03 May 2016 – Suitability Assessment Questionnaire: QW1 (v2.0) Restricted Procedure for Works Contractors, associated H&S Supplements 3.4.1 (Contractor) and 3.4.2 (PSCS) and new Appendices J & K; Suitability Assessment Questionnaire: QW4 (v1.0) – Restricted Procedure for Reserved Specialists, associated H&S Supplements 3.4.1 (Specialist) and 3.4.2 (Works Specialist with a Design Input) and QW4 Appendices A – K inclusive.

Note: EU Directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU and 2014/25/EU came into effect on 18 April 2016. The directives set out the procurement rules applicable to the award of public contracts. A new document titled the ‘European Single Procurement Document’ (ESPD) has been introduced as part of the new rules and, for procurements governed by the directives, contracting authorities must accept an ESPD completed in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/7
The revised QW1 and the new QW4 have been updated to facilitate the submission of the ESPD but the suite of suitability assessment questionnaires will be further amended in the coming weeks to take into account the new directives/transposing regulations and to enhance compatibility with the ESPD in the coming weeks.

QW1 v2.0
A number of amendments have been undertaken to QW1 – Restricted Procedure for Works Contractors, the following are the key amendments:
Section 1.0 has been amended to include a new Section 1.9 Specialist Works Reserved by the Contracting Authority to reflect the new procedure for Reserved Specialists. Existing sections 1.6 – 1.8 inclusive have been amended to restrict certain procedures to the appropriate form of public works contract.
Section 2.0 has been amended to request more detailed information from applicants so as to uniquely identify their business.
Section 3.0 has been amended to permit qualitative assessment of 3.3b and 3.3d and for certain criteria in Specialist Services and Specialist Works. Supplements 3.4.3 and 3.4.4 have been removed and, where a PSDP or Contractor as Designer appointment is necessary (typically for a Design and Build contract), the service provider suitability assessment questionnaire for the restricted procedure – QC1 should be used.
Criterion 3.3a has been amended to focus on turnover related to the business area that is the subject of the procurement.
A new Appendix J is provided to give contracting authorities the option to seek more detailed information from the applicant’s principal banker where this is appropriate.
A new Appendix K which is a template letter to be provided by the applicant’s Professional Indemnity Insurance provider stating that they can provide PII to the levels required.

QW4 v1.0
A new suitability assessment questionnaire for the procurement of Reserved Specialists (See guidance note GN2.3.3) has been published. The restricted procedure must be used when procuring Reserved Specialists and the format and structure of section 2.0 and 3.0 mirrors the revised QW1 v2.0 as set out above. Section 1.0 provides information that is pertinent to the procurement of Reserved Specialists.