Pre-qualification costs the construction industry up to £1 billion each year. Build UK is rolling out the Common Assessment Standard to improve efficiency and reduce duplication in the pre-qualification (PQ) process. It has been endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and recommended for use within the public sector as part of the recent independent review of frameworks.
The Common Assessment Standard is available from four Recognised Assessment Bodies, and a growing list of Contractors and Clients are now specifying that their supply chains are certified to the standard.
Once the system is fully up and running, companies will be certified once a year by a Recognised Assessment Body and this should be accepted by Contractors and Clients who will no longer need to specify a particular assessment body.
There are two levels of certification: desktop and site-based. Companies can apply to a Recognised Assessment Body for the certification level that is most appropriate for their business based on a range of factors including trade, size and the requirements of their clients.
Jo Fautley, Deputy Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “The industry-wide PQ system is going from strength to strength, with more and more of the industry now supporting this collaborative and efficient way of working.”
