diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 478d8e7cd4..37a511ae80 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,13 +17,11 @@ IF(UNIX)
 ENDIF()
 
 SET(BUILD_CXX ON)
-SET(DOWNLOAD_LOCATION "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/downloads"
-        CACHE PATH "Location where external projects will be downloaded.")
+SET(DOWNLOAD_LOCATION "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/downloads" CACHE PATH "Location where external projects will be downloaded.")
 
 MARK_AS_ADVANCED(BUILD_CXX)
 MARK_AS_ADVANCED(DOWNLOAD_LOCATION)
 
-SET(${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries "")
 SET(${PROJECT_NAME}externalTargets "")
 
 FILE(READ ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Dependencies.txt _Dependency_file)
@@ -38,9 +36,7 @@ IF(BUILD_CXX)
     IF(NOT Protobuf_FOUND)
         MESSAGE(STATUS "Did not find system protobuff. Building as an external project")
         INCLUDE(cmake/external/protobuf.cmake)
-        LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries ${Protobuf_STATIC_LIBRARIES})
     ENDIF()
-    LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries ${Protobuf_LIBRARIES})
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${Protobuf_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
     FIND_PACKAGE(Gflags ${Gflags_VERSION} QUIET)
@@ -48,7 +44,6 @@ IF(BUILD_CXX)
         MESSAGE(STATUS "Did not find system gflags. Building as an external project")
         INCLUDE(cmake/external/gflags.cmake)
     ENDIF()
-    LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries ${Gflags_LIBRARIES})
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${Gflags_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
     SET(GLOG_VERSION ${Glog_VERSION})
@@ -59,7 +54,6 @@ IF(BUILD_CXX)
         MESSAGE(STATUS "Did not find system glog. Building as an external project.")
         INCLUDE(cmake/external/glog.cmake)
     ENDIF()
-    LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries ${GLOG_LIBRARIES})
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
     SET(Cbc_VERSION ${cbc_VERSION})
@@ -69,7 +63,6 @@ IF(BUILD_CXX)
         MESSAGE(STATUS "Did not find system coin-cbc. Building as an external Project.")
         INCLUDE(cmake/external/cbc.cmake)
     ENDIF()
-    LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries ${Cbc_LIBRARIES})
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${Cbc_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
     SET(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fwrapv -DNDEBUG -DUSE_GLOP -DUSE_BOP -DUSE_CBC -DUSE_CLP")
@@ -95,10 +88,12 @@ IF(BUILD_CXX)
 
     LIST(APPEND SUBTARGETS "$<TARGET_OBJECTS:${PROJECT_NAME}Proto>")
 
-    MESSAGE(STATUS "Libraries : ${${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries}")
     ADD_LIBRARY(${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED ${SUBTARGETS})
     TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(${PROJECT_NAME}
-            ${${PROJECT_NAME}externalLibraries}
+            ${Cbc_LIBRARIES}
+            ${Gflags_LIBRARIES}
+            ${Protobuf_LIBRARIES}
+            ${GLOG_LIBRARIES}
             ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
 
     ADD_DEPENDENCIES(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_NAME}Proto)
@@ -116,4 +111,4 @@ INSTALL(DIRECTORY ortools
 INSTALL(DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ortools
         DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}
         FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.pb.h"
-        PATTERN CMakeFiles EXCLUDE)
\ No newline at end of file
+        PATTERN CMakeFiles EXCLUDE)
diff --git a/cmake/external/cbc.cmake b/cmake/external/cbc.cmake
index e02de5f2cf..bd92e555a2 100644
--- a/cmake/external/cbc.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external/cbc.cmake
@@ -1,29 +1,47 @@
+SET(ADD_CXXFLAGS "-DCBC_THREAD_SAFE -DCBC_NO_INTERRUPT")
+
 FOREACH(COIN_PROJECT CoinUtils Osi Clp Cgl Cbc)
     SET(${COIN_PROJECT}_URL https://github.com/coin-or/${COIN_PROJECT}.git)
     SET(${COIN_PROJECT}_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/include)
 
