The Common Assessment Standard is a new accreditation put together by industry experts Build UK supported by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
It builds on the current pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) process to further streamline supply chains and standardise processes across the industry. It is an industry-agreed set of questions to replace multiple levels of processes that are repetitive and time-consuming.
The Common Assessment Standard aims to help both clients and contractors improve efficiency through standardised criteria and reduced paperwork. It will help eliminate duplication associated with supply chain tendering and streamline the administrative waste businesses currently face due to unnecessary overlap.
With a soft launch in 2019, there has now been a significant uptake by some of the biggest names in the sector to adopt the new Common Assessment Standard. As more clients mandate this accreditation as a prerequisite for suppliers tendering for projects, the industry as a whole will move closer towards a stock process.
What The Common Assessment Standard Means For Construction Businesses
This new framework is in place to standardise the processes for subcontractors and suppliers. It is a more thorough framework than the existing process and includes assessment in 13 aspects of risk management. The 13 elements included in the Common Assessment Standard are:
- Identity
- Financial
- Insurance
- Corporate and Professional Standing
- Health and Safety
- Environmental
- Quality
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Information Security
- Information Management
- Anti-Bribery and Corruption
- Modern Slavery
Companies will need to demonstrate compliance with the legislation surrounding each aspect of the above. Once a business can demonstrate compliance, they will be assessed annually to ensure the same high standards are being maintained.
One key component is to stay on top of all relevant legislation and to renew any paperwork as it expires. Remaining compliant is one way to ensure that renewing your Common Assessment Standard certification each year is a smooth process and that there has been no lapse in standards between assessments.
Suppliers will benefit hugely from the standardised questions, meaning they won’t have to spend time answering the same questions or similar over and over again because everything will be covered at once.
What Will The Transition To The Common Assessment Standard Look Like?
We’ve previously discussed the importance of a lean supply chain for businesses, and the Common Assessment Standard is an extension of that. As this is a development of the pre-qualification modules that came before it — like SSIP and PAS91 — there isn’t a huge amount of transition to adopt the Common Assessment Standard.
The process is the same as the PAS91 in that you will need to provide evidence of compliance with a set of standards. While the criteria are more comprehensive than that of the existing PQQ, the actions required are essentially the same. Companies complete a set of questions and submit supporting documents to demonstrate the criteria outlined in the questionnaire.
For a small investment of time, effort and cost now, companies and the whole industry will see the benefits moving forwards. Clients will benefit from a reduction in administrative tasks and less paperwork. The Common Assessment Standard increases efficiency by resolving many long-standing issues of administrative waste in the current system.
The latest development of the Common Assessment Standard is the new data sharing agreement. This means that any client that recognises the Common Assessment Standard accreditation can access the information without suppliers needing to repeat the same application steps. Suppliers can then share the accreditation data with Common Assessment Standard recognised assessment bodies.
The Common Assessment Standard can replace the workload that comes with achieving individual certifications by bringing together all areas of risk management under one umbrella accreditation. These 12 areas cover all aspects of risk, so having the same assessment body and process for every item cuts out time-consuming processes and the doubling up of workload.
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How Can CHAS Help With Common Assessment Standard?
As the UK’s leading health and safety risk management solutions provider, CHAS is well placed to help construction companies achieve this new accreditation and start to see the benefits of compliance. Whether businesses have already achieved the Common Assessment Standard accreditation or need to start the process from the beginning, CHAS can help companies on their journey.
There are two types of assessment for the accreditation — desktop and site-based. Desktop assessment refers to a remote assessment carried out by a CHAS assessor based on the documents provided by the company. The evidence is checked against the answers provided in the questionnaire. Site-based assessments are an in-person audit carried out by a CHAS assessor on-site to assess compliance first hand.
CHAS was the first assessment body to offer the Common Assessment Standard in 2019 and have already helped hundreds of contractors achieve accreditation. The experience CHAS has means that we are already giving clients access to the portal of pre-accredited contractors, and suppliers have won business through this scheme thanks to already having signed up.
Follow the CHAS blog to get more insights on the Common Assessment Standard.
You can also join CHAS by becoming a CHAS Elite member — our most comprehensive accreditation package includes SSIP, PAS91 and the Common Assessment Standard. Sign up now to access expert advice and support from CHAS.
Not sure where to start? Learn how the membership process works by reading our guide to joining CHAS. You can also speak with a CHAS advisor by calling 0345 521 9222 for advice on how to start on your journey to achieving the Common Assessment Standard.
