What is a construction PQQ?

Why prequalification exists

Clients and main contractors have duties to appoint competent people, including under the CDM Regulations 2015. A prequalification questionnaire gives them a consistent way to check that a supplier, from a large subcontractor to a freelance professional, has the right skills, experience, insurance and safety arrangements.

What a PQQ usually asks

• Business details and standing: structure, trading history, sometimes financial information.
• Insurance: employers' liability (if you employ people), public liability and professional indemnity, with cover levels and dates.
• Health and safety: policy and arrangements, training such as SMSTS, SSSTS or NEBOSH, accident history.
• Competence: qualifications, memberships and role-specific training.
• Experience: relevant projects, values and references.
• Quality, environmental and, increasingly, building safety arrangements.

PAS 91 and the Common Assessment Standard

PAS 91, published by BSI, set out a standard construction prequalification question set for many years. Build UK's Common Assessment Standard has since become the main industry standard for prequalifying construction suppliers, and government policy recommends it for larger public sector construction contracts.

Freelance professionals are rarely asked to complete a full Common Assessment Standard assessment, but contractors often ask them for the same core evidence.

How freelancers can prepare

1. 1Keep current copies of insurance schedules, cards and certificates, with expiry dates.
2. 2Write a short project list: client, value, duration and your role.
3. 3Line up referees who are happy to be contacted.
4. 4Update your answers whenever something changes, rather than starting again each time.

On 3lanse, 3lansers complete one PQQ that a 3lanse reviewer checks. Accepted PQQs show a gold PQQ Compliant badge on the profile. It is a 3lanse review, not a third-party accreditation.