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Approved Contractors - Frequently Asked Questions
Please use the links below to find out more information about approved contractors:
There are several types of application forms on the website. Which one can I apply for and what’s the difference?
The Building & Civil Engineering list is for contractors who are involved in large scale building and engineering works valued from £25,000 up to £3.5million. For a breakdown of the works covered in this list please refer to the application form. Under public procurements rules you will be expected to submit a tender in order to be considered for a particular contracts.
The Under £25,000 list is principally for small general building maintenance supplies and services. For a breakdown of the supplies and services covered in this list please refer to the application form. For these contracts, due to the values, you will usually just be expected to provide a single written quotation.
The Bus and Coach Operators' list is for bus and coach operators; organisations will usually be expected to provide a written quotation for this work.
Does being on the list guarantee me any work or contracts with SCC or associated organisations?
No. Every contractor will be expected to submit a price or tender in order to secure a contract.
I cannot see a category listing for my business on any of the application forms?
As an organisation we do not operate approved lists for every category and types of work. In some instances where there is large spend across the organisation, for example, stationery, it is more cost effective to have a contract in place that is awarded for several years. These types of contracts are subject to procurement regulations and successful companies are sourced via a full tender process. A list of current corporate contracts is available within our List of Current Contracts, for your information.
If you cannot see a category list please contact us to discuss options available to you.
I have registered my company on the SCMS Alito website. Do I need to do anything further?
No. All applications via the website are being progressed.
I have registered my company on SCMS Alito but the status has never been changed from pre registered. Is there a reason for this?
Yes. It means that Sheffield does not currently operate an approved list for the categories of works you are registered for. See response to previous question.
Do I have to be registered on the approved list to submit a tender?
Not necessarily. Where contracts are over a certain value (EU thresholds), they must be advertised and bids invited via an open tender process.
Is there a benefit to my being on the Approved List?
Inclusion on an Approved List benefits organisations as they are approved for work with us and do not have to qualify every time a contract becomes available. It does not, however, guarantee you work and you do not have to apply to go on an Approved list if you do not want to.
Why do I have to apply to go on the list if there is no guarantee of work?
You do not have to apply for the list should you not wish to. As previously mentioned not all contracts are sourced directly from the approved list. The reason we developed the list initially was following requests from other departments, including schools, as they wanted contractors who had been checked against various criteria that they could contact and obtain quotes from.
Is the list available to members of the public?
No. We do not operate in the same way as trading standards and similar types of organisations.
I am on the approved list already. Does this mean Sheffield City Council will endorse my company?
No. As a public sector organisation we cannot do this. When we say you are ‘approved’ it simply means you are compliant across various criteria such as Health & Safety, Equal Opportunities etc. These are minimum requirements within our organisation that we expect anyone to comply with if they wish to do business with us. The approval process does not in anyway endorse companies or individuals attached to them.
What is the difference between the Accredited List and the Approved List?
The Accredited list is an old name for the Approved list for works/provision of goods and services up to £25k. The term 'Accredited List' is therefore no longer used and has been replaced by the term 'Approved List'. The term 'Accreditation' is generally used within the Council to mean recognition of a set of standards within an organisation rather than official approval to undertake works or supply goods and services.
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