How to Select an EPC Contractor

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an EPC Contractor

In a sea of engineering, procurement and construction companies, which characteristics are the most important to focus on when choosing an EPC contractor for your next project? Here are the top factors to consider when looking for an EPC contractor to partner with.

Safety First

Safety is the top priority when choosing an EPC contractor. At JEPCO, safety is more than just a buzzword—it’s the cornerstone of every project. We ensure that everyone involved, from our team members to our contractors, returns home safely each day. Through comprehensive safety training, risk assessments and safety action plans, we strive to minimize risk at every level and prevent accidents before they occur. Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and our culture of open communication empowers team members to voice concerns and provide feedback to improve our current processes.

Commitment to Quality

Safety and quality go hand in hand, and it’s essential to evaluate a prospective EPC contractor’s commitment to quality standards. Through our AWS and CWI-certified partner database, our QA/QC inspectors database and our list of ASME R, S & U stamp-certified partners, JEPCO ensures that each vendor we enlist is of the highest caliber. We work closely with our on-site and shop fabrication partners to make sure that all construction activities are performed safely and accurately. Our engineers are licensed to provide PE-stamped designs in 27 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.

Industry Expertise

Certain EPC contractors are more skilled in specific engineering disciplines than others, so it’s important to choose an EPC firm that fits your scope’s needs. JEPCO offers an array of technical engineering services, from automation and piping/mechanical to civil/structural and electrical & instrumentation. Our engineers and designers are true subject matter experts with years of experience contributing to engineering, procurement and construction projects. We have a knack for creatively solving clients’ problems while remaining on schedule and under budget throughout the entirety of the project’s life cycle.

Project Management Prowess

Starting with a well-defined scope and maintaining consistent communication throughout a capital project are essential to its success. When considering various EPC companies, assess their project management efforts in previous scopes, as it could make or break your project. JEPCO prioritizes constructability in every scope we undertake. By looping in contractors during the design phase, we invite feedback early on and minimize costly downtime resulting from change orders and RFIs down the road. We also utilize the Jōb Engineering Management System (JEMS), our proprietary data platform that allows us to see every aspect of a project operating in real time. From the front-end planning phase to the construction phase, JEPCO implements project controls to save our clients time and money.

Cutting-Edge Technology

While considering various EPC firms, it’s important to partner with a contractor who stays ahead of the curve and utilizes the latest technology. This will result in fewer field modifications, change orders and site visits to take measurements, leading to increased safety, quality and efficiency. JEPCO’s engineers utilize in-house finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics modeling and LiDAR technology to streamline operations and reduce room for error throughout the design process. 

Choosing the right EPC contractor can make all the difference and determine the outcome of your project before you even start. If you select a company that prioritizes safety, quality and project management, utilizes the latest technology and has decades of experience in your industry, your project will be in good hands. JEPCO is committed to creating top-tier EPC solutions for our clients. Discover how JEPCO can be the key to your next project’s success.