EPC names a contractor’s engineering, procurement and construction obligations; turnkey describes delivery ready for the agreed handover or use. A single contract can be both. The signed scope—not the label—decides who performs commissioning and tests, obtains approvals, provides operations and maintenance information, supplies owner-furnished items, and carries each stated risk.
Difference between EPC and turnkey: compare the signed scope
EPC and turnkey can describe overlapping parts of one agreement, not necessarily competing packages. A label alone does not tell you who commissions a system, secures an approval, prepares operating documents, or carries a particular risk. Write down each deliverable, interface, acceptance test, exclusion, and remedy in the contract.
Use this side-by-side list as a tender review prompt. For both models, the agreement should identify the actual responsibility and acceptance criteria for each line.
| Scope item | EPC: specify in the agreement | Turnkey: specify for handover |
|---|---|---|
| Design basis | Design criteria, contractor engineering duties, owner inputs, and review points. | Agreed use/readiness criteria, design deliverables, owner inputs, and review points. |
| Procurement | Packages, vendor approval, substitutions, warranties, and owner-supplied items. | Items included for the agreed handover, exclusions, vendor documents, and owner-supplied items. |
| Construction | Works included, site conditions, interfaces, exclusions, and completion criteria. | Works needed for the agreed handover, site conditions, interfaces, exclusions, and completion criteria. |
| Commissioning / performance tests | Systems, test procedures, witness points, acceptance limits, retests, and consequences. | Commissioning and performance tests, procedures, acceptance limits, retests, and consequences. |
| Approvals | Name each approval, responsible applicant, owner inputs, fees, and dependencies. | Name each approval, responsible applicant, owner inputs, fees, and dependencies. |
| Handover / O&M | Acceptance records, as-builts, O&M information, training, warranties, and support period. | Handover inventory, as-builts, O&M information, training, warranties, and support period. |
| Price-change risk | Price basis, escalation rules, variation process, owner changes, and exclusions. | Price basis, escalation rules, variation process, owner changes, and exclusions. |
| Schedule / liquidated damages | Milestones, completion dates, extension grounds, and any delay-damages trigger and cap. | Milestones, handover dates, extension grounds, and any delay-damages trigger and cap. |
| Owner-supplied items | Item list, required delivery dates, interfaces, compatibility, and late-delivery effects. | Item list, required delivery dates, interfaces, compatibility, and late-delivery effects. |
EPC vs design-build vs turnkey
EPC names engineering, procurement, and construction obligations. Design-build puts design and construction in the named contracting scope; procurement, commissioning, approvals, handover, and risk still need explicit treatment. Turnkey describes the agreed delivery state at handover, which the parties should define in acceptance terms. A contract can combine these labels or elements. FIDIC publishes an EPC/Turnkey contract reference and a separate Plant & Design-Build reference; the signed agreement controls each project’s actual duties.
India warehouse contract checklist
- Site and geotechnical: confirm boundaries, access, levels, investigation scope, design inputs, and who addresses gaps in site information.
- Civil / PEB structure: define earthworks, foundations, floor criteria, steel design basis, cladding, openings, fire protection, and erection interfaces.
- MEP / fire: list electrical and utility interfaces, plumbing and drainage, ventilation, fire detection and suppression scope, and system tests.
- Approvals: list the approvals applicable to the site and name the responsible party, required owner inputs, fees, dependencies, and closeout records.
- Testing: state inspection and commissioning steps, test methods, acceptance limits, witness points, retests, and required records.
- As-builts: specify drawings, equipment schedules, test certificates, warranties, and vendor documents due at handover.
- Handover / O&M: define manuals, training, access and keys, remaining-work process, warranty start, and the formal acceptance point.
Compare offers by deliverable
Ask each bidder to mark every checklist item as included, excluded, owner-supplied, or subject to an assumption. Resolve differences in design inputs, testing, approvals, interfaces, price changes, and handover before comparing totals or signing.
Review Good Value Solutions’ EPC service scope.
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Good Value Solutions Approach
At Good Value Solutions, we offer both EPC and turnkey models depending on client needs. Our 50 MW solar plant in Jaisalmer — delivered with Xrossways, the group's solar arm (xrossways.com) — was executed as a full EPC project with performance monitoring handover. For industrial clients without in-house technical teams, we offer extended turnkey packages that include operations support and maintenance contracts.
Considering an EPC or turnkey project? Our team can help you evaluate which model best fits your requirements. Contact us for a consultation.
General information only, not legal advice. Have local counsel review the project contract.
Sources
FIDIC source pages checked 2026-09-28:
EPC/Turnkey Contract (2nd Ed., 2017 Silver Book, reprinted 2022 with amendments)
Plant and Design-Build Contract (2nd Ed., 2017 Yellow Book, reprinted 2022 with amendments)
Rajesh Kumar
Project Manager · B.Tech Civil Engineering, PMP Certified
10+ years of PEB construction experience. Specialized in pre-engineered building projects, warehouse construction, and industrial infrastructure delivery across North India.
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