Many buyers rely on the standardised PQQ format provided by PAS 91, which was specifically designed to reduce the time both buyers and suppliers spend on the prequalification process. But every organisation has its own unique requirements for suppliers, which is leading increasing numbers of buyers to adapt PQQ templates to suit their organisation. This way, they can find out which suppliers have everything they’re looking for from the outset.
With this in mind, here are our top tips for tailoring your PQQ to your organisation:
There are some questions that you will need to ask of our suppliers, regardless of your unique needs or the particular project they will be working on. You will need to ask them for details of their financial status, for example, and all of the basic information about their business, such as their address and VAT number. Refer to the question set used in PAS 91 to ensure that you include all of the key information you need from all suppliers.
If an issue occurs on your site, your organisation’s reputation could be damaged – so make sure you only work with reputable suppliers by checking their credentials at the pre-qualification stage. Asking to see any data or certifications they have around employer liability, public liability and their professional indemnity insurance is a good first step. You should also ensure that they operate fair working practices by including questions around their anti-slavery policies and their compliance with equality legislation.
While many health and safety questions, such as asking for a copy of a supplier’s health and safety policy, will be included in your PQQ as standard, asking a few extra questions can make a real difference to the safety of your staff and site. If there’s potential for contractors to be working around children, for example, you could ask for all workers to pass DBS checks before coming on site. You may also seek contractors that are certified or are willing to undertake training on safeguarding vulnerable adults, if this is a risk for your business.
When personalising your PQQ, you can also add in questions designed to discover which suppliers are most closely aligned to your organisation’s core objectives and values. If you’re determined to give back to the local community, for example, you could ask contractors whether they’re willing to commit to employing local labour. If you’re known for your sustainable approach, on the other hand, you could ask suppliers what processes they have in place to minimise their impact on the environment.
If you’re interested in customising your PQQ to your organisation’s unique requirements, the Altius platform can be incredibly useful. You can develop your own set of compliance questions on the platform, so you can quickly and easily identify which suppliers are right for your project.
To find out more about how Altius’s software can support you throughout the supplier authorisation process, click here.
