The selection of contractors is a crucial problem in the construction industry. The selection of contractors during the tendering process is a complex phenomenon. This study aims to use a multi-criteria decision-making approach for the assessment of critical factors in contractor selection. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used for the assessment of critical factors in contractor selection. The selection of criteria is divided into six major criteria i.e. financial status, experience in construction, equipment capability, technical capability, safety measures, and contractor relationships. The pair-wise comparison of the factors is performed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The consistency of the solution is checked using the consistency ratio. The ranking of these parameters is calculated using the analytic hierarchy process. The rankings calculated in this study will be helpful for the effective selection of contractors at the pre-qualification stage in the construction industry.