Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)

Early Contractor Involvement comprises the creation of a collaborative and innovative project team during the early design phase to develop and resolve the planning and methodology of the project.

Generally, GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price), CM (Construction Management), and MC (Managing Contractor) are all forms of an ECI.

Different ECI models are implemented appropriate to the desired outcome, generally to mitigate a certain project risk. They are often used in projects where challenges exist, such as cost, program or complexity, that will benefit from the early involvement of a building contractor.

ECI processes are also employed where the client seeks greater flexibility through the project or to increase transparency of costs, resulting in reduced variations during the construction phase.