Sopo Accredit Overview
A formalised mechanism for assessment for pre-qualification is an integral part of the public sector tendering exercise.
Public sector organisations need assurance that suppliers are suitable to tender for public sector contract opportunities in terms of their legal, financial and technical capacity.
The SOPO Accredit national pre-qualification service offers a simple and structured approach to pre-qualification via supplier assessment across common criteria, delivering better value for money to both buyers and suppliers, and is open to all.
SOPO Accredit gives suppliers recognition through pre-qualification and access to thousands of public sector buyers. Buyers have access to a diverse database of approved suppliers and a single, transparent selection process.
When applying for SOPO Accredit status, suppliers are fully assessed by a third party to achieve full accreditation. This process is conducted by Capita. Capita currently administers the Constructionline accreditation service, owned by the Department of Trade and Industry. SOPO Accredit applicants are assessed and accredited to the same exacting standards as those of Constructionline, providing buyers with the assurance that they meet a respected government accreditation standard.*
Once successfully registered, each supplier's company information is available to all SOPO Accredit, BiP Select and Constructionline registered buyers, along with their status: All suppliers registered though Constructionline can also be viewed by SOPO Accredit buyers. Therefore, Constructionline suppliers do not need to apply to SOPO Accredit.
For more information on SOPO Accredit, click as appropriate:
Alternatively, call 0845 270 7094 or email sales@bipselect.com
*Owned and endorsed by the Department of Trade and Industry, Constructionline is the UK's register of pre-qualified local and national construction suppliers. There are over 12,800 contractors and consultants currently registered with Constructionline, and over 1,700 public sector buyers. Constructionline's accreditation standards have been agreed by the DTI, OGC and DCLG.
