Managing Prequalification: Totika

Think about the number of different prequalification systems and processes currently on the market. Some internal to organisations as part of a procurement process, some external and provided as a requirement to work in a particular industry. Remember when a prequalification was an expensive hygiene assessment of potential contractors before they came onto site to do work?

The prequalification concept has been tarnished over the years as various organisations developed processes that attempted to ascertain a good contractor from a bad one, purely based on the production of documentation and perhaps a little evidence, if you were lucky, perhaps you may even get a visit on-site from an assessor; however this was a rarity.

The Solution?

Totika was conceptualised by Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ) some years ago and has grown to be a prequalification scheme that provides real value to contractors and meaningful assessments for Principals. A single standard, not only across the New Zealand construction industry but across all industries, backed by a data lake where Principals can access contractor prequalification assessments and pick appropriate contracting parties quickly and efficiently. With the assurance that contractors have gone through a rigorous process aligned to a national framework governed by a completely separate and standalone organisation.

By delivering a standardised format, the Totika scheme:

• Helps buyers identify suitably qualified contractors with less time and resources
• Helps buyers achieve more sustainable procurement
• Gives buyers more time to focus on the project-specific areas of the prequalification process
• Encourages more suppliers (particularly SMEs) to apply for work by simplifying the tendering process and saving time and resources by having the one universal prequalification scheme.

Qualify365 – Powering up Totika!

The Qualify365 platform further supports Totika in several ways;

• Built as a new service from the ground up means that Qualify365 fully mirrors the Totika requirements and then builds on it by providing useful tips and insights to ensure contractors are fully prepared to answer the questions.
• With a fresh mandate to ensure our clients are engaged and assisted in improving their Health and Safety, all clients are assigned a personalised Assessor providing guidance and advice, ensuring this is more than just an assessment. It’s a Safety Improvement journey.
• The Qualify team have worked hard in the background also to gain ISO accreditation for Qualify365, meaning that;
• Assessors are certified Occupational Health and Safety professionals and undertake continuous professional development in line with the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management requirements.
• Internal processes are aligned to best practice and backed by an accredited, Internationally recognised Quality Management System.
• Uniform processes ensure that customers receive the highest product support and result.
• The Qualify365 platform seamlessly integrates with all Safe365 products; contractors and principals can easily share prequalification results.
• Both Qualify365 and SAFE365 interact together to create the “Gold Standard” for prequalification, safety maturity and continuous improvement, ensuring not only an initial prequalification assessment but continuous Health and Safety improvement and feedback throughout the contracting chain for the life of the engagement.
• Principle contractors can now utilise the Safe365 Contractor connect platform to see their contracting chain and interact with them from prequalification through to post contract review.

• Are you a principal engaging supplier’s?
• Do you want more visibility over your supply chain?
• Or perhaps you are a supplier looking for a prequalification that adds value?
• Contact the SAFE365 team now to find out more!

Nick Engelmann – BOHS, ProfNZISM, MInstD, HASANZ