The difference between construction management and contractor led procurement routes
Construction management is a procurement route in which works are constructed by a number of different trade contractors, these trade contractors are contracted to the client but managed by a construction manager, who is appointed early in the design process to improve the buildability and packaging of proposals as they develop. The construction manager acts as an agent for the client, administering and co-ordinating the works contracts.
A contractor led procurement route is similar in that the contractor side has a key management role, however in contractor lead procurement the contractor provides a design team to develop a concept design as proposals for a tendering process. Typically this leads to two teams proceeding to Stage 3, where assessments are finalised, and one construction team is appointed as the preferred bidder.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Admeasurement.
- Bill of quantities.
- Construction manager.
- Contract conditions.
- Contractor led procurement route.
- Contract sum.
- Defined provisional sum.
- Difference between preliminaries and preambles.
- Prime cost sum.
- Procurement route.
- Provisional sum.
- The difference between admeasurement and construction management contracts.
- The difference between a prime cost sum and a provisional sum.
- Undefined provisional sum.
- Variations.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
New and updated CLC building safety guidance.
New UK National Buildings Database.
Building Safety Wiki Interviews
Chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief explanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.