Construction Procurement Schedule – Detailed

Full Description

This construction procurement schedule is a detailed spreadsheet for planning every item your project needs to buy and deliver. Enter the date each item is needed on site and its key durations, and the template works back to the dates for award, submittals and ordering, so materials show up on time.

What is a construction procurement schedule?

A construction procurement schedule lists every subcontract, material and piece of equipment that must be bought for a project, with the dates for each step: award, submittal preparation and review, fabrication or lead time, and delivery. It is usually planned backward from the date each item is required on site. The schedule shows the latest date each step can happen, so the team can spot long-lead items early and avoid delays caused by late orders.

When to use it

• At project start, to plan awards and orders for every package
• When the construction schedule is first issued or revised
• Tracking long-lead items such as steel, elevators, switchgear or windows
• In weekly or monthly progress meetings with subcontractors
• When a delay means you need to re-check order-by dates

What’s included

The schedule is a spreadsheet (.xlsx) and is more detailed than our standard procurement schedule. It lets you:

• List each item on the project that needs to be procured
• Record the time frame for each milestone, including award, submittal review and material lead time
• Enter key durations per item
• Auto-calculate the dates of deliverables from the date the item needs to be on site

How to fill it out

1. List every package and long-lead item from the drawings, specifications and estimate.
2. Enter the date each item is required on site, taken from the construction schedule.
3. Enter the durations for award, submittal preparation, review and approval, and lead time.
4. Check the calculated dates and highlight any that are already in the past.
5. Assign a responsible person for each item.
6. Update actual dates as awards, submittals and deliveries happen.
7. Review the schedule regularly and act on any item that is falling behind.

Tips

• Ask suppliers for current lead times. They change often.
• Allow time for resubmittals, not just the first review.
• Add a buffer for items shipped from overseas or made to order.
• Keep the required-on-site dates linked to the latest construction schedule.

Related templates and guides

• Construction Procurement Schedule
• Construction Procurement Tracker
• Construction Submittal Schedule Template
• Construction Purchase Order Template
• Construction Submittals: Types, Process, Log and Examples

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a procurement plan and a procurement schedule?

A procurement plan sets the strategy: what will be bought, how it will be packaged, the contract types and who is responsible. A procurement schedule turns that plan into dates for each item, from award through submittals and lead time to delivery on site.

What is lead time in construction procurement?

Lead time is the time between placing an order and the item arriving on site. It includes manufacturing or fabrication and shipping. Long-lead items, such as elevators or switchgear, can take months and need to be ordered early.

How do you work out the order date for an item?

Start with the date the item is needed on site. Subtract the delivery lead time, then the submittal review and approval time, then the submittal preparation time. The result is the latest date the package must be awarded.

What items should be on a procurement schedule?

Every subcontract package and any material or equipment with a significant lead time. Typical examples are structural steel, precast, windows and curtain wall, elevators, mechanical equipment, electrical gear and specialty finishes.

Who maintains the procurement schedule?

Usually the contractor’s project manager or project coordinator, with input from the estimator, superintendent and subcontractors. It should be updated whenever awards, submittals or deliveries change, and reviewed in regular project meetings so problems are raised early.