When procuring a contractor for block work, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration as you ensure that the contractor and their employees can work to a high standard without endangering the safety of your employees or the occupants of the block. One of the most efficient ways of doing this is by using pre-qualification schemes.
Pre-qualification schemes help to simplify the procurement process by reducing the need for contractors to resubmit details of their health and safety management arrangements when tendering for each contract.
Contractors who belong to prequalification schemes have their health and safety management arrangements assessed, and that single assessment can then be cited for other clients who are looking for contractors who can deliver similar work. This makes that part of the selection process easier, and can save time and money for both you and the contractor.
Various pre-qualification schemes exist, but the principal scheme which was developed by and for the public sector is the Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme.
As the number of schemes has grown the pressure for contractors to belong to more than one scheme has intensified. This can add complexity and misunderstanding to the procurement process. It is more important that clients understand the principles that govern effective pre-qualification rather than focusing on a particular scheme. Various schemes therefore have come together under the banner of Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP). The intention is that membership of an SSIP member scheme is deemed to be enough to satisfy the requirement of the other schemes. Contractors therefore need join only one scheme, and this therefore helps to streamline the procurement process.
We talk about pre-qualification schemes and more in our latest block-focused eBook, The Block Manager’s Guide to Contractor Management - click on the link below to download it for free and access a wealth of further information about the effective selection and management of contractors.
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