Engineering Performance Review Checklist

Export chargeability, realization rate, and project list for the cycle from Deltek Vantagepoint (or Ajera / Unanet / BST, whichever the firm runs). Compare against the discipline target — typically 75-85% for production engineers, lower for PMs and PICs. Flag any 4+ week stretches under target for discussion.

Identify the two or three PMs the employee charged the most hours to this cycle and the leads of any discipline they coordinated with (architectural, MEP, civil). Ask specifically about deliverable quality, IDC behavior, and RFI / submittal turnaround — not generic vibes.

Pull two or three calc packages from the cycle — at minimum one structural / MEP calc and one specialty (seismic, hydraulic, short-circuit / arc-flash, geotech bearing, stormwater). Check for: cover sheet with governing codes, references, software version, hand-check independent of the model, dated and page-numbered output, and assumptions clearly stated. Software output without an engineer's review is the classic failure mode.

Pick a recent 60% or 90% submittal where the employee owned a discipline. Did they address each redline or document a written justification for non-adoption? Skipped or hand-waved backchecks are the leading cause of repeat IDC findings.

Spot-check that the employee references the correct adopted edition for their projects — IBC / IRC / IECC, ASCE 7, ACI 318, AISC 360, NEC, NFPA 13, ADA 2010, AASHTO LRFD, state DOT specs. Designing to the latest published edition when the AHJ is two cycles back is a common error.

Compare cycle-average chargeability to the role's target. Distinguish PTO-driven dips from genuine bench time. For PMs, weight toward project profitability and realization rate, not raw chargeability.

For each major milestone the employee owned a piece of (30% / 60% / 90% / IFC, or PS&E equivalent), note whether discipline drawings, calcs, and specs were ready by the issuance date. Late-but-blamed-on-other-discipline patterns deserve a closer look.

Look at IDC and BIM clash-detection patterns. Do other disciplines flag this employee's drawings repeatedly for the same issue (e.g., structural penetrations not coordinated with mechanical, civil grading not matching architectural FFE)? One-off misses happen; recurring ones are a behavioral signal.

Review comment-response matrices, owner meeting minutes, and any agency review responses. Are technical positions defended clearly without being dismissive of reviewer comments? Specifically check ADA, code, and AHJ correspondence.

Pull the state board roster and the employee's NCEES record. Confirm renewal date is at least 90 days out; sealed deliverables during a lapsed renewal window are technically unauthorized practice. Note any comity / out-of-state licenses that need renewal.

Most states require 12-30 PDH per renewal cycle, often with an ethics-specific PDH carve-out. Reconcile the employee's PDH log against the state's specific requirement (not the firm's generic policy). Carry-over rules vary state-by-state.

Discuss specific next-cycle development: FE / PE exam timing for EITs, specialty credentials (SE, LEED AP, ENV SP, CFM, P.Eng comity), software certification (Revit, Civil 3D, Bluebeam), or domain training (seismic, fire protection, NFPA 70E arc-flash). Tie each to a project the firm has on the books.

60-90 minute meeting, in person or video. Walk through technical, delivery, communication, and licensure findings. Surface 360 feedback themes anonymously. Leave 20 minutes at the end for the employee's questions and goals.

Three to five goals total — at least one technical (e.g., own first sealed structural calc package), one project-execution (e.g., lead 60% submittal for a project), and one development (license, certification, or PDH topic). Goals tied to actual upcoming projects, not abstractions.

Reviewer assigns the overall rating consistent with the firm's calibration. Capture summary notes that the employee will see, and collect the employee's signature acknowledging receipt (not necessarily agreement).

Draft the PIP with HR before delivery. Specify measurable technical and behavioral targets — calc-package quality threshold, IDC clean-up rate, milestone delivery, RFI turnaround. Set the review interval (typically 30 / 60 / 90 days) and the consequences if targets are not met. Loop in legal counsel if the employee is on a visa or in a protected class.