This recommended practice (RP) is intended to provide procurement tracking guidance for any project that requires the planning, submitting for approval, and final delivery of material and/or equipment, prior to installation, in order to complete that project. This RP excludes development of the procurement strategy. This document is intended to provide a guideline, not a standard. This RP provides the following recommendations:
• Defines the stages within the procurement process.
• Recommends a priority system to be used during the procurement process.
• Recommends a process for submittal review and approval.
• Recommends a process for handling submittal rejections and resubmittals.
• Recommends a processes to track the procurement process within the project.

While this recommended practice is written with the construction industry in mind, it may be adapted for use in other industries requiring a similar approval process prior to final delivery of material and/or equipment. The processes described in this RP assume the use of a CPM network schedule; however these principles can be applied to other types of schedules.

Many contract specifications require the project schedule to include the procurement and delivery of major equipment. These deliveries have the potential to affect the schedule’s critical or near-critical paths. For this reason, it is essential that this process be defined, monitored, and managed correctly to prevent this process from delaying the scheduled project completion.