Critical Factors of Subcontractor Evaluation and Selection: A Case Study in Vietnam*

A contractor or a main contractor is a company with full capacity to construct all project’s works for the owner. A subcontractor is an organization that works with the main contractor to execute and complete work packages for the project. Selecting an effective subcontractor will help the efficiency and success of any projects in the construction industry. Therefore, this study identified subcontractor evaluation factors in Vietnam by collecting questionnaire survey data from engineers and staffs in the construction industry project environment. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then performed to identify the critical factors when evaluating and selecting the subcontractor in construction projects. Moreover, when considering the impact level in terms of the average value, the research results showed that the most critical concern was the subcontractor’s reputation. Furthermore, the top five factors affecting the sub-contractor evaluation and selection are (i) reputation, (ii) price, (iii) construction techniques, (iv) ability to implement projects according to commitments, and (v) subcontractor competence (the team of workers, technician staff, engineers with full capacity according to regulations). These research results provide an overall perspective that will help main contractors develop suitable subcontractors’ evaluation and selection factors in their projects in the construction industry.