Guide
What does an EPCM contractor do?
An EPCM contractor designs a project, manages the buying of its equipment and supervises its construction on the owner's behalf. The owner holds the construction contracts; the EPCM contractor provides the engineering, the procurement management and the site supervision that turn those contracts into a working asset.
What does an EPCM contractor do at each project phase?
The role runs the full project lifecycle. The table below maps the phases to the actual scope items EPCM Solutions delivers on industrial projects.
| Phase | What the EPCM contractor does |
|---|---|
| Feasibility | Options analysis, capital and operational expense development, long term planning studies, tendering assistance. |
| Engineering design | Electrical, instrumentation, control systems, communications, civil and structural design; power system studies including load flow, protection and arc-flash. |
| Detailed design | Lighting, lightning protection, cable and cable support systems, fabrication drawings, earthing systems, 2D and 3D CAD deliverables. |
| Procurement | Procurement management, scheduling and project management of equipment supply against the design. |
| Construction | Construction engineers on site, installation supervision and management of the owner's construction contractors. |
| Commissioning and handover | Equipment testing, commissioning, certification of electrical installations and compliance auditing against Australian standards. |
Does an EPCM contractor build anything itself?
No. That is the defining difference from an EPC contractor: under EPCM, the construction contracts belong to the owner, and the EPCM firm manages the contractors who hold them. The comparison is covered in detail in EPCM vs EPC: what is the difference?
How do you choose an EPCM contractor in Australia?
For electrical and industrial scopes, the checks that separate capable firms from brochures are concrete:
- Engineering accreditation. Chartered engineers on the senior team, RPEQ capability for Queensland work, and for power reticulation an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) level appropriate to the scope. EPCM Solutions holds Level 3 ASP accreditation for HV and LV overhead and underground design.
- Standards depth. Working fluency in the standards the project will be audited against: AS3000, AS61439, AS2067 for electrical installations, AS/IEC60079 for hazardous areas, IEC61511 and IEC61508 for functional safety.
- A named project record. Delivered projects with named clients you can check. Ours is on the projects page, including BHP, Fortescue, Iluka, Sydney Metro West and the Department of Defence.
- A quality system. Ask how design reviews, document control and site supervision records are run. EPCM Solutions operates under AS/NZ ISO 9001-aligned quality management.
Where can I get EPCM support in Australia?
EPCM Solutions provides EPCM services nationally from Perth and Sydney, including Perth-based EPCM support for Western Australian mining and industrial projects.
Page updated 21 August 2026
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