Everything you need to know about the Common Assessment Standard, the recommended pre-qualification questionnaire for the construction industry and how Constructionline can help with this.
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.
Contact us to explore Constructionline memberships and meet the Common Assessment Standard
The Common Assessment Standard is a comprehensive framework that expands beyond PAS 91’s scope, which has now been withdrawn by the British Standards Institution (BSI). It asks a more detailed set of pre-qualification questions for construction projects, resulting in greater levels of quality and safety for building projects.
The Common Assessment Standard also promotes transparency by ensuring all construction suppliers are aware of the requirements. This fosters a more competitive and informed working environment.
80%
of all UK suppliers get their Common Assessment Standard accreditation from Constructionline
In March 2024, the Government issued Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 03/24, clarifying its recommendations for pre-qualification in the construction industry. The update confirmed that the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) is now the preferred method for assessing construction suppliers in public sector projects exceeding £5.337 million.
PAS 91 is no longer actively supported, with the Government recommending the Common Assessment Standard as the replacement for work contracts over specific thresholds.
Our Gold and Platinum memberships are specifically tailored to meet Common Assessment Standard requirements. They also conduct a number of further validation checks that we know are of interest to many clients. We assess a company’s credentials for environmental management, quality management, equal opportunities, Modern Slavery Act adherence, and anti-bribery and corruption policies. As well as enhanced construction pre-qualification questionnaires, Gold and Platinum members are assessed for SSIP certification.
All of these benefits are aligned to the Common Assessment Standard, allowing verified Constructionline members even greater opportunities within the construction industry.
Stand out to Main Contractors with Gold Membership
Our Gold Membership provides enhanced PQQ verification, including environmental management, equal opportunities, and quality management standards, giving you the credibility buyers look for.
Inefficient buying practices can amount to huge amounts of wasted time and money for construction buyers and suppliers alike.
By delivering a standardised approach to construction PQQs, the Common Assessment Standard:
Helps time-poor and under-resourced buyers identify suitable quality contractors via Find Supplier
Establishes itself as the government’s recommended standard for construction procurement in public sector procurement projects exceeding £5.337 million
Assists buyers with more sustainable construction procurement processes, simplifies the construction tendering process for more suppliers and encourages them to apply for more projects
Gives construction buyers more time to focus on the project-specific areas of the pre-qualification process
Completing construction PQQs for multiple clients can be costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, different PQQs in the construction industry often contain similar questions, simply presented in a different format.
The Common Assessment Standard addresses this problem, providing a standard PQQ for the construction industry.
Benefits include:
A faster, more cost-effective construction pre-qualification process, giving you more opportunities to win more work
Improve your business profile and professional standing by demonstrating that you align to the Common Assessment Standard
Develop standard responses to the ‘core’ questions, which can be used in response to any buyer
Exemptions from sections if you hold industry-recognised accreditations, such as SSIP certification
The Common Assessment Standard Questions by Build UK are designed to streamline prequalification in the UK construction industry. These industry-agreed Common Assessment Standard questions are divided into 10 sections and address a specific area of compliance, allowing subcontractors to complete the assessment in manageable portions. Each section addresses a specific area of compliance.
The Building Safety section of the Common Assessment Standard is now mandatory on our platform. As a Gold or Platinum member, you will need to specify whether you work on applicable projects (by opting in or out to this section), to demonstrate a Verified profile* and compliance with this certification.
The Common Assessment Standard (CAS) certification process involves an annual audit conducted by a recognised assessment body such as our team here at Constructionline.
There are two types of audits: desktop and site-based. The desktop audit, which aligns with our Gold level of membership, involves remote verification of the Common Assessment Standard PQQ through our platform, while the site audit, aligned with Platinum membership level, includes an auditor visiting the subcontractor’s premises to verify policy implementation in line with the answers provided to the Common Assessment Standard questions.
Once either a desktop or site Common Assessment Standard Audit has been successfully completed and verified, a CAS certificate is issued, which will be valid for 12 months from the date of issue. You can also share your Common Assessment Standard data with us from another assessment body through our Data Portability Request.
The key difference between the Common Assessment Standard and Pas 91 is that PAS 91 is a now withdrawn construction pre-qualification questionnaire, with the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) acting as its successor. Developed to offer a more comprehensive, modern framework, the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) builds on PAS 91 by expanding the scope of the construction pre-qualification questions, covering areas like the Building Safety Act and further UK building regulations in more detail.
Yes, PAS 91 was withdrawn by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in 2023 in the Governments Public Procurement Policy Note 03/24 and will no longer be updated, due to challenges with keeping up with industry demands and regulatory standards. The Common Assessment Standard (CAS) is now the preferred Pre-Qualification Questionnaire for public sector projects exceeding £5.337 million, as it offers a more comprehensive approach to pre-qualification in the construction industry.
To achieve Common Assessment Standard (CAS) accreditation, by signing up or upgrading to a Gold or Platinum Constructionline membership. This aligns you with the CAS framework and grants access to enhanced construction pre-qualification questionnaires.
To demonstrate your Common Assessment Standard verification, you can display your Gold or Platinum membership status from Constructionline, as these align with the CAS framework. Additionally, your CAS certification can be shared directly with Main Contractors to showcase your compliance with the industry’s standard pre-qualification requirements, improving your credibility in the construction sector. You can request to download the Constructionline logo to show Main Contractors your accreditation status here.
If you are a Construction Main Contractor or buyer wanting to ensure your construction supply chain aligns with the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) accreditation, you can manage and assess your construction subcontractors using Construction Supply Chain Management platforms such as Marketplace on the Constructionline platform.. By selecting subcontractors with Gold or Platinum membership, you confirm they align to the Common Assessment Standard., You can also benefit from up to date subcontractor information; regularly monitor and verify their credentials to main supply chain compliance, as well as ensure they comply with safety, quality, and sustainability standards. To find out more, visit our Construction Supply Chain Management page.
