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Alternative Project Delivery - Texas Water Development Board

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Engineer-Procure-Construct (“EPC”)<br />

Description<br />

Description of <strong>Project</strong> <strong>Delivery</strong> Methods<br />

An EPC approach is similar to the DB project delivery. The principal project<br />

participants of an EPC Contractor are a Design Consultant and an EPC Contractor.<br />

Structurally, the EPC approach looks schematically the same as the DB previously<br />

depicted in Figure 2-2. The distinguishing features of EPC contracting are as follows:<br />

• the projects tend to be over $50 million in value;<br />

• the projects usually involve significant procurement of a technology, equipment<br />

or assets;<br />

• the price is typically a guaranteed maximum price;<br />

• the contract is typically performance, not specification-based; and<br />

• EPC Contractors generally subcontract for a majority of the construction work.<br />

Typically, an EPC Contractor will retain a Design Consultant and a Construction<br />

Contractor as subcontractors. The EPC Design Consultant will often prepare the<br />

design in multiple bid packages. The EPC Contractor will typically bid out most<br />

elements of the work competitively to qualified subcontractors and/or specialty<br />

Contractors for unique construction work.<br />

Some EPC contracts are structured so the Owner agrees to pay the EPC Contractor<br />

a design fee for the services of the Design Consultant and a Construction<br />

Management fee. Under this type of EPC approach, the Owner is given access to the<br />

material and equipment costs, subcontractor bids and have some input as to equipment<br />

selection. This is known as an Open Book EPC approach. The EPC Contractor may<br />

also receive a fee for the procurement services and general conditions costs.<br />

EPC contracting has its origin in the private sector where the needed asset’s<br />

performance and project schedule benefits are considered a higher priority than the<br />

lowest installed capital cost. The EPC contract concludes with an acceptance test of<br />

the desired asset to demonstrate that the facility that was adequately designed and built<br />

will meet the performance standards identified in the EPC contract. Stand-alone EPC<br />

contracts are unusual in the water industry because of their smaller project size as<br />

compared to other industries. Recent EPC-type contracts in the water industry have<br />

typically only occurred as a subordinate contract where the project team was led by a<br />

financial developer. In this case, the financial developer, not the Owner, secures and<br />

enters into the EPC contract for the project.<br />

Key Contractual Issues<br />

Performance-based contracts require a significant effort by the Owner at the project<br />

inception to develop performance, testing and <strong>Project</strong> Criteria that will adequately<br />

define the desired facilities. The project definition needed for a successful EPC<br />

contract is not typical for municipal water projects. Issues regarding applicable<br />

industry standards, aesthetic standards for textures and finishes, and product<br />

B1381-Sect2 R. W. Beck 2-11

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