Contractor Pre-Qualification

Having a contractor pre-qualification system ensures SDC are assessing the quality of council contractors' health and safety systems and safety culture to a particular standard of safety and risk exposure.

It also provides SDC with an assurance that contractors have health and safety systems in place.

Prequalification will last for a period of two years, with the contractor also providing liability insurance yearly to ensure status remains.

If the contractor was prequalified in their specialty area e.g. building originally and they are asking to be re pre-qualified again in that area, then council would require minimal records, such as training of new personnel, any incidents, updated Health and Safety policy along with a new insurance certification.

If the contractor was prequalified in a specialty area such as Open Space Management and were then wanting to also gain prequalification in 3 waters, a separate application with different processes would need to be supplied for consideration.

Contractors who require professional advice on their health and safety systems should search for a fully qualified, competent business or professional.

This information is contained on the HASANZ website ‘Choosing a Workplace Health and Safety Advisor’ http://www.hasanz.org.nz/ . There is also advice on the WorkSafe NZ website. Councils Health and Safety advisor can talk you through the pre-qualification requirements and show what is needed.

This should be used every time a medium to high risk job is being completed, even if you are pre-qualified. Contractors are welcome to submit this using their own documentation, but it must contain a step-by-step description of how the job is going to be carried out, an analysis of any hazards involved and a detailed description of how they are going to be managed. Alternatively, there is a SDC template that can be used.

A JSA is a tool used to identify any actual or potential hazards and risks with the key focus to: develop and document a contract safety plan; ascertain the level of risk; communicate the plan; manage the plan with the involvement of those involved in the task; use as a tool to prove compliance to the client and others; and to use as a tool for the post contract review to identify areas for improvement of the business.

This should be used every time a high risk job is being completed, even if you are prequalified. A Site-Specific Safety Plan (SSSP) is a highly effective communication tool. It forms a critical part of the agreement between parties and outlines how health and safety will be managed on a job, it the overarching safety plan for the site; it is the go-to document for construction and hazardous site safety management.

It covers the hazards, contact information, responsibilities and safety information. All contact details and who is responsible needs to be really clear. Additionally what is being done, and what is to be achieved, needs to be clear as well.

No. If a contactor is not pre-qualified, they can be supported to complete the process by the Council’s Health and Safety Advisor.

No. All necessary steps to stay prequalified must be undertaken by the contractor to ensure that they stay current. Council managers responsible for the contract should be in touch one month prior to expiry to notify contractor.

All contractors undertaking medium or high risk work need to be pre-qualified.

Lower risk contractors/suppliers such as couriers do not need pre-qualification but should have completed an internal creditor application form that enables council to pay goods/services supplied.

A guide to assessing the risk level of work is included in the Pre-qualification Questionnaire. If you are unclear which category a job falls into, this should be discussed with the Council’s Health and Safety Advisor.

Your business must hold insurance with a reputable insurer, at a level appropriate to cover the contract or supplied works. The insurance must cover your obligations under agreements for contracted works including, but not limited to, liabilities and indemnities under contracted works.

What insurance you’ll need depends on the industry you’re in and what you do, but having liability insurance will protect you or your business if someone sues you, or an employee for damaging their property or reputation. This kind of insurance is important if you have the potential to damage other people’s buildings, equipment or belongings.

Policies differ, but they generally cover you for compensation costs — money you’d have to pay to the organisation suing you, if their case was successful legal costs and any other costs you may have to cover defending your case, e.g. any reports you might need for your case.

Yes – they will get an acknowledgement of successful pre-qualification through email with a copy of a letter of acceptance in their specialised field of service. A turnaround of two weeks is usually expected for this process.