Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) is the cost incurred and recorded for work completed within a given time period. The ACWP is reported by the contractor’s accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting procedures and is simply stated actuals are actuals.

Guide: Defense Acquisition University (DAU) EVM Gold Card

A contractor reports the cumulative ACWP for the Work Packages that have been completed. The difference between the BCWP and the ACWP is the Cost Variance (CV). If the actual costs at time now (i.e., ACWP) are higher than the earned value at time now (i.e., BCWP), we know that the contractor is currently overrunning cost and that the contractor’s Estimate at Completion (EAC) may be higher than the Budget at Completion (BAC).

The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) list five main EVM variables:

• BCWS = Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled
• BCWP = Budgeted Cost of Work Performed
• ACWP = Actual Cost of Work Performed
• BAC = Budget at Completion
• EAC = Estimate at Completion

– See EVMS Equations

AcqLinks and References:

• Defense Acquisition Guidebook (DAG)
• DoD Earned Value Management Interpretation Guide – Jan 2018
• DAU EVM Gold Card
• DOE EVMS Gold Card

Updated: 3/04/2021