The Crown Commercial Service has published a new standard form public procurement prequalification questionnaire (PQQ).
The new questionnaire, which is contained in an annex to Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 08/14, supersedes the existing standard questions taken from PPN 01/12. Authorities do not have to reissue PQQs which were released to bidders prior to 3 July 2014.
Application of the PPN is mandatory for all above-threshold central government procurement exercises other than in relation to construction projects (which continue to be subject to the PAS 91 text). Additionally, the PPN recommends that the revised questionnaire be adopted by all public purchasers outside central government, including local authorities.
The new PQQ appears to reflect recent changes in government procurement policy aimed at the promotion of tax compliance through procurement and the exclusion of candidates for deficient past performance of public contracts.
The author Brendan Ryan is part of Burges Salmon’s Procurement team led by John Houlden.