Preapproved Bidders

An example of an alternative to project-by-project prequalifications, is to undertake a periodic process in which contractors are invited to submit qualifications every several years in order to be included on a “vendor of record” list. This approach is analogous to consultants responding periodically to RFPs for standing offer agreements. This type of process is often used for public procurements. In addition, quasi-public organizations with large numbers of similar projects are drawn to this approach. The owners may maintain separate lists for different geographic regions or for different sizes of projects.