Multicriteria subcontractor selection model for construction activities in wind farm projects

Traditional subcontractor selection methods often neglect the scheduling and criticality of construction activities, leading to inefficiencies in wind farm projects. While prior research on contractor selection in wind farm projects has focused mainly on turbine suppliers, this study fills a gap by proposing a decision model tailored to selecting subcontractors during the construction phase. The model integrates discrete event simulation for activities duration estimation, line of balance for scheduling and Monte Carlo simulations to classify activities by criticality. The multicriteria decision-making process uses the FITradeoff method, which employs partial information. The model's novelty lies in integrating these three approaches for subcontractor selection in wind farm projects. The application of the model is demonstrated in a wind farm project in Brazil. The selection process prioritizes cost containment for non-critical activities, while criteria like technical knowledge, distance and experience are more relevant for critical activities. Results show an 11% average financial gain in subcontractor negotiations for non-critical activities, as their lower impact on deadlines enhances bargaining power. This study provides a construction management tool considering activity criticality when selecting subcontractors beyond turbine base construction. These findings suggest the model's potential for broader application in improving cost efficiency and schedule reliability in complex infrastructure projects.