Prioritising Subcontractor Prequalification Criteria in Construction Projects: Evidence from G7 Contractors in Sarawak, Malaysia

Subcontractor prequalification is an important part of construction procurement because the performance of specialist subcontractors can influence cost, programme, quality and project coordination. This study examines the criteria used to assess subcontractors from the perspective of G7 construction practitioners in Sarawak, Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a literature review framework of 29 criteria grouped into seven categories, namely company-related, past experience, cost or financial, quality, time, safety and general obligations. Questionnaires were distributed to 258 targeted respondents, and 198 responses were returned. After screening for the required subcontractor selection experience, 182 valid responses were retained for analysis. The relative importance of the criteria was assessed using mean scores, standard deviations and the Relative Importance Index (RII). The results show a strong level of agreement on the importance of prequalification, with all 29 criteria classified as extremely important. Tender price recorded the highest RII (0.940), followed by performance in previous similar projects (0.935), completion of the project on time (0.930), speciality in a specific type of work (0.922), and quality performance with standard and commitment (0.921). The findings indicate that, although price remains the leading consideration, practitioners do not view subcontractor selection as a price-only decision. Previous performance, schedule reliability, specialist capability and quality are almost as highly regarded. The study provides regional evidence that can support more structured prequalification practices among G7 contractors and offers a basis for future research on validated and performance-based multi-criteria decision-support models.

subcontractor prequalification; subcontractor selection; construction procurement; G7 contractors; construction management; Sarawak; Malaysia

1. Abdul Razak, N., Ejohwomu, O., Fenn, P., Okedara, K., Dosumu, B., & Muhammad-Sukki, F. (2021). Identification of health and safety prequalification criteria for contractor selection in construction projects: A systematic review. Energies, 14(21), Article 7244. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Bingol, B. N., Arditi, D., & Polat, G. (2024). A performance-based subcontractor selection model. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 150(8), Article 04024079. https://doi.org/10.1061/JCEMD4.COENG-14216 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bingol, B. N., Arditi, D., & Polat, G. (2025). Subcontractor selection for a construction project: Optimal plan. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(12), Article 04025205. https://doi.org/10.1061/JCEMD4.COENG-16409 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. El-Abbasy, R. M., et al. (2018). Identification of construction subcontractor prequalification evaluation criteria and their impact on project success. Alexandria Engineering Journal. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Gajjar, D., & Anderson, C. (2021). Understanding sub-contractor selection factors in the building construction industry for the Southeastern United States. The Professional Constructor, 46(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Hartmann, A., Ling, F. Y. Y., & Tan, J. S. H. (2009). Relative importance of subcontractor selection criteria: Evidence from Singapore. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 135(9), 826–832. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Karaman, A. E., & Sandal, K. (2022). Effect of sub-contractor selection on construction project success in Turkey. Teknik Dergi, 33(4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Olanrewaju, A., Bong, Z. X., & Preece, C. (2022). Establishment of pre-qualification criteria for the selection of subcontractors by the prime constructors for building projects. Journal of Building Engineering, 45, Article 103644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103644 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Riyadi, R. D. N., & Arviansyah, A. (2023). Subcontractor selection strategy to minimize subcontractor performance problems using Analytical Hierarchy Process method: Case study at PT. Hutama Karya Infrastruktur. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 4(4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Sean, S., & Techapeeraparnich, W. (2021). Criteria for subcontractor selection on building construction project in Cambodia: Prequalification and bid evaluation. Proceedings of ICFET. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Vo, K. D., Pham, C. P., Phan, P. T., Vu, N. B., Duong, M. T. H., Le, L. P., & Nguyen, Q. L. H. T. T. (2021). Critical factors of subcontractor evaluation and selection: A case study in Vietnam. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(3), 297–305. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• A Lean Construction-Based Evaluation of Prefabrication System Benefits in Modern Construction Projects
• Sustainability and Lifecycle Performance of Residential Housing Developments in Gwarimpa and Apo Districts, Abuja, Nigeria