Effective contractor engagement is critical to the success of public infrastructure projects, yet deficiencies in communication, coordination, and collaboration often undermine project quality, timeliness, and safety outcomes. This study examined contractor engagement and performance in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure projects in Catanduanes, Philippines, to understand how engagement practices influence project outcomes. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, Systems Theory, and Project Management Theory, a descriptive-correlational design was employed to assess the relationship between engagement dimensions—communication, collaboration, and coordination—and performance indicators, including timeliness, quality, and safety adherence. A structured, researcher-developed survey instrument was administered to a stratified sample of 86 respondents (58 DPWH personnel, 28 project stakeholders), with instrument reliability confirmed via a pretest–posttest procedure (r = 0.98). Weighted mean scores indicated high engagement (AWM = 3.26) and moderate contractor performance (AWM = 2.95). Independent-samples t- tests revealed no significant differences between personnel and stakeholder perceptions of engagement (t = 0.00, p > 0.05) or performance (t = 0.00, p > 0.05), while Pearson correlation analysis showed a weak, non- significant relationship between engagement and performance (r = 0.049, p > 0.05).

Keywords: contractor engagement, project performance, DPWH, infrastructure projects, Philippines, descriptive-correlational study, strategic intervention