Crown Commercial Services publishes revised standard Selection Questionnaire

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has published a revised standard Selection Questionnaire which replaces the current standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) for above-threshold procurements.

In a procurement policy note, the CCS said that “to facilitate easy access to procurements from suppliers from the devolved administrations and those in the EU, the standard Selection Questionnaire incorporates the exclusion grounds listed in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015). The exclusion grounds also align with those listed in the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD).”

It added that the Selection Questionnaire was compliant with the requirements of the ESPD.

The procurement policy note applies to all contracting authorities in England, and contracting authorities in Wales and Northern Ireland that exercise wholly or mainly reserved functions for procurements above the thresholds laid down in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).

The CCS said in-scope organisations should apply the provisions of the action note with immediate effect.

It said the key actions were as follows:

• Stop using the standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire for the supplier selection stage of new procurements covered by the PCR 2015.
• Start using the new standard Selection Questionnaire and comply with the guidance, process and the standard form in attached annexes.

Annex A provides guidance on the selection stage process, while Annex B contains the Standard Selection Questionnaire Template. Annex C sets out the exclusion grounds and Annex D covers frequently asked questions.

“The standard Selection Questionnaire has been developed to simplify the supplier selection process for businesses, in particular smaller firms, across the public sector. In developing the SQ the opportunity has been taken to make the questionnaire compliant with the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), and amended the rules on the selection of suppliers,” the CCS said.

The procurement policy note can be viewed here.