This recommended practice is intended to serve as a guideline, not a standard. As a recommended practice of AACE International, the intent of the guideline is to improve the communication among stakeholders involved with preparing, evaluating, and using project controls information. This recommended practice (RP) of AACE International defines the overall development, implementation and management of a project controls plan. This deliverable can be included as part of an overall project execution plan (PEP), or considered a stand alone document that describes specific approaches that each functional entity will use (engineering, procurement, construction, safety, quality, etc.).

The project controls plan describes specific processes, procedures, tools and systems that guide and support effective project control. The plan is a narrative or qualitative representation of the project control process, while the estimate, budget, schedule, etc. represent the quantitative aspects. Organizations may use this RP to develop a fit-for-use template as a model document, which is further customized for each specific project.

This RP is intended to provide guidelines (i.e., not a standard) for the development of a project control plan that most practitioners would consider to be good practices that can be relied on and that they would recommend for use where applicable.
The purpose of the project controls plan should include, in part:
• A plan to implement an integrated set of work processes, procedures and applications to plan, monitor, execute and control the work. For all intents and purposes, the TCM Framework will provide the basis for general work processes. Procedures and applications (systems) can be specific to an organization or a project, and therefore, all procedures and applications to be used should be stated in the project controls plan.
• A plan to implement an integrated suite of applications (systems).
• A plan to identify the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for the project controls team members.
• A plan to produce the project control deliverables, expectations and scope of work.

The use of a project controls plan is considered a leading indicator for assisting in the success of the delivery of the project. The time invested in preparing, documenting, and communicating a solid project controls plan will increase the success of the execution of the project. The introduction of the project controls plan and all aspects within this document assist the project team in reducing project delivery risk. Therefore, any consideration not to implement the project controls plan in whole or portions of introduces a level of risk to the project.