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Construction industry terminology doesn’t need to be complicated.
This is a collection of building and construction terms designed to help you understand key concepts across the procurement process, from tendering to compliance.
Whether you’re a supplier, main contractor, or working in facilities management, our construction management glossary will help demystify the language of the industry.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V,W, X, Y, Z
Glossary
Definition
Term
Addendums (Tender Management)
Formal documents issued to clarify, modify, or provide additional information to the original tender documents, ensuring all bidders have accurate and updated details before submitting their proposals.
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Building Contractors
Professionals or firms responsible for managing and executing construction projects, including hiring tradespeople, sourcing materials, and ensuring work is completed to specification, budget, and timeline.
Building Information Management (BIM)
Building Information Modelling, often referred to as BIM, is a digital process which can be used in the Construction Industry to create and manage detailed information about a building or infrastructure project throughout its lifecycle.
Building Safety Act (BSA)
The Building Safety Act (BSA) is a critical reform aimed at improving building safety standards across the construction industry. It was prompted by the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 and seeks to enhance accountability in designing, constructing, and maintaining buildings, especially those classified as higher-risk structures.
Building Safety Act Dutyholders
The Building Safety Act introduces various dutyholders, they have a responsibility to ensure arrangements and systems are in place for building and design work, complying with the law. They must be able to evidence they have the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to perform their roles.
The Building Safety Act Gateways serve as critical checkpoints in the lifecycle of a building. They ensure that safety has been prioritised from the initial design phase, right the way through to occupancy.
Developed in response to past tragedies and evolving challenges within the construction industry, the Building Safety Act Gateways establish a structured framework to review safety critical information at three key stages, thus ensuring that every higher risk building is planned, constructed and maintained to the highest of safety standards.
Building Safety Act Higher Risk Buildings
A higher risk building is defined as:
The Building Safety Act Legislation was brought in to inform construction stakeholders what a HRB is, provide guidance on design and construction of new higher-risk buildings, building work in existing higher-risk buildings, and the occupation phase of the higher-risk regime
Commercial Construction Companies
Main contractors that specialise in building non-residential structures such as offices, retail spaces, warehouses, and public facilities. They typically handle large-scale projects requiring coordination across multiple disciplines.
Commercial Projects
A construction project for buildings which are intended to be used for commercial use. This includes office buildings, retail, hospitals, restaurants etc. These are generally larger projects run by main contractors or public sector buyers.
The Common Assessment Standard is a standardised pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) for the construction sector. It aims to streamline the construction procurement process by providing a unified set of questions for assessing suppliers.
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) was designed by the European Union as a classification system for public sector procurement.
Mandatory in the European Union from 1 February 2006, CPV was established to standardise the terms used by contracting authorities to describe the subject of procurement contracts.
Construction Bids
Formal proposals submitted by subcontractors, suppliers or main contractors outlining the estimated cost, timeline, and scope of work for a construction project. Bids, or tenders, are used by clients and contracting authorities to evaluate and select the most suitable contractor for the project.
Construction Design and Management Regulations (CDM Regulations)
The CDM Regulations were first introduced in 1994. The primary objective of the Construction Design and Management Regulations is to improve health and safety practices during all stages of a construction project, from inception to completion and beyond.
Construction Industry Leads
Potential business opportunities within the construction sector, often referring to projects in planning or early development stages that may require services from subcontractors, suppliers, or consultants.
Construction Lead Generation
The strategic process of identifying and securing new project opportunities within the construction sector, particularly for subcontractors seeking work on active or upcoming builds. This often involves digital platforms, networking, and industry-specific tools such as Marketplace, which connects subcontractors with verified project leads, helping them discover tenders and opportunities aligned with their trade, location, and capacity.
Construction Opportunities
Available or upcoming projects where construction services are needed, ranging from small residential builds to major commercial or infrastructure developments.
Construction Procurement Software
Construction procurement software is used by a wide range of main contractors, public sector contracting authorities and subcontractors to streamline procurement processes. It can enhance efficiency, improve coordination, and help to ensure projects are completed on time and within scope across the supply chain.
Construction Risk Management
A suite of tools and software solutions providing buyers and main contractors with overviews of supplier financial, compliance, and overall risk levels across your supply chain making it easier to protect your business from unnecessary supply chain risk.
Construction Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management in construction is the strategic coordination of materials, services, and information flow between construction subcontractors and suppliers to main contractors and project managers. This is a critical process which ensures efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and delivery of projects on time and within set deadlines.
