Contractors lose time waiting

Contractor Magazine reported on May 13 that data-center contractors are losing productive time because procurement systems have not kept pace with the speed of new builds. Michael Delgado wrote that manual order handling, delayed supplier responses and fragmented communication are slowing decisions on projects where materials can represent most of the job cost. The article said the pressure extends beyond electrical gear to plumbing and cooling systems that also support large data centers. It said the result is missed crew scheduling, weaker visibility on order status and greater risk that field teams arrive without what they need. ### Where is the delay showing up? Contractor Magazine said the bottleneck is not limited to transformers, switchgear or other headline long-lead equipment. The May 13 article said contractors are also struggling to get timely and accurate responses on routine material needs, with fragmented sales orders and slow back-and-forth between contractors, distributors and suppliers. That lag, the article said, is disrupting crews’ ability to stay on sequence and commit to timelines. (contractormag.com) The article framed the issue as an information problem as much as a supply problem. Delgado wrote that legacy procurement workflows are still manual and outdated, creating delays, errors and visibility gaps at a moment when data-center construction volumes are rising quickly. ### Why do smaller material gaps matter so much on these jobs? (contractormag.com) The May 13 report said accessory and support items can stop work even when major equipment is already on site. The article argued that crews lose time when they discover missing pieces only at the moment of installation, rather than earlier in planning, release or staging. In that setup, a partial delivery can be as disruptive as a late major shipment because the work package cannot be closed. (contractormag.com) Contractor Magazine said the interdependencies on data-center projects make those misses expensive. The article said materials can account for up to 70% of total project costs, and that any delay can carry financial consequences for schedules, labor deployment and project commitments. ### What is breaking inside the procurement process? (contractormag.com) Michael Delgado wrote that contractors are managing rising order volumes with workflows that still depend on manual data entry, disconnected documents and delayed responses. The article said diverse order formats and fragmented communications slow the movement of information into enterprise systems, which in turn slows approvals, purchasing and scheduling decisions. (contractormag.com) The report also said the back-end burden is growing with the front-end rush. Contractors, according to the article, are reconciling invoices and tracking purchase orders across multiple suppliers while trying to preserve enough cash-flow visibility to take on additional work. Those blind spots can limit working capital, the article said, even when demand for projects remains strong. (contractormag.com) ### What does the article say contractors should track? Contractor Magazine said contractors need real-time visibility across the full material chain rather than a simple record that an order was placed. The article pointed to approvals, release status, shipment progress, receipts and invoices as the operational checkpoints that need to be visible if teams want better scheduling accuracy and cash-flow control. (contractormag.com) The article also argued that material information has to reach the workface. Delgado wrote that better tracking is meant to stop crews from discovering shortages at install time, when labor is already committed and schedule recovery is harder. ### What solution is being pushed? Contractor Magazine said workflow automation and AI-based processing are being presented as the main fix. (contractormag.com) The article said automation can interpret different order formats, move data into ERP systems faster and reduce response times for material requests. It also said real-time tracking of orders, deliveries and invoices can improve project scheduling and cash-flow management. The May 13 article stopped short of naming a single deadline for adoption, but it described modernization as part of the baseline for competing on current data-center projects. The report remains available in Contractor Magazine’s management and best-practices section under Delgado’s byline, published May 13, 2026. (contractormag.com)