Build UK has announced the release of Version 4 of the Common Assessment Standard, the industry-agreed pre-qualification standard designed to streamline and enhance the construction pre-qualification process.
This update follows the withdrawal of PAS 91 and includes significant revisions to address the latest industry requirements.
A key feature of the updated standard is the introduction of a new Building Safety section. This addition ensures companies can demonstrate their ‘organisational capability’ to meet their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.
Under the Act, individuals or organisations appointed to undertake design and construction work must be competent. Clients and contractors can demonstrate compliance with this duty by specifying that their supply chain organisations are certified to the Common Assessment Standard, which requires appropriate management policies, procedures, and systems.
In recent months, the Common Assessment Standard, endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), has reached a critical mass of adoption across the sector.
An increasing number of major contractors and clients are now specifying the Common Assessment Standard for their supply chains. Over 22,500 suppliers have been certified by the five Recognised Assessment Bodies, underscoring its growing acceptance and implementation.
The use of the Common Assessment Standard for public sector work has been confirmed by Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 03/24 issued by the Cabinet Office. This note specifies that contracting authorities should use the Common Assessment Standard when pre-qualifying suppliers for construction works contracts. This move aims to foster consistency and reliability in the procurement process, ensuring that only capable and compliant suppliers are engaged.
Jo Fautley, Build UK Deputy Chief Executive, emphasised the significance of the updated standard: “The Common Assessment Standard provides a consistent and robust pre-qualification standard, which can now be used to meet the requirement for organisational capability under the Building Safety Act. By establishing the Common Assessment Standard, we have brought the whole sector together to transform the construction pre-qualification process, and everyone can play their part in improving efficiency, reducing cost, and raising standards by using it.”
John Simons, SCAPE Group Procurement Director, added: “Now that the Cabinet Office has specified the Common Assessment Standard for use across the public sector, it is more important than ever for companies to be certified. It has standardised the selection process for the supply chain as only one annual assessment is required to gain access to valuable opportunities, and the new streamlined Version 4 makes that process even simpler for companies of all sizes.”
Suppliers seeking certification under the Common Assessment Standard will now go through the updated question set, which can be obtained from one of the five Recognised Assessment Bodies. This streamlined approach not only simplifies the pre-qualification process but also raises the bar for safety and organisational capability within the construction industry.
For more information about the updated Common Assessment Standard and the certification process, suppliers and stakeholders are encouraged to visit the Build UK website.
