Explainer
EPC vs EPCM: what is the difference?
EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) means a single contractor or joint venture takes responsibility for designing the project, buying the equipment and building it, often for a fixed or capped price. The owner deals mostly with one party, and the EPC contractor awards the subcontracts.
EPCM (engineering, procurement and construction management) means a firm designs the project and manages procurement and construction on the owner's behalf. The owner usually holds the construction and supply contracts and keeps more of the cost risk. EPCM is common in mining.
What it means for suppliers and subcontractors
- On an EPC job, you usually sell to the EPC contractor's procurement team, not the owner.
- On an EPCM job, the EPCM firm runs the tenders, but the contract is often with the owner.
Examples from our tracker
- LNG Canada Phase 2: EPC by JGC Fluor BC LNG II JV.
- SaskPower Aspen Power Station: Burns & McDonnell (EPC).
- Greenlight Electricity Centre: Aecon + Técnicas Reunidas (fixed price).
- Artemis Gold Blackwater EP2: EPCM by Lycopodium.
- Red Chris and Eskay Creek: Ausenco EPCM.
Owners and contractors directory
What subscribers see that this page doesn’t show
| What you get | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Project list with owner, status, next milestone and cost | ✓ | ✓ |
| Next 10 dates on the bid calendar | ✓ | ✓ |
| All 64 dated milestones, .ics export and a watchlist | — | ✓ |
| What happens on each date (details for every milestone) | — | ✓ |
| Procurement packages and buyer contacts per project | — | ✓ |
| Two monthly reports (PDF) with maps and buyer tables | — | ✓ |
| Mid-month update on projects that moved | — | ✓ |
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