Over the last 60 years, AACE International has provided numerous recommended practices that have advanced the skills and knowledge of cost engineering. In an effort to provide further enhancement to the practice of cost engineering, the authors have developed a maturity assessment tool based on AACE International’s Recommended Practice No. 18R-97, Cost Estimate Classification System - As Applied in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction for the Process Industries.

The Maturity Assessment for Engineering Deliverables (MAED) tool, as introduced in this paper, is a maturity methodology that further defines the “Estimate Input Checklist and Maturity Matrix” as provided in the Recommended Practice No. 18R-97 Cost Estimate Classification System (CECS).

The AACE International RP No. 18R-97 Cost Estimate Classification System, complimented with the Maturity Assessment for Engineering Deliverables, can be used as a quantitative approach in determining the appropriate level of maturity required for improved estimate accuracy and confidence, and project delivery success. This article will provide readers with:
• A refined understanding of the maturity for each of the deliverables identified in the Estimate Input Checklist and Maturity Matrix.
• A quantitative assessment for the completeness and usability of the engineering deliverables.