Early contractor involvement (ECI) is a proven strategy for improving project outcomes. Engaging contractors during the planning and design phases, particularly during Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), gives owners and design teams access to critical field experience, cost data, and constructability insights when decisions matter most. This alignment helps reduce site conflicts, rework, improve schedule accuracy, and avoid costly surprises.

In complex industrial projects, where scope, safety, and schedule are closely tied, early contractor involvement often makes the difference between smooth execution and avoidable delays.

This blog outlines the risks of late contractor engagement, the benefits of early collaboration, and how Performance Contractors has used this approach to deliver positive project results. From real-world examples to practical timing recommendations, we’ll show how early integration drives performance.

The True Cost of Late Contractor Engagement

Bringing in a contractor after design is complete may seem logical and within client procurement norms, but it often leads to costly problems. Without input from the team that will execute the work, well-intentioned plans can unravel. Gaps between design and construction realities result in inefficiencies, delays, and added costs.

Common issues include:

• Increased costs and extended schedules due to inefficient construction sequencing
• Missed opportunities for construction-driven engineering optimizations
• Inefficient site contractor performance caused by late or out-of-sequence construction drawings
• Delayed or out-of-sequence equipment and material deliveries that don’t align with actual construction needs
• Lack of contractor “buy-in” on project plans they had no hand in creating

What looks efficient on paper can break down in the field if the contractor wasn't part of the plan.

Construction-Driven Engineering

At Performance, early engagement enables a construction-driven approach. Real-world construction insight is integrated into design from the start, aligning engineering, procurement, and construction teams around a shared goal: delivering a practical, cost-effective project on schedule.

Early involvement helps teams:

• Define a cost-efficient construction path
• Align procurement with actual construction needs
• Identify prefabrication or modularization opportunities
• Make design decisions when they’re still inexpensive to change

As Willie Lefever, Sr. Vice President at Performance Contractors explains: “Engaging the contractor during the FEED phase is one of the most strategic decisions an owner can make. It gives the full team time to align on how the project will actually be built, not just how it will look on paper. That early clarity shapes everything that follows: cost certainty, schedule confidence, and an execution plan grounded in proven construction experience.”

How Early Integration Drives Results

Performance Contractors recently collaborated with a long-term client (of 40+ years) on a U.S. mega project, beginning at the pre-FEED phase and continuing through FEED and the eventual EPC phase. From day one, the project presented significant challenges:

• Working with an international EP firm executing their first U.S. Gulf Coast EPC project
• Implementing a first-of-its-kind process unit in the client's fleet of facilities
• Navigating through the COVID pandemic and associated supply chain disruptions

Despite these hurdles, early integration of our experts and use of Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) led to better sequencing, procurement alignment, and communication, producing measurable cost and schedule gains.

Projects that exercise early contractor engagement often see 10–20% cost savings by reducing rework, change orders, and design missteps.

Beyond the Traditional EPCM Approach

While EPCM firms may offer front-end planning services, they often lack the hands-on construction expertise of the teams that will actually build the project. Performance brings self-perform capabilities across:

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• Civil, structural, and mechanical work
• Electrical and instrumentation services
• Scaffolding, paint, insulation, and fireproofing
• Pipe fabrication and modular construction
• Misc. structural steel manufacturing

Because we perform the work ourselves, our reviews are more thorough. We spot issues and opportunities across all trades—not just a narrow scope.

Aligning Goals Through Collaborative Front-End Planning

One of the most valuable aspects of early contractor involvement is the collaborative development of detailed cost estimates and schedules. This joint effort inherently eliminates many of the traditional surprises experienced during a transactional bid phase.

Our approach includes multiple alignment sessions focused on risk mitigation throughout the project timeline. These interactive planning sessions help identify potential conflicts and out-of-sequence work before they become problems. By conducting early, midterm, and final risk assessments, all stakeholders gain confidence in the project plan.

The ideal moment is during FEED (FEL3), before detailed design and procurement begin. This allows:

• Full alignment on project goals between owner, engineer, and contractor
• Development of a construction-focused engineering delivery schedule
• Integration of procurement planning with site needs
• Exploration and optimization of prefabrication and modularization opportunities
• Realistic contingency planning based on actual construction experience

Breaking Down Barriers to Early Contractor Involvement

Some view pre-construction services as an added cost or worry that it will disrupt current workflows. In truth, companies that delay this interaction often face greater costs later. Those who’ve experienced overruns and delays become the strongest advocates for early involvement.

At Performance Contractors, we believe in building partnerships that begin long before ground is broken. Our front-end development services are designed to bring our 40+ years of construction expertise to bear on the critical early decisions that shape successful project outcomes.

By engaging our team during the planning phases, clients gain access to practical construction knowledge that can prevent problems before they occur and identify opportunities that might otherwise be missed. The result is not just a smoother construction process, but a better end product delivered more efficiently.