Matthews & Roberts

CHAS, Constructionline, SafeContractor, SSIP and ISO 45001

PQQ and Accreditation
Support

Accreditation is the entry requirement for most contractor supply chains. We help you close the gaps, manage submissions and keep renewals current so your team stays focused on delivery.

Based in Liverpool. Supporting contractors across the UK.

Discuss your accreditation

What we do

Accreditation and prequalification handled for contractors

Clients, principal contractors and procurement platforms increasingly treat accreditation as a baseline. Without it, contractors often cannot be approved, invited to tender or appointed to a framework, whatever their delivery record.

For most contractors the challenge is time, not capability. We identify what is needed, close the gaps, manage the submission and keep accreditation current. We are not an accreditation or certification body. Assessment decisions rest with the scheme.

Preparing a bid as well? Tender and preconstruction support covers the wider submission.

What we provide

CHAS, Constructionline and SafeContractor
Three of the most widely requested schemes in UK contractor supply chains.
SSIP schemes and deem to satisfy
Choosing the right scheme and using cross scheme recognition.
ISO 45001
Management system support ahead of third party certification.
PQQ and prequalification responses
Client, framework and principal contractor submissions.
Annual renewals and maintenance
Accreditation kept current without becoming a distraction.

How we help

Accreditation support from gap to renewal

Open any service to see what it covers.

Gap analysis and readiness review

Know where you stand before you submit.

A review of your current position against the requirements of the target scheme. We identify which documents, policies, records and management systems are in place, what needs strengthening and what is missing before anything is submitted.

Scheme requirementsPolicy reviewDocumentation auditReadiness assessment

Documentation and systems support

The policies and procedures assessors look for.

Development and review of health and safety policies, procedures, management systems, method statements and risk assessment frameworks. We also cover the quality and environmental documentation needed to meet the assessment criteria.

Health and safety policiesProceduresManagement systemsRisk frameworks
Health and safety consultancy

Submission preparation and management

Applications, evidence and assessor queries handled.

We prepare and coordinate the submission, complete the online portal, compile the supporting evidence and manage assessor queries through to the assessment decision.

Application completionPortal managementEvidence compilationAssessor liaison

PQQ and prequalification responses

Client, framework and principal contractor questionnaires.

Support with prequalification responses, including competency information, project experience, CVs, management arrangements, accreditation evidence and quality, safety and environmental submissions.

PQQ responsesExperience evidenceProfessional CVsManagement systems
Tender and preconstruction support

Annual renewal and maintenance

Renewals and surveillance managed on time.

Managing renewals, surveillance requirements and scheme updates. We keep the management systems and records behind each accreditation current so your standing is maintained.

Annual renewalSurveillance supportOngoing complianceSystem maintenance

Accreditation recovery

Support after a failed or lapsed accreditation.

Where an accreditation has failed, lapsed or been challenged, we help you understand what went wrong, address the specific failure points and work through resubmission as efficiently as possible.

Failure reviewGap closureResubmissionUrgent support

Accreditation schemes

The schemes we support contractors through

We also help with client and framework specific prequalification. If you are unsure which schemes suit your business, we can advise.

CHAS

Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme

One of the most widely recognised SSIP schemes in the UK. Commonly required by principal contractors, local authorities, housing associations and public sector clients. Assessment covers health and safety management, policies, practices and capability.

SSIP member schemePrincipal contractorsPublic sectorHousing

Constructionline

Supply chain database with Silver and Gold levels

A procurement and supply chain database used by public and private sector clients and Tier 1 contractors. Gold level is increasingly asked for on frameworks and larger supply chains. Assessment covers financial standing, quality, health and safety, environmental, equality and professional standing.

Constructionline GoldFramework supply chainsTier 1 requirements

SafeContractor

SSIP health and safety assessment

A widely used SSIP scheme, particularly common in retail, facilities management, commercial and infrastructure work. Assessment covers health and safety policy, risk management, training, competence, monitoring and contractor management.

SSIP member schemeRetail and facilities managementCommercial

SSIP deem to satisfy

Safety Schemes in Procurement

Membership of a recognised SSIP scheme can be accepted by other member schemes as meeting the core health and safety criteria. We help you choose the scheme that suits your business and client base, then manage achieving and keeping membership.

Cross scheme recognitionCore criteriaSupply chain

ISO 45001

Occupational health and safety management systems

The international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, which replaced OHSAS 18001. Increasingly requested for frameworks, public sector contracts and larger supply chain appointments. We support the gap analysis and system development. Certification itself is carried out by an accredited certification body.

Framework submissionsPublic sectorInternational standard

Builders Profile

Supply chain database for specialist contractors

Widely used in mechanical, electrical and specialist subcontractor supply chains. Assessment covers health and safety, financial, insurance, environmental and quality information. It can also support SSIP deem to satisfy recognition.

Specialist contractorsM&E supply chainsSSIP recognition

A lapsed accreditation or a framework deadline coming up?

Speak to our team

Our process

Five stages from gap to accreditation

The same approach applies whether it is your first scheme or a portfolio of renewals.

01

Review current position

What you hold, what has lapsed or is due for renewal and what new schemes your clients or tenders require.

02

Gap analysis

Your policies, procedures, records and management systems reviewed against the target scheme.

03

Documentation

Policies, procedures and management information developed or strengthened to meet the criteria.

