A PQQ is where a lot of capable providers fall at the first hurdle, often on something avoidable. It is worth understanding exactly what it is and how to complete it. This guide explains the PQQ and how to get through it cleanly.

What a PQQ is

PQQ stands for pre-qualification questionnaire. It is the first stage of many tenders, used by the buyer to check that you are a legitimate, capable and compliant organisation before they spend time scoring your quality answers. In current public procurement it is often called the Selection Questionnaire (SQ) or supplier questionnaire, but the purpose is the same: qualify in or out.

What it asks

A PQQ or SQ collects company information and confirms eligibility: your registration and Companies House details, CQC registration, insurance levels, financial standing or accounts, health and safety and quality policies, safeguarding and recruitment policies, references or examples of similar contracts, and a series of declarations on grounds for exclusion such as convictions, insolvency or professional misconduct. Much of it is yes or no, supported by evidence.

Why most of it is pass/fail

Unlike quality questions, the PQQ is largely pass/fail. You either hold the required insurance or you do not; you are either registered with CQC or you are not. There is rarely a middle band. This makes it unforgiving: a single missing document, an out-of-date certificate, or insurance below the stated level can exclude you before your quality answers are read.

How to complete one without losing

Read the whole questionnaire first and build a checklist of every document and declaration required. Confirm your insurance meets the stated minimums and renews beyond the contract start. Have current certificates and policies ready. Answer every declaration honestly and completely, because a false or missing declaration is serious. Where past contract examples are asked for, choose the most relevant and recent. Never leave a mandatory field blank, and submit well before the deadline so a portal problem cannot sink you.

Honesty on declarations matters

The exclusion declarations are legal statements. If something applies, take advice on self-cleaning rather than concealing it, because a discovered non-disclosure is far more damaging than the original issue. When in doubt, get the declaration checked.

Pass the gate, reach the scoring

A clean PQQ is simply the ticket to the stage where the contract is actually won. We complete PQQs and selection questionnaires so providers never fail on a technicality, with a 92% win rate across 200+ submissions, and most of our writers ran care services before they wrote bids. Get help with a PQQ or selection questionnaire.