-    ExternalProject_Add(${COIN_PROJECT}
+    ExternalProject_Add(${COIN_PROJECT}_project
             PREFIX ${COIN_PROJECT}
             GIT_REPOSITORY ${${COIN_PROJECT}_URL}
             GIT_TAG "releases/${${COIN_PROJECT}_VERSION}"
             DOWNLOAD_DIR "${DOWNLOAD_LOCATION}"
+            UPDATE_COMMAND ""
             BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
-            CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${COIN_PROJECT}/src/${COIN_PROJECT}/configure
-            --disable-bzlib --without-lapack --with-pic --enable-static --prefix=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install CXXFLAGS=${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS})
-    LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/lib${COIN_PROJECT}.a)
+            CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${COIN_PROJECT}/src/${COIN_PROJECT}_project/configure
+            --disable-bzlib --without-lapack --with-pic --enable-static --prefix=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install
+            ADD_CXXFLAGS=${ADD_CXXFLAGS})
+
+    ADD_LIBRARY(${COIN_PROJECT} STATIC IMPORTED)
+    SET_PROPERTY(TARGET ${COIN_PROJECT} PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/lib${COIN_PROJECT}.a)
+
+    IF (${COIN_PROJECT} STREQUAL "Cbc" OR ${COIN_PROJECT} STREQUAL "Clp")
+        ADD_LIBRARY(Osi${COIN_PROJECT} STATIC IMPORTED)
+        SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Osi${COIN_PROJECT} PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/libOsi${COIN_PROJECT}.a)
+        ADD_LIBRARY(${COIN_PROJECT}Solver STATIC IMPORTED)
+        SET_PROPERTY(TARGET ${COIN_PROJECT}Solver PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/lib${COIN_PROJECT}Solver.a)
+    ENDIF()
+
+    ADD_DEPENDENCIES(${COIN_PROJECT} ${COIN_PROJECT}_project)
 ENDFOREACH()
 
-# Generated by Clp
-LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/libOsiClp.a)
-LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/libClpSolver.a)
+ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Osi_project CoinUtils_project)
+ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Clp_project Osi_project)
+ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Cgl_project Clp_project)
+ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Cbc_project Cgl_project)
 
-# Generated by Cbc
-LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/libCbcSolver.a)
-LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/install/lib/libOsiCbc.a)
-
-ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Osi CoinUtils)
-ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Clp CoinUtils Osi)
-ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Cgl CoinUtils Osi Clp)
-ADD_DEPENDENCIES(Cbc CoinUtils Osi Clp Cgl)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Osi PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES CoinUtils)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Clp PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Osi)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET OsiClp PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Clp)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET ClpSolver PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Clp)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Cgl PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Clp)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Cbc PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Cgl)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET OsiCbc PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Cbc)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET CbcSolver PROPERTY INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES Cbc)
 
 LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalTargets Cbc)
+SET(Cbc_LIBRARIES "")
+LIST(APPEND Cbc_LIBRARIES Cbc OsiCbc CbcSolver ClpSolver OsiClp)
diff --git a/cmake/external/gflags.cmake b/cmake/external/gflags.cmake
index f90a64ca72..625a374d5c 100644
--- a/cmake/external/gflags.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external/gflags.cmake
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-SET(Gflags_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags/src/gflags/include/)
+SET(Gflags_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags_project/src/gflags/include/)
 SET(Gflags_URL https://github.com/gflags/gflags)
-SET(Gflags_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags/src/gflags/lib/libgflags.a)
 
