The prototypical ITER construction schedule is shown below. This schedule is success-orientated, i.e contains no contingency for failures in manufacture and assembly or for late deliveries or default by a supplier. The critical path is determined by the need to construct the tokamak and large PF coil manufacturing buildings, and then to have the key large components including also the vessel and blanket ready for assembly there as soon as the tokamak pit can be properly accessed by the main crane. The overall assembly logistics for the tokamak, and the commissioning schedule of the subsystems, dominate the rest of the construction schedule.

Integrated commissioning is considered to take 1 year, and is included as part of operation. Bids on the procurement contracts for the long lead items can be released before the site construction license is granted, and even before the ITER Organisation exists, because the contracts are actually placed by Domestic Agencies set up by the ITER Parties. But the manufacturing cannot begin before the license to construct is granted, except where there is no safety impact. Thus, for example, strand manufacture and possibly even cabling can begin, but not coil manufacture.