Work with the Program Office to develop a funding profile.  The funding profile is a representation of the project funding over the life of the project, and usually included as part of the Project Execution Plan (PEP). A funding profile should support the optimum project schedule and deliver projects quickly.

The Performance Baseline (PB), as established in the Project Execution Plan (PEP), defines the Total Project Cost (TPC), CD-4 completion date, performance and scope commitments to which the Department must execute a project and is based on an approved funding profile. 

For construction projects, funds for construction cannot normally be requested until CD-2 approval is obtained, or when CD-3A approval is obtained to support CD-3A scope of work. Upon PME (typically the Director of the Office of Science Division funding the project) approval, a construction project can submit a line item budget request prior to CD-2 approval, provided the PME accepts the following conditions: 

• Project will document the strategy to request funds (i.e., CD-3A) prior to CD-2 approval in the Acquisition Strategy (AS) and preliminary PEP. 

• Construction funds cannot be expensed until the approval of CD-2 and CD-3, with exception of CD-3A, approval for long lead procurement, where applicable. 

• CD-2 approval is obtained within two years following OMB budget submission to Congress. Typically, there are no exceptions and subsequent budget requests would not be allowed until CD-2 approval. 

• If CD-2 approval is not achieved within two years following budget submission, any future budget requests for construction must be approved through the ESAAB process.

• A default original performance baseline (or TPC) will be established equivalent to the top-end range at CD-1 with the initial budget submission. At that time, a funding profile will be established and included in the Project Data Sheet (PDS) to support this default cost baseline. 

• This original PB is refined with formal CD-2 approval and cannot exceed the top-end range established at CD-1. The project funding profile will be modified accordingly to align with the CD-2 cost baseline. 

• If long lead procurement is needed upon budget submission, pursue CD-3A with the PME. (The default CD-2 performance baseline [or TPC] is the upper limit of the CD-1 cost range.)