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Over Target Schedule

Over Target Schedule (OTS)

Government Standards Reviewed by forProject Technology - updated Sep 2026
Quick definition: An Over Target Schedule (OTS) exists when the Baseline Schedule extends beyond the contractually committed finish date.

When a project slips far enough that the baseline dates are no longer achievable, measuring performance against them stops telling anyone anything useful. An OTS resets those dates to something realistic so the numbers mean something again. It comes out of Formal Reprogramming — the same process that produces an Over Target Baseline (OTB) on the cost side — and it takes formal approval and a documented Baseline Change Request, not just a decision by the project team. The contract itself doesn't move: delivery dates, terms, and conditions all stay as they were, and only the internal measurement dates change.

What this means for you

An OTS lets a project keep meaningful schedule performance metrics even after the original dates have slipped, rather than measuring against a schedule everyone knows is no longer realistic.

Also known as
N/A
Used in
Formal Reprogramming; performance measurement after a baseline breach; Baseline Change Request documentation

FAQ

How is an OTS different from an OTB?
An OTB exists when the Total Allocated Budget (TAB) exceeds the Contract Budget Base (CBB). An OTS exists when the Baseline Schedule extends beyond the contractually committed finish date. One addresses cost, the other schedule.
Does an OTS change the contract's delivery date?
No. An OTS is a management tool for realistic performance measurement. The contract's delivery dates stay as they are.
Definition maintained by forProject Technology.
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