-ExternalProject_Add(Gflags
+ExternalProject_Add(Gflags_project
         PREFIX Gflags
         GIT_REPOSITORY ${Gflags_URL}
         GIT_TAG "v${Gflags_VERSION}"
         DOWNLOAD_DIR "${DOWNLOAD_LOCATION}"
+        UPDATE_COMMAND ""
         BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
-        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags/src/gflags
+        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags_project/src/gflags
         CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
         -DBUILD_STATIC_LIBS=ON
         -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF
@@ -20,4 +20,7 @@ ExternalProject_Add(Gflags
         -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=OFF
         -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE:BOOL=ON)
 
-LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalTargets Gflags)
\ No newline at end of file
+ADD_LIBRARY(Gflags STATIC IMPORTED) 
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Gflags PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gflags_project/src/gflags/lib/libgflags.a)
+SET(Gflags_LIBRARIES "")
+LIST(APPEND Gflags_LIBRARIES Gflags)
diff --git a/cmake/external/glog.cmake b/cmake/external/glog.cmake
index 1ede7a31de..ecfb2e3693 100644
--- a/cmake/external/glog.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external/glog.cmake
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-SET(GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog/src/glog/)
-LIST(APPEND GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog/src/glog/src/)
+SET(GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog_project/src/glog/)
+LIST(APPEND GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog_project/src/glog/src/)
 SET(GLOG_URL https://github.com/google/glog)
-SET(GLOG_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog/src/glog/libglog.a)
 
-ExternalProject_Add(Glog
+ExternalProject_Add(Glog_project
         PREFIX Glog
         GIT_REPOSITORY ${GLOG_URL}
         GIT_TAG "v${GLOG_VERSION}"
         DOWNLOAD_DIR "${DOWNLOAD_LOCATION}"
+        UPDATE_COMMAND ""
         BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
-        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog/src/glog
+        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog_project/src/glog
         CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
         -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF
         -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=ON
@@ -20,4 +20,7 @@ ExternalProject_Add(Glog
         -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=OFF
         -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE:BOOL=ON)
 
-LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalTargets Glog)
\ No newline at end of file
+ADD_LIBRARY(GLOG STATIC IMPORTED) 
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET GLOG PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/glog_project/src/glog/libglog.a)
+SET(GLOG_LIBRARIES "")
+LIST(APPEND GLOG_LIBRARIES GLOG)
diff --git a/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake b/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
index 5d5602a783..596659780d 100644
--- a/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
@@ -1,18 +1,16 @@
 FIND_PACKAGE(ZLIB REQUIRED)
 
-SET(Protobuf_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf/src/protobuf/src)
+SET(Protobuf_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf_project/src/protobuf/src)
 SET(Protobuf_URL https://github.com/google/protobuf)
-SET(Protobuf_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf/src/protobuf/libprotobuf.a)
-LIST(APPEND Protobuf_LIBRARIES ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
-SET(Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf/src/protobuf/protoc)
 
-ExternalProject_Add(Protobuf
+ExternalProject_Add(Protobuf_project
         PREFIX Protobuf
         GIT_REPOSITORY ${Protobuf_URL}
         GIT_TAG "v${Protobuf_VERSION}"
         DOWNLOAD_DIR "${DOWNLOAD_LOCATION}"
+        UPDATE_COMMAND ""
         BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
-        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf/src/protobuf
+        SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf_project/src/protobuf
         CONFIGURE_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} cmake/
         -Dprotobuf_BUILD_TESTS=OFF
         -DBUILD_STATIC_LIBS=ON
@@ -24,4 +22,9 @@ ExternalProject_Add(Protobuf
         -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=OFF
         -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE:BOOL=ON)
 
-LIST(APPEND ${PROJECT_NAME}externalTargets Protobuf)
\ No newline at end of file
+ADD_LIBRARY(Protobuf STATIC IMPORTED)
+SET_PROPERTY(TARGET Protobuf PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf_project/src/protobuf/libprotobuf.a)
+SET(Protobuf_LIBRARIES "")
+LIST(APPEND Protobuf_LIBRARIES Protobuf ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
+
+SET(Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/protobuf_project/src/protobuf/protoc)