04

Submission

The application prepared, submitted and assessor queries managed through to a decision.

05

Maintain

Renewals, surveillance and system updates handled as your business and workload develop.

When you need us

Common reasons contractors come to us

Some contractors call ahead of a specific submission. Others call when the pressure is more immediate.

New client or framework requirement

A new client, principal contractor or framework requires CHAS, Constructionline Gold or SafeContractor before you can join the supply chain.

Accreditation has lapsed or failed

An existing accreditation has expired or the latest renewal was unsuccessful and your position needs restoring quickly.

Moving into larger or more complex work

You are tendering for contracts that need a higher level of accreditation or scheme membership you have not needed before.

Internal resource cannot manage it

Your team cannot manage submissions, documentation and renewals alongside live project commitments.

Several schemes needed at once

Different clients and frameworks require different schemes and you need support coordinating all of them.

Preparing for a framework or major bid

A significant tender needs accreditation evidence and you need to be certain every scheme is current.

The detail

Understand your position before you submit

Submitting before you are ready wastes time and can delay accreditation if the assessor finds issues. A review first gives you a clear action plan that closes the gaps.

What the gap analysis reviews

Fifteen areas assessors commonly examine.
  • Health and safety policy and arrangements
  • Risk assessment and method statement framework
  • COSHH, manual handling and specific risk control
  • Accident and incident reporting
  • Competence and training records
  • Inductions and toolbox talks
  • Subcontractor management procedures
  • Environmental management
  • Quality management arrangements
  • Financial and insurance information
  • Equality and diversity policy
  • Modern slavery and anti bribery
  • Professional registrations and memberships
  • Project references and experience
  • Named personnel CVs and competency

Retained accreditation management

Accreditation you never have to chase.

Most schemes require annual renewal, surveillance and ongoing maintenance of the systems behind them. Left to internal teams alongside live projects, this often slips. On a retained basis we monitor expiry dates, coordinate renewals, update documentation and respond to scheme changes so your portfolio stays current.

The safety systems behind the accreditation

Arrangements that work on site, not only on paper.

Assessors look for health and safety arrangements that reflect how you actually work. Our health and safety and CDM teams can help put those arrangements in place on your projects.

Health and safety consultancyCDM 2015 advisory

Accreditation alongside tenders

PQQ evidence ready when the bid lands.

Accreditation and PQQ work often go together. The same policies, experience information, CVs and management evidence support both scheme assessments and client prequalification.

Tender and preconstruction support

Related services

Support around your business

FAQ

PQQ and accreditation questions from contractors

Which accreditation schemes do you support?

We support contractors through CHAS, Constructionline, SafeContractor, other SSIP schemes, ISO 45001, Builders Profile and client or framework specific prequalification. We can also help you decide which schemes best suit your business, client base and target markets.

Can you help us achieve Constructionline Gold?

Yes. We review your current status, carry out a gap analysis against the Gold requirements, help develop any missing policies, procedures or management systems and manage the submission and assessor queries.

Can you help recover CHAS or SafeContractor accreditation that has lapsed or failed?

Yes. We review the specific failure points, identify what needs to be addressed and work with you to close the gaps and resubmit as quickly as possible. A lapse can affect supply chain eligibility, so we treat recovery as urgent.

How long does accreditation take?

It varies by scheme and by how much documentation and system development is needed. CHAS and SafeContractor can often be achieved within weeks where the management systems are largely in place. Constructionline Gold and ISO 45001 generally take longer. We give a realistic timescale once we have reviewed your starting position.

Can you guarantee we will pass?

No. Assessment decisions are made by the scheme or certification body, not by us. What we do is make sure your submission is complete, accurate and supported by evidence before the assessor sees it.

Do you support PQQ responses alongside accreditation?

Yes. We help develop the policies, procedures, experience information, CVs and management evidence needed for both scheme assessments and client or principal contractor prequalification.

Can you manage several accreditation schemes at the same time?

Yes. Many contractors hold several schemes for different clients and frameworks. We can manage the submissions, renewals, documentation and assessor queries across all of them so your team does not have to handle each one separately.

Can Matthews & Roberts be named in our PQQ submission?

Where Matthews & Roberts is formally appointed to support you, named personnel, CVs, competency information and our defined consultancy role can be included in a legitimate prequalification submission.

Do you support ISO 45001 certification?

Yes. We support the gap analysis, management system development and documentation needed for ISO 45001. Formal certification is carried out by an accredited third party certification body. We help you get ready for that assessment.

Can you maintain our accreditation on a retained basis?

Yes. Retained support covers renewals, surveillance, system maintenance and scheme updates. It removes the administrative load from your team and helps prevent any accreditation lapsing by accident.

Where do you provide accreditation support?

We are based in Liverpool and support contractors across the UK, including Liverpool, Manchester and the wider North West.

PQQ and accreditation support

Ready to get your accreditation in order?

Whether you need CHAS for the first time, an upgrade to Constructionline Gold, recovery of a lapsed accreditation or ongoing management of several schemes, we can take the process on.

  • CHAS, Constructionline Gold and SafeContractor
  • SSIP schemes and deem to satisfy
  • ISO 45001 system support
  • PQQ and prequalification submissions
  • Gap analysis and documentation
  • Annual renewals and retained management
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