Choosing an MMC manufacturer for a 5-star spa resort: Montenegro case

Ivan Moiseenko

24 hours ago

2 min read

Original article: www.image.org.in/post/selection-of-mmc-manufacturer-in-europe-for-5-star-spa-resort-project-montenegro-case (7 July 2026)

By Ivan Moiseenko, our collaborator. Retelling of the original article published on 7 July 2026.

Why the manufacturer matters

MMC projects are complex in many respects: engineering and spatial coordination, technical questions, procurement, logistics and more. The strategic choice of the off-site manufacturer is a pivot point and can make or break the whole project.

The task

For the 5-star spa resort in Montenegro that IMAGE is developing, the client asked the team to find a replacement for his current MMC company from the Baltics. IMAGE is in touch with many off-site manufacturers around the world, so running a professional RFI and RFP was not only an interesting case but also a reason to renew contacts with colleagues across Europe and to find new ones.

Step 1: the RFP package

The first step was to assemble the RFP package: architectural, structural and MEP documentation, Revit and IFC 3D models, and an energy-efficiency report for the three types of prefab rental houses in the project. These houses are the only prefabricated, off-site part of the development.

Step 2: the long list and the short list

The second step was to form the list of potentially interested companies. 24 companies were shortlisted for the initial RFI screening, located in Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Slovenia and Kosovo. The client asked the team to focus on the Baltic region because of its cost-effective prefab solutions, but remained open to other locations.

Seven MMC companies sent commercial proposals and confirmed their willingness to discuss details. Over the following months the team travelled across Europe to visit the production facilities of these candidates, meet their teams and check on site whether they could deliver the project. The proposed scope covered the production drawings, off-site manufacturing of the kit of parts, transport of the prefabricated elements to the site in Montenegro and installation of all 37 prefab wooden houses to shell-and-core level. The candidates were compared in a scoring table.

The decision

All seven shortlisted companies had strong commercial proposals and were ready to sign a contract. The client pre-selected the team from Kosovo for four reasons:

Location: about 200 km from the construction site.
European standards in design, production and sustainability.
Company experience, scale and presence on two continents, in Europe and the USA.
A price proposal almost twice as cost-effective as the European competitors.

The contract has not been signed yet: the client first needs the building permits in Montenegro and bank financing for the development. Both processes are running in parallel, and the client plans to have both by the end of 2026.

Outcome

IMAGE completed the assignment, established new connections with MMC partners on the European market and moved the prefab spa resort one step closer to realisation, a project that should become an important place of well-being in the country and in the Balkans in general.