The ACT Government has operated a prequalification scheme for construction industry suppliers since 1993.  This is a primary risk management approach to dealing with an industry recognised as high risk.  Contractors are required to be prequalified to tender for works estimated at greater than $500,000.  Consultants/agents are required to be prequalified to tender for works where the fee is estimated at greater than $50,000.

Prequalification is awarded within specific financial limits, based on financial assessment and technical capacity/past performance history.  Suppliers are required to demonstrate that they have the technical and financial capacity to undertake works, as well as having appropriate management systems in place such as quality assurance, occupational health, safety and rehabilitation, environmental and industrial relations.  Insurances, licences and mandatory qualifications are checked for currency and for consistency with the role being applied for.  Individual firm prequalification is subject to cyclical review and renewal, annually for contractors and every 18 months for consultants/agents.  Systems are audited for compliance, either by third party auditors or ACT Government accredited second party auditors.

A national framework of consistent prequalification benchmarks has been agreed by all Australian governments through the work of the Australian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC), www.apcc.gov.au.  Compliance with the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry is a requirement of all suppliers.  This approach is aimed at not only streamlining and improving the efficiency of the tender process, but also facilitating industry development by identifying industry reform initiatives/objectives and measuring suppliers’ performance against relevant benchmarks.

Shared Services Procurement are currently transitioning to the National Prequalification System. Further details on the transition to this system for Civil (Road and Bridge) Construction and Non Residential Building prequalification can be found below.

General Information on the National Prequalification system can be found on the websites www.apcc.gov.au and www.austroads.com.au

Prequalification of Contractors for Civil (Road and Bridge) Construction Contracts Link:  ACT Government Prequalification Threshold Codes for Contractors.

Shared Services Procurement manages the delivery of the Government’s road program and is currently implementing the Austroads National Prequalification System for Civil (Road and Bridge) Construction Contracts (‘National Prequalification System’).

Contractors are invited to submit an application under the National Prequalification System to be prequalified to tender for civil (road and bridge) construction contracts with Shared Services Procurement for a period of 12 months commencing from 1 January 2011.

From 1 January 2011, only contractors prequalified with Shared Services Procurement, or recognised by Shared Services Procurement under the National Prequalification System’s mutual recognition framework will be eligible to tender in Australian Capital Territory for civil (road and bridge) construction contracts advertised under the new system.

Application forms and guidelines are available from this website: Download Forms

In order to be prequalified from 1 January 2011 applications must be received by 4pm Wednesday 8 December 2010, and must be delivered to Shared Services Procurement by:-

email to: SharedServicesProcurementprequalification@act.gov.au
post to: Shared Services Procurement, Prequalification Unit, PO Box 818 Dickson ACT 2602.

deliver to: Shared Services Procurement Prequalification Unit, Level 1 North Building, 16 Challis Street Dickson ACT 2602.

Applications for prequalification post 1 January 2011 can be submitted at any time using one of the delivery methods above.

Prequalification of Contractors for Non Residential Building Contracts
Details and forms for applications for prequalification for Non Residential Building Contracts will be available as soon as they are finalised.

Further information can be obtained from Lee-Anne Aldwell, Manager, Capital Contracts and Prequalification Unit.
Please phone (02) 6207 5982 or email lee-anne.aldwell@act.gov.au