Industry Wide Common Assessment Standard Pre-Qualification System Goes Live

A NEW industry-wide pre-qualification (PQ) system, under the Common Assessment Standard, becomes operational today, Build UK has announced.

It will simplify “a complex system for the benefit of everyone in the construction sector”, the organisation says.

The rollout of the Common Assessment Standard aims to reduce the duplication of time, effort and resources that are estimated to be costing the sector up to £1 billion a year. It has had strong support from industry since its launch in May 2019 among contractors, who recognise signing up to the Standard as an opportunity to become more efficient.

Major contractors and clients – including Balfour Beatty, Costain, HS2, Mace, Multiplex and Skanska – have all adopted the Common Assessment Standard. It means that members of their supply chains will need to obtain just one certification to tender for work with them.

This follows the recent implementation of a new data sharing solution, which enables contractors and clients to obtain key PQ data from any one of three Recognised Assessment Bodies: Achilles, CHAS or Constructionline.

Standard Pre-Qualification System

The Standard is an industry-agreed question set with two levels of certification – desktop and site-based. Companies can apply to any Recognised Assessment Body to get the appropriate level dependent upon their trade, size and the requirements of their clients.

Jo Fautley, Deputy Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “We’re delighted that the new system is now fully up and running and already being used by major contractors and clients. It’s been a collaborative effort, involving companies across the whole sector, and the new system is a huge step towards more efficient working, which is more important than ever in the current challenging economic climate.”

Created by Build UK with the support of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), the Common Assessment Standard is endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), which is actively seeking its adoption throughout government construction procurement, including via the Construction Playbook.

Andy Mitchell, Chair of the CLC, added: “The CLC is delighted to endorse the Common Assessment Standard which is set to transform the construction PQ process. It is a real and practical way of reducing bureaucracy and improving quality in the industry and it comes at just the right time. Companies will be able to demonstrate that they meet an agreed industry standard, and clients and contractors will be able to rely on the certification. The CLC will be encouraging the adoption of the Common Assessment Standard throughout public and private sector procurement.”

Further information on the PQ system, including the Common Assessment Standard question set, is available here.

Embrace the Scheme

CHAS Managing Director, Ian McKinnon, said: “The data-sharing agreement for the Common Assessment Standard is a major step forward for the construction industry and comes as positive news after what has been a challenging period for so many.

“We now need the industry to continue to embrace the scheme and we hope the efficiencies offered by the data-sharing agreement will provide further incentive for everyone to do so. We urge contractors and clients to contact CHAS today to find out more about the benefits of adopting the Common Assessment standard and how CHAS can help.”

Contractors who choose to complete the Common Assessment Standard with CHAS will receive additional benefits including free access to expert health and safety advice, discounted fuel and shopping schemes and complimentary access to e-learning resources. CHAS also has a reputation for providing a friendly and efficient service and is committed to helping contractors who are not yet ready to complete the Common Assessment Standard by working with them towards higher levels of accreditation.

Clients looking to specify the CHAS Common Assessment Standard can access a full database of approved contractors via the free CHAS Client Portal where they will also find a suite of complimentary supply chain management and procurement tools.