Public sector PQQs look to the Common Assessment Standard

[edit] Updates for 2024

Version 4 of the Common Assessment Standard (CAS), was published on July 4 2024, and included a new Building Safety section, ensuring it can be used to demonstrate companies have the organisational capability to fulfil their roles under the Building Safety Act. Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 03/24 (replacing Procurement policy note (PPN) 03/23 and the earlier Procurement policy note (PPN) 08/16). (PPN) 03/24 clarified two issue, that PAS 91 is no longer actively supported (or updated) and that the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) is the preferred method for pre-qualification in public projects. For more information see article the common assessment standard.

[edit] Background

In 2023, the Cabinet Office issued its long-awaited procurement policy note (PPN) 03/23. The revised PPN was particularly important because it allowed public sector procurers to specify the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) for substantial public works. As a result, the PPN greatly increased both the scope and type of buyer who will require suppliers to undergo CAS pre-qualification questions (PQQs) before tendering for construction or maintenance work.

PPN 03/23 finally adopted a recommendation in the 2021 report Constructing the Gold Standard — an independent review of public sector construction frameworks by the Centre of Construction Law at King’s College, London. The King’s College review highlighted how the CAS can prevent suppliers from having to answer numerous unexpected or redundant questions to meet public sector requirements.

The revised PPN finally recognised that the CAS, which is based on an industry-supported, standard question set. CAS questions cover a range of buyer assurance enquiries in key areas such as financial, insurance, H,S&E (including carbon) and quality management, along with employment and social responsibility. Suppliers’ responses to the CAS are assessed by four recognised assessor bodies, including ECA industry partner CHAS.

Until that point, the CAS - developed by Build UK and supported by many other industry stakeholders including ECA - had made most progress with a growing number of Tier 1 construction buyers. However, with the notable exception of the NHS, the revised PPN required the use of the CAS or PAS 91 for substantial construction and other public works PQQs. In practice, its’ anticipated that public sector buyers will increasingly opt for the CAS as their PQ of choice.

In March 2024, the Government issued its Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 03/24, which clarified its recommendations regarding PAS 91 accreditation and pre-qualification questionnaires for the Construction industry:

The Common Assessment Standard is now the preferred method for pre-qualification in public projects exceeding £5.337 million.
PAS 91 is no longer actively supported and the Government recommends using the Common Assessment Standard instead for builds over certain thresholds.

Over 80% of all UK suppliers in 2024 get their Common Assessment Standard accreditation from Constructionline.

[edit] What about PAS 91?

BSI’s PAS 91 was created back in 2010 as a stakeholder response to the unbridled proliferation of construction (and particularly health and safety) PQQs. It was a ground breaker and the bedrock of more recent efforts, particularly via the CAS, to tackle the problem. Even so, it’s public procurement days, though not quite over, look numbered. Generally, the CAS offers the public sector with a more useful way forward for PQQs, notably its relative ability to adjust to legislative change and other industry assurance requirements. For example, the CAS Review Group is positioning itself to draft practically useful PQQs about the forthcoming Building Safety regime - a task that would be beyond the PAS 91 revision cycle.

The BSI withdrew PAS 91 in 2023, meaning it will no longer be updated, they stated that: 'With a general shift in the UK construction industry towards safer procedures and practices – for example, with the introduction of the Building Safety Act – PAS 91 has faced challenges keeping pace with industry demands and regulatory standards. What does this mean for Constructionline members? With this change, some buyers may still use PAS 91 as a basic level of compliance. This can be achieved through our Silver, Gold and Platinum membership options.'

[edit] Help at hand

Public sector specification has been one of the most sought-after developments to support deployment of the CAS across construction and maintenance. The previous PPN underline that the CAS wasn’t just fit for prequalifying suppliers for new build projects, but also for those who operate across maintenance and other contractor services and the most recent PPN, goes further assuming it as the standard and that PAS 91 is no longer upated.

ECA Members looking to engage with the CAS have free access to the highly regarded ECA ‘CAS Manual’ (which provides useful information and supporting documents on a wide range of CAS questions) and ECA’s expert advisory teams. This is due to be updated following the 2024 changes to the CAS.

This article originally appeared on the ECA blog site as "Public sector PQQs look to the CAS" dated April 5, 2023. It was written by Paul Reeve ECA’s Director of CSR, Chair of the Build UK CAS Review Group and Vice-Chair of the PQ Cross Industry Body. It was updated with relevant information in July, 2024.

--ECA