, SS, FF with lag), total float, and an identified critical path, in the format your contract requires. It is the right deliverable when a bid form asks for a schedule with float shown, or when you need to demonstrate that a proposed sequence meets a completion date.
Primavera P6 Scheduling Services
Use this when the owner, construction manager, or agency specification mandates P6 files, XER exports, or baseline approval through Primavera. The deliverable is a P6-native schedule with activity codes, calendars, and cost loading where required — not a spreadsheet converted into a Gantt chart. Conversion artifacts fail baseline review because the logic and calendar assignments do not survive the round trip.
MS Project Scheduling Services
This suits smaller commercial work, tenant improvements, and subcontractor scopes where the GC or your own team already runs Microsoft Project. You receive MPP files with resource and calendar setup that drop into an existing master schedule without breaking logic.
Schedule Delay & Time Impact Analysis
This is forensic work. It measures the effect of specific delay events against a baseline using as-planned vs. as-built comparison, windows analysis, or time impact methodology, and documents causation for change orders or claims.
The common thread: all four start from the same inputs — plans, specs, scope narrative, milestones, and any owner-mandated dates — so the takeoff quantities and durations line up with the estimate. Turnaround runs 24–48 hours for most projects with rush available, and deliverables come in Excel and PDF organized by CSI MasterFormat division with marked-up plan sets.
Service | Use it when | What you receive
Match the row to your contract language. If the specification names a software product, use that row exactly — substituting a different format is the most common reason a baseline submittal is rejected.
| Service | Use it when | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| CPM Scheduling Services | Bid requires a CPM bar chart with float shown, or the RFP asks for a schedule narrative tied to milestones | PDF logic diagram plus Excel activity table with durations, predecessors, total float, and critical path highlighted |
| Primavera P6 Scheduling Services | Contract spec names P6 and a baseline approval cycle, or the agency requires XER exports and activity codes | XER file plus PDF logic diagram, activity table with total float, and cost-loaded baseline where specified |
| MS Project Scheduling Services | You are a sub feeding a GC's MS Project master, or your team runs MPP internally on a TI or small commercial job | MPP file with calendars, resources, and predecessors set, plus PDF and Excel exports of the activity table |
| Schedule Delay & Time Impact Analysis | Delay has occurred and you need causation documented for a change order or time extension claim | As-planned vs. as-built comparison, windows or time impact analysis, and a written narrative with supporting activity tables |
| Combined estimate and schedule | The bid needs both a takeoff-based estimate and a schedule built from the same activity list | Excel and PDF estimate by CSI MasterFormat division, marked-up plan sets, and the schedule file in the contract-named format |
How to choose the right service for your bid stage
The stage you are in narrows the choice faster than anything else.
Bid stage
If the RFP or bid form asks only for a schedule narrative or a milestone bar chart, CPM Scheduling Services is usually enough. If it names a specific software, match it exactly — a P6 requirement is not satisfied by an MS Project file renamed with an XER extension.
Post-award baseline
Many public and agency contracts require a P6 baseline within a set number of days after notice to proceed, with activity codes, calendars, and cost loading. That is a Primavera P6 engagement. Confirm the required code structure and the review cycle before we build logic, because rework after a rejected submittal costs more than the original build.
Subcontractor scopes
If you are a sub feeding a GC's master schedule, you need your activities, durations, and predecessors in MPP format that drops into their file without breaking logic. Send us the GC's activity ID convention and calendar so your fragment aligns.
Claim or change-order stage
Once delay has occurred, you need Schedule Delay & Time Impact Analysis tied to a baseline, not a new schedule. The as-planned vs. as-built comparison and window analysis are the core work products, and they depend on having a credible baseline to measure against.
Owner-mandated dates
Phased occupancy, utility cutovers, and inspection holds should be confirmed before we build logic, because those constraints drive the critical path more than activity durations do. When two services overlap, tell us the contract language and the required file format in the request and start at /get-estimate/.
Our process from plans to estimate
You send plans, specs, the scope narrative, contract milestones, and any required schedule format or software version. If the specification names a P6 version or an activity code dictionary, include it — that detail determines how we set up the file.
