The Common Assessment Standard

What is the Common Assessment Standard?

The Common Assessment Standard [CAS] is an accreditation designed to standardise the prequalification process, helping both clients and contractors improve supply chain efficiency and reduce supply chain risks.

The Common Assessment Standard builds on the PAS 91 prequalification questionnaire, helping contractors achieve compliance and mitigate risks across 10 areas.

1. Section 1: Identity
2. Section 2: Financial
3. Section 3: Corporate and Professional Standing
4. Section 4: Health and Safety [module exemption in SSIP certification is held]
5. Section 5: Environmental
6. Section 6: Quality
7. Section 7: Building Safety
8. Section 8: Fairness, Inclusion & Respect [FIR]
9. Section 9: Information Security
10. Section 10: Information Management (IM)

There are two levels of CAS certification: desktop and site-based.  A desktop audit will involve CQMS verifying the information against the desktop assessment standard remotely.  A site-based audit will involve an auditor from CQMS visiting the company’s premises to verify the implementation of the policies and procedures submitted against the site-based assessment standard.  For companies that employ fewer than 10 employees and have a turnover below £1.8 million or a balance sheet totalling less than £1.8 million, the assessment standards are applied proportionately.

Companies that have the Common Assessment Standard are certified once a year by a Recognised Assessment Body which is accepted by a growing list of Contractors and Clients who no longer specify a particular assessment body. 

The July 2024 revision of the CAS includes a new Building Safety section ensuring that the CAS can be used to demonstrate that companies have the ‘organisational capability’ to fulfil their roles under the Building Safety Act.  At present (July 2024) the Building Safety questions have been designated as ‘advisory’ and a company does not have to complete these advisory questions to achieve the Common Assessment Standard.