Success factors for early contractor involvement (ECI) in public infrastructure projects

It is widely accepted that contractor involvement in the front end can influence the outcome of the project in a positive way. However, in the traditional project delivery method of construction projects, the design and construction process are separated and sequentially. As a consequence of this, it is difficult to integrate construction knowledge in the front-end of projects. The evolving project methods are designed to remove such typical challenges by involving contractors early in the process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the success factors for early contractor involvement (ECI) in public infrastructure projects. In addition, the paper aims to propose suitable approaches to implement ECI for public owners in future projects without violating the EU public procurement directives. In addition to a literature study, multiple case studies on eleven projects selected from the Norwegian public bridge projects were carried out. The majorly identified ECI success factors are timing of ECI application, proper compensation, trust, contractors' qualification, owners' competence, and risk distribution. The paper concludes that public owners can implement ECI by using various approaches without violating the EU public procurement directive. Furthermore, based on the identified success factors, effective practical strategies for the successful implementation of ECI may be generated. (C) 2016 The Authors