We perform quantity takeoff in Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift, then price with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor using RSMeans data. The activity list is then built from that takeoff, so quantities, production rates, and durations reconcile with the estimate rather than being guessed separately. This is the step that keeps a schedule defensible: when someone asks why an activity carries the duration it does, the answer traces back to a measured quantity and a stated production rate.
Deliverables are issued in Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up plan sets. Scheduling files are issued in the format the contract names — XER, MPP, or PDF with supporting tables. Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available, and revisions after review are handled against the same activity list and pricing basis so nothing drifts between versions. Start by sending the documents through /get-estimate/ with the schedule format you need.
Inputs we need to build a defensible schedule
Missing inputs are the main cause of a schedule that gets rejected at baseline review or picked apart in a claim. The table below lists what we ask for and why each item matters.
| Input | Why we need it |
|---|---|
| Plan set and specifications | Drives the activity list and quantity takeoff; spec sections determine inspection and testing activities |
| Scope narrative or bid form | Confirms what is in your contract versus the GC's or another trade's scope |
| Contract milestones and completion dates | Sets the constraints the logic must satisfy, including phased occupancy |
| Required software and version | Determines whether the deliverable is XER, MPP, or PDF with supporting tables |
| Activity code dictionary or spec section | Needed for P6 baselines where the owner reviews codes and cost loading |
| Procurement and submittal lead times | Long-lead items often drive the critical path more than field durations |
| Baseline schedule (for delay work) | The as-planned vs. as-built comparison is measured against this document, not a new one |
What you receive
- CPM network with activities, durations, FS/SS/FF logic ties with lag, total float, and critical path identified
- Primavera P6 native file (XER) with activity codes, calendars, and cost loading where specified
- MS Project MPP file with resources, calendars, and predecessors set for integration into a master schedule
- Schedule delay and time impact analysis with as-planned vs. as-built comparison, windows analysis, and written causation narrative
- Excel and PDF activity tables organized by CSI MasterFormat division
- Marked-up plan sets keyed to the takeoff and activity list
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CPM scheduling and a Primavera P6 schedule?
CPM is the method — activities, logic ties, float, and a critical path. Primavera P6 is one software platform that implements it. A CPM schedule can be delivered in P6, MS Project, or other tools. If your contract names P6, you need a P6-native file with the required activity codes and calendars, not a converted spreadsheet, because conversion artifacts often fail baseline review.
Can you build a schedule from the same takeoff you use for the estimate?
Yes, and that is the point of ordering them together. We perform the quantity takeoff in Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift, price it with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor using RSMeans data, then build the activity list from those measured quantities. Durations trace back to quantities and production rates, so the schedule and estimate reconcile instead of contradicting each other.
What do you need from me to start a schedule delay and time impact analysis?
Send the baseline schedule that was approved, the as-built or updated schedules covering the delay period, the delay event correspondence (RFIs, change directives, daily reports), and the contract clauses governing time extensions. The baseline is essential — the analysis measures the delay event against it, so without an approved baseline we can only document sequence, not impact.
Do you deliver MS Project files as MPP, or only PDF and Excel?
We deliver MPP files when that is the required format, with resources, calendars, and predecessors set so the file drops into an existing master schedule without breaking logic. PDF and Excel exports of the activity table accompany the MPP so reviewers without Microsoft Project can still read the logic, float, and critical path.
How long does it take to turn around a CPM schedule for a bid?
Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available. Bid schedules move faster when you send the plan set, the bid form or RFP schedule requirement, and the contract milestones in one package. If the RFP names a software format, include that detail up front so we do not have to rebuild the file.
Can you match an owner-mandated schedule specification, including activity codes and cost loading?
Yes. Send the specification section and any activity code dictionary or cost loading requirements. We build the P6 or MS Project file to that structure, including calendars, activity codes, and cost loading where specified. Confirm the adopted code edition and any agency-specific submittal rules with the local building department or the owner's scheduling representative before baseline submission.
Send plans and the schedule format your contract names
Tell us the deliverable — CPM, P6, MPP, or delay analysis — and we will return the schedule file with the takeoff and pricing basis behind it.
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