The Common Assessment Standard, which has been developed by Build UK and a range of industry stakeholders, including Actuate UK member bodies, aims to remove wasteful commercial and public sector prequalification through the adoption of widely specified common assessment prequalification (PQ) questions. 

Significantly, a new ‘data sharing’ solution has been introduced, enabling contractors and clients to obtain key PQ responses from any Recognised Assessment Body. Data sharing is expected to increase the specification of the Standard by main contractors and other buyers and increasingly, suppliers will only need to be certified by one Recognised Assessment Body, saving time and money.

The prequalification system is currently overseen by an Interim Cross-Industry Body including public and private sector clients, contractors and trade associations. According to Paul Reeve, CSR Director at Actuate UK member ECA and deputy chair of the Cross-Industry Body: “We welcome the introduction of ‘data sharing’ to the Common Assessment Standard. Data sharing paves the way for increased specification by main contractors and other buyers and offers suppliers more choice about who carries out their prequalification assessment. It will also help to deliver the savings and efficiencies that the supply chain has long been looking for, by reducing the need for multiple PQ questionnaires and schemes.”

Rachel Davidson, Certification Director at BESA, another Actuate UK member, and member of the Standard’s Questions Review Group added: “With the introduction of data sharing, an industry-wide solution to prequalification waste is now in sight. We encourage public sector and commercial clients and other buyers to adopt the Common Assessment Standard in their procurement processes, giving suppliers a widely recognised route to cost-effective supply chain prequalification.”