Updates to public sector procurement

The changes, which came into effect from 1 April 2023, mean that contractors looking to win public sector contracts now need to show compliance not only with SSIP and health and safety requirements but with a broader range of standards as covered in the Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) and PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) accreditations. 

The Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite), launched in 2019 is a comprehensive industry approved questionnaire that has fast become the elite standard for prequalification in construction procurement. Specifying the Common Assessment Standards means via a single assessment, organisations can assess the capability of their suppliers across 13 pertinent compliance topics including: Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Data Protection, Equality & Diversity, Financial Information, Modern Slavery and Quality, Corporate Social Responsibility, Information Management and Information Security. 

The changes are good news for the huge number of CHAS Contractors already qualified to CHAS Elite and CHAS Advanced who will now have access to an even wider range of work. It also gives those who still need to pass these assessments an even greater incentive to raise their compliance standards. Whether it’s via CHAS’s expert team or through the 100s of free resources and templates available to support contractors in upgrading to new levels of accreditation, CHAS is committed to helping contractors work towards greater levels of accreditation.

Contracting authorities and private sector companies alike who are looking to source responsible contractors can do so via the CHAS jobs board, a free resource that allows clients to quickly and easily find accredited contractors and includes the facility to search by specific or multiple trades, desired assessment level, location and radius. 

CHAS managing director Ian McKinnon comments, “The updates to Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 08/16 are a clear signal of the government’s commitment to responsible public procurement and a further incentive for contractors to strive for greater levels of compliance.

“We are proud of the huge number of CHAS Contractors already accredited to the Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) and PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) and of the many more who are currently working with CHAS towards reaching these standards.  

“At CHAS, we believe the industry must work together to raise levels of supply chain risk management, and as ever, we are ready to support organisations looking to source responsible suppliers via our free CHAS Client portal.”

To find out more about qualifying for, or specifying, PAS 91 or the Common Assessment Standard, visit www.chas.co.uk or call 0345 521 9111