VicRoads

VicRoads

Prequalification Scheme Compliance Criteria

The VicRoads prequalification scheme lists contractors who are prequalified to tender on VicRoads work. The VicRoads prequalification scheme is aligned to the National Prequalification Scheme. Austroads has developed the National Prequalification System (NPS) to create a harmonised framework for roadworks and bridgeworks construction contracts. Companies wishing to submit tenders to Australian Road Agencies for these contracts must be prequalified under the NPS. VicRoads is a participant in the NPS.

Contractors may become prequalified in a number of categories (R & B Construction being assessed under the NPS), depending on their ability to undertake the types of works specified in each category. The categories available include:

• Environment
• Pavement and Geotechnical Engineering
• Maintenance and General Works
• Road and Bridge Construction (NPS)
• Road and Bridge Design
• Traffic Management Services ( Consultants)
• Traffic Management Services (Contractors)
• Transport and Planning Studies
• Other Professional Services

CCF Member contractors primarily seek prequalification in Road and Bridge Construction, Maintenance and General Works and Traffic Management Services (Contractors).

Compliance criteria are similar in these categories described above, with one main difference being there is no Environmental criteria for companies applying to the Traffic Management Services (Contractors) categories TGS and TMP.

Focussing on Road and Bridge Construction, the most commonly sought category by CCF member companies, the compliance criteria includes:

Technical Capability

1. Company experience. The applicant company must be able to demonstrate that they possess enough relevant past experience on projects of the type for the category being sought. The criteria include contract details and duration, $ value, client details, on time completion and be verifiable by reputable client/consultant references. Personnel experience, qualifications and competencies are also assessed in the application process.
2. Company resources and technical capability. The applicant company must be able to demonstrate that they possess the in-house (or sub contracted in certain circumstances *) resources of a Personnel, Plant, Administrative and Professional nature; in order to properly execute a project of the type or category for which they are applying.
3. Management systems. The applicant company must be certified and current, to either the CCF Management Code, ISO Standards 9001:2015, 14001:2015 and AS/NZS 4801 (or equivalent – ie. 18001), or independently audited by a JASANZ accredited auditor to the VicRoads Management System checklist.

*It is expected that resources nominated in an application are predominately “in house”. If subcontractor resources are nominated for core construction activities, the Applicant must provide clear evidence of an established and successful working relationship with the subcontractor.

Financial Capacity

To be considered for prequalification and to maintain prequalification status, contractors must demonstrate strong business viability over both the short and long term.

Applicants that demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to be prequalified will be assigned a financial ‘level’ and become eligible to tender for advertised contracts that nominate a financial level, providing the Applicant is prequalified in the advertised technical categories.

A financial assessment will be undertaken on the entity seeking prequalification, which could be the subsidiary of a parent company.  In some cases, VicRoads (at its own discretion), may allow the financial capacity of a parent company to be assessed when considering the financial capacity of the applicant.  

VicRoads may also request a suitable undertaking from the parent entity, such as a Letter of Undertaking or Parent Company Guarantee.  The parent company then becomes the guaranteeing entity.

Any award of financial level based on or including an assessment of a parent company will be regarded as Conditional prequalification.

In assessing financial capacity, inter-company arrangements including loans and current contractual commitments will be taken into account.

More information on industry compliance is readily available to CCF Members via the CCF Member Portal.

Interested in becoming a member? CLICK HERE to apply.