NEAR-CRITICAL ACTIVITY - A schedule activity with minimal total float as compared with the critical path(s), and for which there is some risk of delay that will cause the near-critical activity to become critical. The amount of float that management perceives to be near-critical is project-dependent and open to professional judgment. (October 2013) NEAR-CRITICAL PATH - An activity or set of activities that are almost critical or are at risk of becoming critical if delayed past their expected completion times. Inclusion in this list may be made by using total float, longest path value, or multiple critical paths. The value associated with these near-critical path activities typically are approximately one half of the reporting period’s duration or less. (March 2010) NEAR-TERM ACTIVITIES - Activities that are planned to begin, be in process, or be completed during a relatively short period, such as 30, 60, or 90 days. (June 2007) NEGATIVE FLOAT – (1)The amount of time by which the early date of an activity exceeds its late date. It is how far behind an activity is from its planned early start/finish date. (2)Time by which the duration of an activity or path has to be reduced in order to permit a limiting imposed date to be achieved. (June 2007) NEGATIVE LAG - A lag that has a negative value. In general, negative lags should be avoided. See also: LAG. (October 2013) NEGLIGENCE - Failure to exercise that degree of care in the conduct of professional duties that should be exercised by the average, prudent professional, practicing in the same community under similar circumstances. Under this concept, an architect/engineer is not liable for errors of judgment, but only for a breach of duty to exercise care and skill. (November 1990) NET AREA - When used in building construction, it is the area, exclusive of encroachments by partitions, mechanical space, etc., which is available for circulation or for any other functional use within a project. (November 1990) NET BENEFITS (SAVINGS) - The difference between the benefits and the costs - where both are discounted to present or annual value dollars. \[1\] (November 1990) NET PRESENT VALUE - Syn.: PRESENT VALUE; PRESENT WORTH. (November 1990) NET PROFIT, PERCENT OF SALES - The ratio of annual profits to total sales for a representative year of capacity operations. An incomplete measure of profitability, but a useful guidepost for comparing similar products and companies. See also: PROFIT MARGIN. (November 1990) NET PURCHASES (CONCEPT OF) - According to this concept, any proceeds from the sale in the reference year of a used commodity belongs to a given elementary group and are subtracted from the expenditure reported on commodities in that elementary group. (November 1990) NETWORK - The series of activities required to complete a project. Typically includes a logic diagram of a project consisting of the activities and events that must be accomplished to reach the objectives, showing their required sequence of accomplishments and interdependencies. Syn.: LOGIC NETWORK. See also: CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM); LOGIC DIAGRAM. (June 2007) NETWORK ANALYSIS - Process of identifying early and late start and finish dates for activities by use of a forward and backward pass through the CPM model. Syn.: PROJECT NETWORK ANALYSIS. See also: CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM). (June 2007) NETWORK DIAGRAM - Syn.: LOGIC DIAGRAM; LOGIC NETWORK DIAGRAM. (June 2007) NETWORK FLOAT - The total float values that exist on the various chains of activities within the CPM network. Distinguish from project float. See also: PROJECT FLOAT. (June 2007) NETWORK INTERFACE - Activity or event common to two or more network diagrams. (June 2007) NETWORK LOGIC - The collection of activity dependencies that make up a project network diagram. See also: LOGIC. (June 2007) NETWORK OPEN END - A condition where at least one CPM network activity other than the first has no predecessor or other than the last has no successor. (August 2007) NETWORK PATH - Any continuous series of connected activities in a project network diagram. (June 2007) NETWORK PLANNING - A broad generic term for techniques used to plan complex projects using logic diagrams (networks). Two of the most popular techniques are ADM and PDM. (November 1990) NETWORK SCHEDULING - Method of planning and scheduling a project where activities are arranged based on predecessor and successor relationships. Network calculations determine when activities may be performed and which activities are critical or have float. See also: CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM). (August 2007) NODE - In an activity on arrow (AOA) schedule, the event marking the start (I-node) or finish (J-node) of an activity. Nodes are typically represented graphically as a circle. (June 2007) NOMINAL DISCOUNT RATE - The rate of interest reflecting the time value of money stemming both from inflation and the real earning power of money over time. This is the discount rate used in discount formulas or in selecting discount factors when future benefits and costs are expressed in current dollars. \[1\] (November 1990) NON-CASH - A term frequently used for tangible commodities to be used from inventory and not replaced. (November 1990) NON-CRITICAL ACTIVITIES OR WORK ITEMS - Activities or work items that have positive float. i.e. within defined limits, can take longer to complete than planned without affecting total project duration. (June 2007) NON-DURABLE GOODS - Goods whose serviceability is generally limited to a period of less than three years (such as perishable goods and semi-durable goods). (November 1990) NON-EXCUSABLE DELAYS – (1)Delays that are caused by the contractor's or its subcontractor's actions or inactions. Consequently, the contractor is not entitled to a time extension or delay damages. On the other hand, owner may be entitled to liquidated or other damages. (2)A non-excusable delay is one for which the party assumes the risk of the cost and consequences, not only for itself but possibly for the resulting impact on others as well. The concept of non-excusability is used primarily as a defense to requests for time extensions or claims for delay. \[10\] See also: CONCURRENT DELAYS; EXCUSABLE COMPENSABLE DELAYS; EXCUSABLE DELAYS; EXCUSABLE NON- COMPENSABLE DELAYS. (June 2007) NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES - Employees not exempt from overtime compensation by federal wage and hours guidelines. (June 2007) NON-SPLITTABLE ACTIVITY - An activity that, once started, has to be completed to plan without interruption. Resources should not be diverted from a non-splittable activity. (June 2007) NON-WORK UNIT - A calendar-specified time unit during which work will not be scheduled. (November 1990) NORMALIZATION − In database management, a process used to modify data so that it conforms to a standard or norm (e.g., conform to a common basis in time, currency, location, etc.) (June 2007) NORMAL WEATHER - Weather that is expected for a period of time based upon the historical weather conditions of a particular locale. Normal weather includes weather that is and is not adverse as would be expected for a particular location. See also: ADVERSE WEATHER; PLANNED ADVERSE WEATHER DAY; SEVERE WEATHER; UNUSUALLY ADVERSE WEATHER DAY; WEATHER DAY: WEATHER EVENT; WEATHER PREPARATION DAY; WEATHER RECOVERY DAY. (September 2015) NOT EARLIER THAN - A restriction on an activity that indicates that it may not start or end earlier than a specified date. (June 2007) NOT LATER THAN - A restriction on an activity that indicates that it may not start or end later than a specified date. (June 2007) NOTICE OF AWARD - The written notice of acceptance of the bid by the owner to a bidder stating that upon compliance by the bidder with the conditions precedent enumerated therein, within the time specified, the owner will sign and deliver the agreement. (November 1990) NOTICE TO PROCEED (NTP) - Formal notification to a contractor or supplier, requesting the start of the work or a defined phase of work. May be in the form of a limited NTP (LNTP), which authorizes only limited areas of a program or project to begin within stated boundaries in anticipation of a subsequent NTP. (June 2007)