Construction Tenders
Construction tenders are formal offers or bids submitted by contractors or companies to win a construction project. When a client or contracting authority wants to build or renovate something, they invite contractors to submit tenders outlining how much they will charge, how they plan to do the work, and how long it will take. The client then reviews these tenders and selects the best one based on price, quality, experience, and other factors.
Contracting Authorities
Contracting authorities are public organisations, such as government departments, local councils, or public hospitals, that buy construction services. They oversee projects like building schools, roads, or hospitals and must follow strict rules to ensure fair competition and proper use of public funds.
Counterparty Risk in Construction
Counterparty risk is the possibility that a business partner, supplier or contractor may fail to fulfil their obligations due to the ripple effect of being linked to a distressed primary contractor.
Deem to Satisfy (DTS)
If your business is already accredited by one SSIP member, instead of requesting a second SSIP certification you can request a Deem To Satisfy certificate, which means you don’t have to go through another pre-qualification assessment. This reduces duplication, saving your time and money while ensuring you can demonstrate you are meeting Health & Safety Requirements.
Domestic Clients
A domestic client, as defined by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), is any individual who commissions construction work on their home or that of a family member. The key distinction is that the work must be for domestic, non-business purposes. Examples include homeowners adding extensions, undertaking renovations or building new homes.
Dynamic Markets
Dynamic Markets are poised to reshape the landscape of public procurement in the UK. Building on Dynamic Purchasing Systems, they foster increased competition, flexibility and transparency, offering exciting opportunities for both construction main contractors and subcontractors.
Dynamic Purchasing Systems
A Dynamic Purchasing System is an electronic means of procuring goods and services, in a flexible and efficient manner. It’s similar to a public sector procurement framework agreement, but with one critical difference – suppliers can join at any time.
Environmental Product Description (EPD)
Measures the environmental impact of a product, generally based on data obtained during a life cycle assessment (LCA).
Expressions of Interest (EOIs)
Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are announcements issued by buying organisations to identify and attract additional supply chain partners. They are typically published ahead of a formal opportunity to help buyers find the strongest candidates in areas where their existing supply chain may be limited.
F10 notice/ notification
An F10 notice, or F10 form in construction, is used to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about a notifiable construction project, prior to work starting. Often used for larger projects, it demonstrates the competence of parties involved that appropriate measures are in place to reduce risk, prioritise safety and make sure works are completed to the agreed plans and standard from the client, principal designer and principal contractors.
Facilities Management
Facilities management in construction is the process of overseeing the operational functionality, maintenance, and long-term sustainability of built assets from their completion and throughout their lifecycle. It involves everything from planning and managing maintenance schedules, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, optimising energy consumption, and managing space utilisation, to providing occupant services and asset lifecycle planning. This process ensures that a facility remains safe, comfortable, and efficient, supporting the core business operations and extending the useful life of the asset while minimising operational costs.
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Financial Risk Management in Construction
The process of monitoring and receiving information and updates on the risk of your suppliers’ finances across your construction supply chain.
Invitations to Tender (ITTs)
Invitations to Tender (ITTs) are live opportunities published by contractors seeking to expand their supply chain for specific projects. These opportunities outline key details such as the contractor’s requirements, the estimated value of the package, and the project location.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
An analysis of a building or product’s environmental impact over its lifetime – from raw materials to demolition – to inform lower‑carbon design and procurement.
Main Contractors
A main contractor is the company or person hired by the client (or project owner) to manage and carry out the overall construction project.
They are responsible for making sure the whole job is completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality. The main contractor usually hires subcontractors to do specific parts of the work, like plumbing, electrical, or roofing, but the main contractor stays in charge of the whole site and project.
Material Suppliers
Companies that provide the raw materials, components, and products needed for construction projects. Material suppliers play a critical role in the supply chain by ensuring timely delivery of quality materials, from concrete and steel to fixtures and fittings.
Marketplace Live Events
These are Construction Networking Events hosted by Once For All, designed to connect main contractors and buyers with local subcontractors and suppliers. Similar in format to Meet the Buyer events, Marketplace Live focuses on strengthening and expanding supply chains by helping subcontractors and contracting authorities build meaningful connections and uncover new project opportunities.
Meet The Buyer Events
These events provide the opportunity for suppliers and subcontractors to discuss upcoming projects face-to-face with main contractors and public sector buyers. They give buyers and suppliers the chance to connect and build business relationships.
PAS 91
PAS 91 was a standardised pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) designed to simplify the bidding process for subcontractors in construction. The BSI withdrew PAS 91 in 2023, meaning it will no longer be updated. Instead the industry prioritises the Common Assessment Standard.
Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs)
Documents used to assess a supplier’s suitability for a project. A PQQ allows contracting authorities to more effectively sort large numbers of potential construction suppliers and subcontractors; separating those who have the capabilities they need from those who do not – before progressing to the lengthier public sector tender stage
Procurement Act
The Procurement Act 2023 is a piece of legislation aimed at reforming reform public sector procurement.
Aimed at improving overall procurement processes and procedures, it will embed transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle. The Procurement Act will drive greater commercial freedom and flexibility for Contracting Authorities, to help meet their exact needs whilst driving innovation and transforming Public Procurement.
Procurement Act Debarment List
Under the new rules, the UK government is required to maintain a public debarment list. This includes subcontractors who are either excluded or excludable from public sector contracts. Suppliers may find themselves on the Procurement Act Department List due to:
Public Sector Buyers
A public sector buyer is a person or team working for a government body or public organisation (like a local council, NHS, or a government department) who is responsible for hiring companies to build or maintain public buildings and infrastructure. They must ensure good value, quality work, and follow strict rules.
Public Sector Contracts
Public sector contracts are agreements between public organisations (like government bodies, local councils, or public hospitals) and construction companies to carry out building or infrastructure projects. These contracts are funded by public money and must follow strict rules to ensure transparency, fairness, and value for taxpayers. They cover work like building schools, roads, hospitals, and other public facilities
Public Sector Procurement
The tender process that government bodies and contracting authorities use to request and purchase construction works, services, and materials from Construction subcontractors to work on public sector construction projects such as housing, schools, hospitals or education buildings.
Quality Management Systems
A quality management system, or QMS, is a set of processes that lay out how a business does what it does and sets expectations to be met to ensure quality in products and services delivered to stakeholders.
Risk Assessment Method Statements (RAMS)
RAMS, or Risk Assessment Method Statement, refers to essential health and safety documentation that identifies, evaluates, and mitigates hazards, providing detailed steps to ensure the safe execution of construction activities.
Social Value
There are 3 main themes to social value, these are: jobs and economic health, heath, wellbeing and the environment and strength of the community. Understanding exactly what social value is in construction varies between projects but ultimately it comes down to organisations who prioritise the broader impacts of a project beyond financial return.
SSIP
SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. This is a health & safety assessment scheme for the construction industry run by an umbrella organisation (SSIP) which reduces health and safety assessment duplication across projects.
SSIP Certification
Holding an SSIP certification can help companies demonstrate their commitment to workplace safety, making it easier to qualify for contracts, particularly in the construction, manufacturing, and facilities management industries. The certification is supported by UKAS accreditation, ensuring competency and consistency in health and safety compliance across the construction industry.
SSIP Core Criteria
The SSIP Core Criteria are 15 essential criteria requirements, each designed to ensure compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations – and including three specifically aimed at designers, principal designers and principal contractors.
Subcontractor Compliance
The ability for suppliers and subcontractors to demonstrate their compliance and alignment to UK building regulations and legislation.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors can be either individuals or companies who are brought onto projects by main contractors or public sector buyers to provide their specialised expertise to carry out specific elements of a wider project. These skilled professionals or businesses handle specific tasks rather than dealing directly with the client, which is the main contractor’s responsibility.
Supplier Performance Management
Supplier Performance Management is the process of monitoring and improving subcontractor performance across projects, measured by metrics on past performance. It is used to quickly identify trends, compare suppliers, and generate reports based on specific needs.
Supplier Relationship Management
Construction Supplier Relationship Management focuses on the quality aspect of nurturing and managing close relationships on an ongoing basis with subcontractors. It encourages teams to think about how they can get the most value from their connections, so they can work together to aid business performance.
Tender Management
Tender management in construction is the process of overseeing the entire tendering, bidding, or enquiries phase of a project. It involves everything from preparing and issuing tender documents to potential suppliers or subcontractors, to evaluating the submitted bids and awarding the contract. This process ensures fairness, transparency, and value for money by systematically managing bid submissions, clarifying queries from bidders, and assessing proposals against predefined criteria to select the most suitable contractor for the job.
Construction Tendering Software
Software solution used in the construction industry to streamline your tender enquiries by scanning and searching through all tender documents and quickly finding what you are looking for and carries out a Tender Management Gap Analysis.
UK Construction Market Reports
UK Construction Market Reports are detailed analyses and forecasts that provide insights into the performance, trends, and future outlook of the UK’s construction sector. Market Intelligence provides stakeholders with valuable data to make informed decisions, plan strategically, and navigate the evolving construction landscape.
UK Infrastructure Projects
Large-scale public or private developments in the United Kingdom aimed at improving transportation, utilities, housing, or digital connectivity. These projects often involve government funding and long-term planning.
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