Early contractor involvement
Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a form of procurement pioneered by the Highways Agency as part of its drive to deliver better value and improved performance in the development of their road programme. ECI involves the creation of a Contractor/Design Consultant Team, led by the contractor, which caters for the consideration of buildability issues earlier in the design process, leading to shorter construction periods and reduced impacts during construction.
There are a range of benefits gained by participating in ECI:
- Early creation of delivery team
- More scope for innovation
- Integrated and incentivised supply chain
- Improved risk management with fair allocation of risks
- Shorter construction periods and reduced impacts during construction
- Maintaining a competitive and sustainable supply chain
- Clear points of responsibility, no unnecessary layers of supervision
- E-procurement - to make tender processes, communications and performance measurement more efficient
- Selection of suppliers on the basis of best value
- High quality design
- Partnership approach based on long-term relationships
- Performance measurement with continual improvement targets
Our A14 Haughley Bends to Stowmarket Improvement is the only major HA ECI project currently within the original scheme budget and has received client commendations such as: “By carefully managing cost and achieving this tight deadline, you have become a leading example of the ECI process. This contract has the makings of a real success story.”